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If the constitution obstructs peace, hurl it away

A constitution is rather a mere black and white on paper than a perennial document if it were to obstruct the effort to establish a lasting peace among a dynamic and sensible people full of life and capable of growth and functional activities, says Vasudeva Nanayakkara, a veteran Sri Lankan parliamentarian and a political party leader who is highly indignant for not discarding such a constitution yet, and harshly urges for it to be thrown away forthwith in the interest of the vitally needed peace. He further appeals to be in line with reality to clear the doubts and suspicions of the people and endorse the equality and human rights of individuals.

To rehabilitate and reconstruct the NorthEast region that has been devastated by the twenty years of horrendous war, a federal form of self governing administrative structure is a sheer necessity and should be unequivocally and unalterably granted without stint, Mr.Nanayakara insists and warns that failing to expeditiously resolve the issue in tune with the down to earth reality by granting the proposed interim self governing administration would lead to bloodshed and the country splitting which no force within its power on earth can stop.

The foregoing transpired in the course of Mr.Nanayakara's talk at a seminar on 'Decentralization of power and the human rights of an individual' organized by the Human Development Centre in Kandy on the 20th , 21st and the 22nd instant. The participants at this seminar, presided over by the Human Development Centre President Mr.Sivapragasam, were a cross-section of the Tamils, Sinhalese, and Muslims in the NorthEast, hill country, the Southern region, and other parts of the island.

Mr.Vasudeva Nanayakara continuing his talk said that the Hela Urumaya's stand is that all of us could be together but the rights must not be claimed. JVP says they would grant the rights but not the federal system. Both these parties, at the mere mention of federal system, are jumping about as if they stepped on burning coal.

Provincial council system was formulated to solve the NorthEast problem. Is the Provincial Council functioning there? NorthEast Tamils rejected the Provincial Council system as due powers were not granted and their aspiration were not met.

JVP speaks of Gramaraj which is not in concord with the time of the day. Tamils have proposed an interim administration only to rehabilitate and develop the country deformed by war but not to divide and separate. They are asking for a federation integral within united Sri Lanka. When the majority Sinhalese objects even to grant this, bloodshed and the country splitting into two cannot be prevented.

Mr. Nanayakara ultimately insisted and concluded that it is for the government and the JVP to understand that democracy cannot be ensured and guaranteed in a country where fundamental rights and freedom of the minorities are not assured and secured.

26 August 2004

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