Former MP Gevindu Cumaratunga warned yesterday that Provincial Council (PC) elections could undermine the unitary status of the country as separatist forces were once again working overtime to break up the country with external help.
That was clearly evident from the results of the recent local government polls, especially in the North and East, with separatist elements garnering the majority of votes, he said.
Cumaratunga, who leads the Yuthukama civil society group, pointed out though the NPP experienced a significant drop in its vote bank at the 06 May Local Government polls, compared to the parliamentary polls last November, the government could go ahead with its agenda without creating an unnecessary obstacle by way of PCs, particularly in the Northern and Eastern Provinces.
Referring to various commemorative events held on Sunday and Monday to mark the 16th anniversary of Sri Lanka’s triumph over separatist terrorism, the former SLPP parliamentarian warned the National People’s Power (NPP) government that the abolition of PCs would make war victory meaningful, though such a measure wasn’t possible in the near future.
Cumaratunga said that the eradication of the LTTE’s conventional military power effectively ended the gradual progress in promoting, what he called, a federal solution.
Responding to The Island queries, Cumaratunga said that the executive, legislature and judiciary shouldn’t forget that India forced the 13th Amendment to the Constitution to pave the way for PCs.
Parliament passed the controversial amendment on Nov. 14, 1987, and PC Act No 42 of 1987 at India’s behest, Cumaratunga said.
The ex-lawmaker said that patriotic groups should pressure the government not to devolve land and police powers to PCs. Actually that should be our priority at the moment, the Yuthukama leader said, calling for a fresh examination of 13th Amendment to the Constitution.
Successive governments refrained from conducting the PC polls after the Yahapalana administration delayed the election on the pretext of amending the PC Election Act to grant a larger representation to women
The amendment, passed in September 2017, ensured that future elections to Provincial Councils will be under a hybrid system where both proportional representation and first-past-the-post will apply. Voting during the third and final stage of the Bill saw 159 MPs in favour and 37 against, Cumaratunga said.
Cumaratunga alleged that the NPP and TNA both backed the SLFP-UNP move to sabotage the PC polls. “None of them wanted to face the PC polls against the backdrop of the humiliating defeat suffered by the Yahapalana partners, the UNP and the SLFP at the Local Government elections held in early February 2018.
Acknowledging the importance in commemorating the war victory achieved at a tremendous cost, Cumaratunga said that constitutional amendments and Acts that were contrary to Sri Lanka’s unitary status should be done away with. Introduction of a new Constitution that reflected post-war ground realities would be necessary to consolidate the country’s unitary status, Cumaratunga said.
Commenting on the setback experienced by the NPP in the Northern and Eastern regions at the recently concluded LG polls, Cumaratunga said that the ruling party shouldn’t seek to consolidate political power in those areas at the expense of national interests. Those still believe in federal structures could pressure the NPP to call PC polls though a Minister, several weeks ago, declared that PC polls wouldn’t be held this year.
The PC system was meant to undermine the country’s unitary status. Whatever the stand taken by the JVP-led NPP now, in respect of the PCs, they couldn’t forget the launch of the second insurrection against the Indo-Lanka accord, Cumaratunga said.
By Shamindra Ferdinando
