AJITH SIRIWARDANA 
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Govt. 'minorities' also call for repeal of 13A powers
Minister Faiszer Musthapha and SLFP Batticaloa District organiser Arun Thamabimutthu asserted that the Provincial Council system was a ‘white elephant’ and called for the repealing of the land and police powers enshrined in the Constitution if the government were to proceed with the Northern Provincial Council elections.
“The TNA is still espousing a separatist line and therefore it is dangerous to go ahead with the elections with land and police powers enshrined in the 13th amendment intact. The Provincial Councils do not need land and police powers” they said.
Speaking further Mr. Faizer Musthapha, reading from the Constitution, said that the police power, if granted to the provincial councils, would interfere with the independence of the police.
However, when it was pointed out by journalists that the independence of the police was already compromised and that the minister had supported the enactment of the 18th Amendment, the minister said that everyone was entitled to his opinion.
“Yes I raised my hand for the 18th Amendment and I don’t think it (18A)impedes the independence of the police. I’m entitled to my view and that is my view” he said.
Speaking during a heated conference, Arun Thambimutthu took great pains to explain the drawbacks of the police and land powers being enshrined in the Constitution, but failed to give a coherent answer regarding the democratic right of the citizens of the Northern Province, to elect their representatives.
“It is the TNA that has espoused communalism and, therefore, it is dangerous,” he said failing to respond to the query regarding as to the democratic right of the people of the area to decide whom to elect rather than the centre decide for them.
Mr. Faizer Musthapha responded instead, asserting that it was easy to mislead a public that “hadn’t seen the world”.
However, during the press conference it was reiterated that the duo were representing the “other voice” of the minorities, “in order to tell the country that we have to think on national lines devoid of boundaries”. (Hafeel Farisz)
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