No need of divisive constitution: Sampanthan

Friday, July 21, 2017

Opposition Leader R Sampanthan yesterday said they did not want a Constitution that would create divisions in the country.

He said they need a Constitution that was aimed at addressing the root cause of the national question and would bring a resolution to the same.

The Opposition Leader made these remarks when he called on visiting Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop at the residence of Australian High Commissioner in Colombo yesterday.

Sampanthan said he was confident that if the United National Party and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party members in the government work together, formulating the new Constitution can be fulfilled.

“We don’t want a Constitution that divides the country, but a Constitution that will address the root causes of the national question and eventually be a resolution to the same, and we are committed to working on these lines to frame a new Constitution,” he said

Sampanthan briefed the visiting Foreign Minister on the current situation of the Constitutional making process and highlighted that the UNP and the SLFP must work together at this crucial time to overcome barriers and obstacles that are threat to the process.

“The country never had a Constitution based on national consensus. This is an opportunity to frame a Constitution based on national consensus which should not be missed,” Sampanthan said.

He cautioned that if these efforts fail, there will be consequences which will have an adverse impact on the country.

TNA spokesman and parliamentarian M. A. Sumanthiran was present