The visiting Member of the European Parliament and of the Friends of Sri Lanka Group in the European Parliament Geoffrey Van Orden Met with Tamil National Alliance Leader R. Sampanthan in Colombo yesterday.
Apprising the European Parliament Member of the recent political developments in the country, Sampanthan pointed out the importance of the reconstitution of the Constitutional Council through which the independence of the judiciary has been preserved and which was clearly demonstrated during the recent crisis situation.
Sampanthan further expressed that “our support to reinstate the Government was on Principle. The country was in distress and there was no Prime Minister or a Government. We had to support to reinstate the Government to prevent further damage being done to the economy and for normalcy in the functioning of institutions in this country.”
Briefing on the new Constitutional making process, TNA Spokesman and Jaffna District Parliamentarian M.A.Sumanthiran said, the draft Constitution which was done by a panel of experts and which was to be presented in Parliament on December 7, 2018, will be presented before February 4, 2019.
Sampanthan pointed out that the new Constitution must ensure that the country is undivided and indivisible. Further it should also ensure that there is a genuine power-sharing arrangement which allows the people and the regional/provincial governments to exercise powers in regard to the matters that are connected to their day to life.
Sampanthan further said, when a New Constitution is introduced and if we see it as a reasonable and acceptable one, our people will accept it.
“Ever since the enactment of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, much work has been done to improve the Constitution under every successive leader of this country,” Sampanthan said.
During President Premadasa’s time, there was the Mangala Moonesinghe Select Committee Report, during President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga’s tenure, the 2000 proposal, during President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s time, the All Party Representatives Committee and Prof. Tissa Vitharana’s proposal. All these proposals were a substantial improvement to the Constitution, Sampanthan said.
“After 30 years of hard work, we now have the opportunity. Therfore, we should grab this opportunity for the betterment of this country,” Sampanthan said. Further,Sampanthan said “I am being reasonably optimistic because this is my country and I want this country to prosper, therefore I cannot be pessimistic”.
Responding to a question regarding the activities of the Diaspora Members, Sumanthiran said, “the extreme elements in the diaspora are numerically very small and if there are proper power-sharing arrangements in Sri Lanka, a large section of the Diaspora is willing to support such a process.” he added.
“Attitudes and actions of an extremist section of the Diaspora will not have any influence on our decisions, Sampanthan said. Further, he said, “at every local election our people have consecutively and firmly voted out such extreme elements”.
Speaking on the land issues, Sampanthan pointed out “we are against the state-sponsored settlement schemes which are done deliberately to change the ethnic composition in the regions. We are not against natural migration of people. The Tamil speaking people have an inherent interest to preserve their land and their culture,Sampanthan added.
European Parliament Member Geoffrey Van Orden said he expected more foreign support towards reconciliation efforts in Sri Lanka post-2009, and that he is not happy that then-President Mahinda Rajapaksa did not pursue efforts to achieve true reconciliation in this country. The cordial meeting lasted more than one hour.
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