Sri Lanka’s prime minister yesterday promised greater political power to the island’s Tamil minority under a new constitution aimed at preventing a return to ethnic war and healing the wounds of the past.
Speaking in the Tamil heartland of Jaffna, Ranil Wickremesinghe marked the Tamil festival of Pongal with a pledge to devolve power and demilitarise a former war zone — two of the minority’s key demands.
“We are ready to devolve power (to minority Tamils) and protect democracy,” Wickremesinghe said in a nationally televised ceremony.
The premier also promised to “take action” against both state forces and Tamil rebels accused of war crimes in the final stages of the island’s 37-year-old separatist war, in line with pledges to the UN Human Rights Council last year.
“Who has violated (humanitarian law), it could the security forces or the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam),” he said. “We will take action
accordingly.”
Sri Lanka’s year-old government has begun drafting a new constitution aimed at resolving the drawn-out ethnic conflict which ended in 2009 and claimed 100,000 lives, the
premier said.
The issue has been fraught, however, with hardline members of the Sinhalese majority opposing a federal system that would ensure more political power for minority Tamils.
Some minorities fear a “unitary” constitution would see them lose out while moderate Tamils who want to remain in a single union have pressed for greater power in areas where they are in the majority.
“The constitutional assembly will discuss with all, including (Tamil-dominated) provincial councils to have a new constitution,” Wickremesinghe said. “We will do that in a transparent manner.”
The prime minister also promised yesterday to do more to help families of victims resolve the issue of dozens of Tamils who have been imprisoned for years
without charge.
Other measures announced include recruiting hundreds of Tamils to the police and military to reduce the mistrust between Jaffna residents and the security establishment, and further support
for families of war victims.
“There are lists of missing people and I am afraid most of them may not be among the
living,” Wickremesinghe said.
President Maithripala Sirisena, who was elected in January last year partly on the back of Tamil votes, was due to travel to Jaffna yesterday, but was unable to make it due to “unavoidable” reasons, his office said.
The regime of former president Mahinda Rajapakse faced repeated UN censure over his failure to investigate allegations that at least 40,000 Tamil civilians were killed by troops under his command while crushing the rebels in 2009.
TAMIL SUPPORT: The support of Sri Lanka’s main Tamil party is crucial to the adoption of a new constitution, a senior minister said yesterday.
“In 1972 and 1978, the Tamil parties did not take part in the constitution-making process. Their support this time will be very important,” Minister of Higher Education and Leader of the House of Parliament Lakshman
Kiriella said in Kandy.
The Tamil minority has largely stayed away from efforts by the two Sinhala majority parties in formulating previous constitutions. They raised black flags against the 1972 constitution.
Tamils are the official opposition in the current parliament, boosting efforts to achieve national reconciliation. TNA leader R Sampanthan made a passionate plea in parliament early this week for an inclusive process.
Cabinet spokesman and Health Minister Rajitha Senaratnesaid the constitution-making parliamentary select committee’s proposal would be approved in parliament on January 26.
“We will be accommodating all the opposition-moved amendments,” Senaratne said.
The government last Saturday moved a resolution in a special session of parliament to convert the whole parliament into a
constitutional assembly.
However the opposition parties have pointed out technical issues opposing the move.
This will be Sri Lanka’s first attempt of changing the
constitution in the last 37 years.