Batty hails 13th Amendment
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Batty Weerakoon |
Former Justice Minister Batty Weerakoon yesterday said the draft of
the 13th Amendment to the Constitution had to be put into the basket as
the Tamil parties were not ready to discuss it.
He said it was saved by the Indian Government when it found an
opportunity in the matter and made it a part of its deal with former
President J R Jayewardene.
Weerakoon testified before the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation
Commission which met at the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute yesterday.
He said that the Constitutional Amendment was drafted by the All
Party Conference of former President J R Jayewardene’s Government.
“Former President Ranasinghe Premadasa scuttled the implementation of
the 13th Amendment with the North and the East amalgamated as provided
for in the Indo – Lanka Accord for the ending of the separatist politics
of the LTTE,” he added.
Weerakoon said President Premadasa’s devious action gave a boost to
Sinhala chauvinism and preserved the LTTE’s separatist stand.
Weerakoon said former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga
failed to learn the lesson that the 13th Amendment can not be amended
without a two thirds majority in Parliament. He said she had to depend
on the Opposition for the proposed Amendment to the Constitution.
He said President Kumaratunga garnered the support of TULF and the
UNP. “ The amendment failed to pass Parliament because President
Kumaratunga and her Minister in charge had smuggled into it provision
for the extension of her presidency by a further six years,” he added.
He added that successive governments have failed to learn the lessons
that the 13th Amendment is the only weapon for revival of peace process
in the country. “It is the law that calls for speedy implementation,” he
added.
Weerakoon added that the 1972 Republic Constitution was not hurridely
done but it took away few rights that the minority communities were
enjoying.
When inquired by Commission Chairman C R.de Silva PC about steps that
have to be taken by the government to reconcile with the people in the
area, Weerakoon said the Government should ensure sufficient conditions
of living.
They should be provided with all facilities.
He spoke on Indian involvement in the peace process in Sri Lanka and
how it was involved in the training of separatists in Indian camps.
He read out some parts of the book titled Tigers of Lanka from boys
to guriella by Narayan Swamy.
He described the mindset of the minority, especially Tamils.
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