Power devolution not to favour Tamil people: Amaraweera

Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said today power devolution would be done not to favour the Tamil people and that it was done following a request by all the Chief Ministers to give them an opportunity to carry out powers vested on them by the 13th Amendment.

He told parliament that Chief Ministers and Provincial Councillors had requested that they should be given more powers as huge amount of money was spent on provincial councils.

"We are devolving power not to the LTTE. There is a rumour that Tamil people would be given something special. It is not true. Chief Ministers and Provincial Councillors said that lots of money is spent on provincial councils and requested us to give them powers vested on them from the 13th Amendment, he said.

Speaking during the debate on the interim report of the steering committee, he said the unity government was formed to implement a national programme in the country.

"The unity government was formed to implement a national policy which was not changed with the change of governments," he said

He said the responsibility of the government was to work with all the communities so that the country would not lead to another war.

He said certain groups were creating false fear among the people about the new Constitution and added that no draft or Constitution had been submitted in the constitutional assembly as alleged by some people.

"When the national anthem was sung in the Tamil language, they alleged that the country would be divided and a separate flag would also be introduced. But that did not happen," he said.

He said they would not support any Constitution which would result in the division of the country, endanger unitary state character, change the place given to Buddhism and introduce federal state. (Ajith Siriwardana and Yohan Perera)