Urgent need for Constitutional change - DEW

Irangika RANGE and Sandasen MARASINGHE

Constitutional Affairs and National Integration Minister D.E.W. Gunasekara told Parliament yesterday that there was an urgent national need to bring in changes to the Constitution as the national problem still prevails. Speaking during the emergency debate, he said the new Government appointed through the General Election should devote its full efforts to resolve this issue and draft a new constitution to address the country's requirements.

When the present Constitution was drafted in 1978, we raised our voices against it," he said.

It is the present Constitution which took the country towards the present crisis and all other problems, the Minister said.

He said the JVP and the TNA are trying to encouraging communalism.

They are trying to show that the Tamils in the North and East had not cast their votes for President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

"We must replace the new Constitution to resolve the national issue that would fulfil the aspirations of the people," the Minister said.