13A not the final solution – TNA 

By Sulochana Ramiah Mohan-  June 6, 2014 


The 13th Amendment to the Constitution is not the final solution to the Tamil problem, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) General Secretary, Mavai Senathirajah, told Ceylon Today.

Responding to the government rejecting devolving police powers to the Provinces, the MP said yesterday, "The Government of Sri Lanka has assured the Indian Government several times that it will implement the 13th Amendment in full and make devolution meaningful.

"The 13th Amendment came up after the Indo-Lanka Accord and its implementation should be decided by them," he said.

"We have handed over a proposal setting out the framework to the government on 18 March 2011 and the 13th Amendment does not fully reflect our stance," he said.
He said, "Ask India what to do about the government's rejection."

The MP continued saying that they have also explained to India that the 13th Amendment is not the final solution to the national issue and "It was then that they stressed that we should work on the 13th Amendment and go beyond."
He added, "Former President, Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, had a proposal in 1995. There was an Expert Committee and an All Party Representative Committee and all of them were appointed because the 13th Amendment was not the final solution to the burning Tamil problem.

"Our March 2011 proposal explains our position but the government has not responded to it. The government walked away from negotiations," he added.

The government on Wednesday (4) informed Parliament that the President had informed Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, that devolving police powers to Provincial Councils under the 13th Amendment to the Constitution cannot be implemented.

Govt. to implement 13-A without police powers, rejects TNA demand

by Zacki Jabbar-June 5, 2014, 

The government said yesterday that it did not have an issue with implementing the 13th Amendment to the Constitution with the exception of police powers.

Asked during the weekly Cabinet Press briefing in Colombo if land and other provisions of 13A with the exception of police powers would be implemented, Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwalle said that the contentious issue was the Tamil National Alliance demand for a Police Commissioner to be appointed by the Northern Province Chief Minister; that could not be granted due to security reasons.

Asked whether the granting of land powers needed to discussed with the relevant stake holders, he replied "It is police powers as demanded by the TNA that cannot be granted. Traffic police and other powers necessary for administrative purposes could be devolved."

Pointing out that India had amended its Constitution 150 times, Minister Rambukwella noted that the 13A had been relevant at the time it was introduced but not in the post war era.

Sri Lanka, the minister said welcomed the new Indian government under the leadership of Narendra Modi since it would give stability to both countries. "We did have certain differences with New Delhi, but it has always stood for an undivided Sri Lanka despite Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalitha’s repeated calls for the creation of Eelam."