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MR urges Govt. to abandon 'destructive proposal'

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16 October 2017 07:15 pm - 26     - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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Former president Mahinda Rajapaksa in a statement today, urged the government to abandon what he described as ‘the destructive proposal’ for a new constitution.

He said the vast majority of Tamil and Muslim people lived outside the Northern and Eastern Provinces and therefore the carving out of federal units based on ethnicity or religion and the conferring of sweeping powers on such units should never take place in this country.

“The government has tabled in Parliament, proposals for a new constitution. The constitutional reform pledges made by the yahapalana coalition at the last presidential election was restricted to changing the system of elections and abolishing the executive presidential system. This government never received a mandate to repeal and replace the existing constitution. We are completely opposed to the following proposals made in the interim report of the Steering Committee of the Constitutional Assembly.

It has been proposed that the Sinhala word ‘ekeeya’ be retained in the Sinhala version of the proposed new constitution, while the English word ‘unitary’ will be dropped from the English version together with the conceptual framework it denotes. Thus the local population will be under the impression that Sri Lanka still remains a unitary state, but in the eyes of the international community, we will be considered a country that has relinquished unitary status. That such chicanery can even be contemplated is indicative of the mentality of the people driving this constitutional reform process.

The intent behind these reforms is made clear by the proposal in page four that the northern and eastern provinces be considered one province. Furthermore it has been proposed that the territory of Sri Lanka which is described in Article 5 of the present Constitution as consisting of the 25 administrative districts named in the relevant Schedule, be instead described in terms of an unspecified number of provinces named in a Schedule rather than the specific number of districts – which gives an indication of the intent behind these proposals," Mr. Rajapaksa said.


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  Comments - 26

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  • SL Monday, 16 October 2017 07:31 PM

    This Yahapalanaya will kill this country

    fareed Tuesday, 17 October 2017 11:33 AM

    Yahapalana stopped the killings.

    Samitha Monday, 16 October 2017 08:12 PM

    Since MR liberated the country from terrorism and enjoys the support of a large number of lawmakers the govt should respect his views.

    Ronnie Bugger Tuesday, 17 October 2017 09:31 AM

    Look whose talking about destructive elements and proposals. Samitha - ask your Mr. Former President to shove his comments to the nearest garbage bin, will you.

    Casanova Tuesday, 17 October 2017 11:20 AM

    Ronnie, Things in the Garbage bin will be rotten if the former President's comments go in it. Ignore this man, he is simply going insane.

    fareed Tuesday, 17 October 2017 11:32 AM

    Your suggestion looks like Harvey Weistine's sexual assault on women in Holy Wood.

    Kumara Monday, 16 October 2017 08:19 PM

    Former Prez Rajapaksa is adamant he wants to dictate the citizens of this country and thereby inflict on them another 30 years of civil war and deaths and thereby destroying the peace we are enjoying now and development of this country.

    Mithrapala Monday, 16 October 2017 08:21 PM

    The ultimate aim of this govt is to repeat the election victory of Jan 15 by retaining the minority vote base.

    fareed Tuesday, 17 October 2017 11:30 AM

    Stop calling people majority and minority which is divisive politcs. People who are born in this country are Srilankans.

    Princely Monday, 16 October 2017 08:26 PM

    Hope the Maha Sangha will be awake to the looming danger

    alex Tuesday, 17 October 2017 09:37 AM

    what have the Maha Sangha got to do with this???

    Aruni Monday, 16 October 2017 08:30 PM

    Even if the govt decides to abandon the destructive proposal, its international masters will not allow it.

    ananda Monday, 16 October 2017 08:39 PM

    We the people of Sri Lanka are fortunate because of your election defeat as we were on the verge of being a Chinese colony had you continued in the Presidency. via DM Android App

    vithura Monday, 16 October 2017 09:35 PM

    It was due to the indiscriminatory violence, unleashed by MR and his predecessors, that forced Tamils to flee their homes in the NE. It was MR who forcibly grabbed civilian homes and lands under the guise of national security in the NE that is still occupied by the armed forces. He, of all, is the least qualified to talk about the new proposed constitution.

    TONY Monday, 16 October 2017 11:10 PM

    YOU DO NOT LIKE OTHERS DOING ANYTHING FOR THE PEOPLE AS YOU WANT TO DO IT AND TELL THE PEOPLE THAT IT WAS YOU WHO DID EVERYTHING. YES YOU DID GET OTHERS TO PUT THEIR HANDS ON FUNDS ILLEGALLY FOR YOUR PROPAGANDA

    raja Monday, 16 October 2017 11:34 PM

    Mr. Ex President, may I make a humble request to you. We all know you want to get back to power to rule us and at the same time make our country bankrupt again. you did lot of bad things. We are today in this situation and thanks to your kitchen politics. Why don't you allow MS and RW to take our country forward.

    AshyD Monday, 16 October 2017 11:54 PM

    Did he get or have a mandate to bring in the 19th Amendment? What bullshit is he talking.

    Sri Wickrema Tuesday, 17 October 2017 02:09 PM

    It should be 18th Amendment.

    Park Tuesday, 17 October 2017 12:45 AM

    What right Mahinda has to even comment about the proposed constitution? He is the one, without any public consultation and for personal benefit amended the constitution in the middle of the night. Such a person even has the audacity to comment today is shocking. He is trying to protect his interest.

    sathees Tuesday, 17 October 2017 01:12 AM

    Your worries are un founded. MS will do great, You should go into retirement.

    ceylon Tuesday, 17 October 2017 09:31 AM

    papers dont do erong.only people holding poditions doing wrong.select and elect honest respectable knowledgeable people. via DM Android App

    Labby Tuesday, 17 October 2017 10:56 AM

    Instead of talking to the gallery why doesn't he come to Parliament and make his statement?

    Shan Tuesday, 17 October 2017 11:02 AM

    The heads of state must understand that we are the custodian of this constitution of this country and we would like to see the constitution published in the news paper, then we could have our say about it.

    fareed Tuesday, 17 October 2017 11:27 AM

    yeah, every proposal is destructive as long as others make it but when he makes it, it is the perfect one that will only create Sinhala chauvinism.

    ceylon Tuesday, 17 October 2017 12:00 PM

    all he is doing now is to come to power to steal more and avoid jail for corruptions and crimes. via DM Android App

    iqbal Tuesday, 17 October 2017 03:07 PM

    Hello Mr.Ceylon,Unlike others MR and his goons are patriotic Sri lankans, therefore they are permitted to crimes and corruption.


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