Never ever allow to bargain on the unity of the Nation
A.A.M. NIZAM
UNITY: Sri Lanka may lack many things but there is no dearth for
groups with vested interest pressurising for devolution, federalism and
interim administration.
This is not a phenomeon of recent origin but it dates back to the
time the British Imperialists made arrangements to hand over the ruling
of this nation to their proxy Kalu Suddas.
Many patriots have defended the right of the nation to remain unitary
and strengthen the brotherhood amongst all communities as a single
family unit but the divisive forces continue to raise their ugly heads
from time to time like the mythological phoenix.
Once again these antagonists of Sri Lanka's unity have joined hands
to pressurise and force the Government to accede to their divisive
demands.
In the "Mahinda Chintanaya" visionary document, Mr. Mahinda Rajapakse
presented as a candidate of the last Presidential Election promised
under the Chapter "An Undivided Country, a National Consensus, an
Honourable Peace" that he "will commence extensive discussions with all
political parties represented in the Parliament, as well as those not
represented in the Parliament, the Maha Sangha, leaders and priests of
other religions, civil society organisations, and more particularly with
Tamil, Muslim and Sinhala organisations operating in the North and the
East to arrive at a peaceful political settlement where the power of
each and every citizen is strengthened to the maximum, without being
trapped within concepts such as traditional homelands and right to self
determination. My intention is to devolve power to the level of the
citizen.
I believe that by developing a strong citizen, we would be able to
reach a solution in this national conflict." (my emphasis). He further
elaborated that the national consensus that emerges from the
consultative process shall be submitted to a referendum of the people as
soon as such a consensus is reached.
Majority of the masses endorsed this pledge by electing him as the
fifth President of this nation and in keeping with his promise the
President has convened the All Party Conference and has appointed a 15
member Consultative Committee representing members from all communities.
Consequent to this move, the vicious elements with vested interests,
the uncompromising diehards, the short-sighted chauvinist extremists,
and paid agents of anti-national forces who were lying dormant since the
defeat of the treacherous Ranil Wickremesinghe have become vigorously
activated to either hamper these moves or to pressurise for blind
acceptance of their archaic short-sighted and pro-alien formulae.
One of the claims these vested interested proponents make is that
only a federal system of government will suit Sri Lanka and it has been
accepted by the Tiger Terrorists at the Oslo discussions held in
November 2002.
This was even claimed by the UNP at the last Presidential Election as
the main objective in their Manifesto, despite the fact that the
terrorist outfit had disclaimed umpteen times that they agreed to such
an arrangement.
This formula was resolutely rejected by the masses in defeating Ranil
Wickremesinghe winning the Presidency and attempting to grant such a
solution.
Way before the Presidential Election, when the UNP government was
making attempts to replace the existing Constitution by a Federal system
of governance, Maha Nayake Thera of the Malwatte Chapter, Ven.
Rambukwelle Sri Vipassi Thera summoned a National Joint Committee to his
Aramaya on February 21, 2003 and mandated them to look into this matter
and report on the political and constitutional implications of
introducing a Federal Constitution for Sri Lanka. The committee
comprised of eminent legal luminaries and historians.
The committee invited legal and written submission and studied the
subject in depth for over six months and submitted their report in
September 2003 disqualifying Sri Lanka for such a Constitution and
decreed that such a Constitution was harmful for social and religious
amity and for the peaceful existence of Sri Lanka.
At the same time there are elements who vigorously campaign for Sri
Lanka to adopt a Constitution of the Indian Model. A bane of our country
is that we have a large number of idiots in the higher echelons who
think that Indian systems and Indian methodology are panacea for all our
ills.
This is also such an idiotic conception. India is an amalgamation of
625 princely States some willingly joined and some forcibly annexed,
such as Goa and some of the former French enclaves. Part of Kashmir is
still resisting such annexure.
Each Indian State is several times larger than Sri Lanka land-wise
and population-wise. Sri Lanka never existed as separate units and there
is all the danger of Sri Lanka becoming another Yugoslavia and getting
segregated into ethnic mini-states if we adopt the Indian model.
The terrorist outfit too has taken advantage of the opportunity to
re-present the despicable ISGA proposal granting of which by the Ranil
and his cohorts was prevented by the uprising of the patriotic masses in
November 2004.
Finally as a Muslim, I am duty-bound to my country to comment on the
utterly foolish claim being made by the chauvinist SLMC that Muslims
should be given a non-contiguous administrative unit merging Muslim
dominated areas in the North and East.
This is the most stupid proposal being presented at the APC, just to
satisfy the political expediency of its shameless leader risking the
life and property of the Muslims scattered all over the island.
If such units are to be granted Tamils in the hill country, Tamils in
the Western Province too could claim for such units.
Muslims in Sri Lanka have lived amicably with their maternal cousins
the Sinhalese community from time immemorial and have resisted all
attempts to segregate Sri Lanka. Since the State Council times, Sir
Marcan Markar, Sir Razik Fareed, T.B. Jayah and Dr.Badi-ud-din Mahmoud
have firmly stood against any form linguistic or territorial division of
Sri Lanka.
The speech made by Dr. Badi-ud-din Mahmoud presenting the Muslim case
in the Constituent Assembly remains ever applicable for constitutional
matters in Sri Lanka. He said that "Let me state in clear terms that the
Muslim community will always oppose strongly any attempt at the division
of the country whether directly or indirectly.
Today the Muslims are totally in favour of a unitary government and a
united Lanka. I would strongly urge in these circumstances that special
provision be included in the new Constitution to avoid any such
division."
Patriotic masses should shun all their petty differences and join
together to oppose all forms of pressure being exerted on the Government
to follow unsuitable models that could dilute unity and national
integrity, and pave the way for division and segregation of the country.
Oppose all forms of territorial devolutions and demand to strengthen
the power of each and every citizen. Then only a Sri Lankan born in
Devinuwara can live as a Sri Lankan in Point Pedro and vice versa. |