Video: Don’t oppose 19A: Sobitha Thera

7 April 2015 03:11 pm

National Movement for Social Justice (NMSJ) Leader Maduluwawe Sobitha Thera today urged political parties not to oppose the 19th Amendment, because it was one of the much awaited Constitutional reforms and that this opportunity would not present itself again.

“We have a message for all political parties and for every citizen in the country. This is a pivotal juncture in this country’s future, because on March 10 the 19th Amendment will be presented in Parliament.

“This is one of the main promises in the election manifesto. Ranil, Chandrika, several political parties, trade unions and university professors supported the common candidate based on the promise and assurance of abolishing the executive presidency. It should be abolished and this is the person entrusted to carry out this promise. Since it is happening now I urge parties not to oppose it because such an opportunity will never come our way again,” the Thera said.

He said parties agree on the need to abolish the executive presidency and they agree that there should be electoral reforms but they are not agreed on what the reforms should be.

“This is nothing new to the SLFP; they have encountered this issue before. Parties such as the JVP, the Sama Samaja Party, the Left Parties and even the UNP have opposed the executive presidency.

 All parties are also opposed to the current electoral system and agree that a new system should be adopted. If everyone agrees then why is it so difficult to carry it out,” he said. (Jehan Gunasekara and Sanath Desmond)