Stating that the announcement of Sri Lankan Prime Minister in Parliament that 13th Constitutional amendment providing for delegating powers to provinces would be implemented has given big hopes to world Tamils, DMK President Kalaignar M.Karunanidhi on Jan 21 asked the newly installed Maithripala Sirisena regime in Sri Lanka to fulfill these promises and come forward to soon find solution through talks the needs of Lankan Tamils.
In a statement, Kalaignar recalled that a pact between India and Sri Lanka was entered into in 1987 and the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and the then Sri Lankan President Jayawardane signed in it. As a follow up measure, the 13th amendment to the Constitution of Sri Lanka was made; this provided for power sharing with all provinces including the Northern and Eastern provinces inhabited by Tamils there. Further, that Constitutional amendment promised recognition of Tamil language on par with Sinhala as official language and for the setting up of province-wise High Courts. But the Lankan regimes which came thereafter did not implement the amendment. Hearing a petition regarding this, the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka struck down the 13th amendment. Hence, devolution of powers to provinces has not been made till now and the Government of India had been continuing to urge Sri Lanka to implement 13th amendment. The DMK also many times was urging for the implementation of the 13th amendment.
It was on this issue that Prime Minister Ranil Wikramasinghe, who has assumed charge in Sirisena government after electoral victory, addressing the first session of Parliament has announced that the 13th amendment would be implemented. This has gladdened us. Moreover he has said, “We will implement the 13th Amendment within a unitary state for creating amity with minority Tamils,” which has given big hope for world Tamils, concerned with Lankan Tamils. I request the newly formed Sirisena regime to soon implement these promises and expeditiously find solution through talks on the needs of Lankan Tamils”.25 January 2015
In a statement, Kalaignar recalled that a pact between India and Sri Lanka was entered into in 1987 and the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and the then Sri Lankan President Jayawardane signed in it. As a follow up measure, the 13th amendment to the Constitution of Sri Lanka was made; this provided for power sharing with all provinces including the Northern and Eastern provinces inhabited by Tamils there. Further, that Constitutional amendment promised recognition of Tamil language on par with Sinhala as official language and for the setting up of province-wise High Courts. But the Lankan regimes which came thereafter did not implement the amendment. Hearing a petition regarding this, the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka struck down the 13th amendment. Hence, devolution of powers to provinces has not been made till now and the Government of India had been continuing to urge Sri Lanka to implement 13th amendment. The DMK also many times was urging for the implementation of the 13th amendment.
It was on this issue that Prime Minister Ranil Wikramasinghe, who has assumed charge in Sirisena government after electoral victory, addressing the first session of Parliament has announced that the 13th amendment would be implemented. This has gladdened us. Moreover he has said, “We will implement the 13th Amendment within a unitary state for creating amity with minority Tamils,” which has given big hope for world Tamils, concerned with Lankan Tamils. I request the newly formed Sirisena regime to soon implement these promises and expeditiously find solution through talks on the needs of Lankan Tamils”.25 January 2015
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