Sampanthan hopes Govt’s efforts would find a lasting solution to ethnic issue
Opposition Leader R. Sampanthan hopes the government’s efforts to rewrite the Constitution would find a permanent solution to the ethnic issue.
“An effective substantial devolution will give people a sense of self rule, a sense of belonging to the country, and that the country belongs to them,” he had said in an interview with the Hindu.
In the interview Sampanthan says he feels if the late Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi had not been killed, the matter (ethnic conflict) would have been resolved.
Sampanthan goes on to say, “the historic Indo-Sri Lanka Peace Accord that mooted a permanent solution to the decades-long-ethnic conflict in the island nation was signed on July 29, thirty years ago”.
Sampanthan recalls how the then government and TULF, the main Tamil party, had marathon negotiations for 20 days during 1986 that brought about the 13th Amendment of Constitution.
“The Tamils’ struggle for self rule had been in the political arena shortly after Independence. When the accord was signed in 1987, it was almost 40 years. The accord itself was preceded by various rounds of negotiations between the Sri Lankan government and Tamil side under the auspices of the Indian government after the riots that took place in 1983,” says Sampanthan who was involved in the negotiations.
Though the agreement acknowledged the unity and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka, it also emphasised that the autonomy of various cultural groups should be preserved. There were Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims and Burghers living in Lanka, each having a distinct culture and linguistic identity, says Sampanthan.
The accord paved way for the 13th Amendment of the Sri Lankan Constitution which is considered the first significant step towards devolution of powers between the Sinhalese and Tamils.
The accord also favoured holding a referendum, which the Tamil parties opposed.
Sampanthan also says that India’s interest in Sri Lanka is not limited to economy or strategy and strongly feels that his neighbour remains committed to in resolving the Tamil issue.
(The Hindu)
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In my opinion writing a new constitution alone will not help ethnic divisions. Even dividing the country not going solve so called Ethnic issues. Our neighbor India is a good example. Still in India there are clashes between Hindus and Muslims taking place. That said, Tamil leaders recently made statements such as Sinhalese should get out from N & E these statements do not help either to resolve ethnic issues.
What is this Tamil issue and ethnic issue that he is talking about. Tamils own and run their own businesses all over Sri Lanka and are patronized by Sinhalese,Tamils,Muslims and Burghers.People from all ethnic groups are inter marrying these days and it is increasing yearly and People seem to be living in harmony,so what seems to be the problem.
Theses politicians have to pretend their is an issue so they can feel important. Then there are arrogant,ignorant and uneducated Politicians who create ethnic issue because these people are so stupid.
The issue, Stan, is that Tamils in the North receive Court Summons in the Sinhala Language and are expected to sign-off Statements to Law Enforcement Authorities in the Sinhala Language.
Imagine, if this happens in the South where you are expected to communicate with the authorities in an alien language, there will be a revolution with black flags galore!
what sort of constitutional reform would bring about or hasten reconciliation sampanthan for as is there is provision in the consitution catering to minorities. by “independence” and since a popular demand touted for the tamil cause was federalism. call it what you like how would the federal state survive economically. for a hypothetical state of islam is dependent on dollar receipts from toronto and tamils living outside the peninsular jafna.. The only economic activity is subsistence rainfed subsistence agriculture similar to to others that live off subsistence.
the attitude of tamils to sinhalese is not good however sampanthan should recognise the fact that the sinhalese are more tolerant than either the tamils or muslims and this is evident from the census. further it is fact that during the insurgency prabhakaran ran a program of ethnic cleansing in collusion with the muslims.
further sampanthan ought to be concious of the fact that muslims can claim the same rights that he advoctes. muslims historically do not have territorial claims but they are engineering to make such a claim.
Ungi
Unfortunately for the Tamils Sinhala is the official language and if a SRi Lankan (reagardless of their Ethnic back ground) does not know the official language then that is a problem they must sort out them selves. Surely there are people in the North who can read Sinhalese to assist them.
such documents are not printed in many different Languages in other countries. So why are the Tamils so stubborn. Get over it Buddy.
Stan,
The World at present is focused on freedom and enjoyment of rights.
Your response to my comments says that the Tamils of Sri Lanka cannot enjoy the fruits of life just because the Sinhala majority have introduced a piece of paper which says that Sinhala is the Official Language in the Republic of Sri Lanka.
Stan, you are living in yesteryear when illiterate Sinhala Buddhist leaders introduced legislation just to win support of the majority of the Sinhala Buddhist population.
Such concepts are outdated in the current society.
It seems only problem our friend UNgi Ponnambalam having is issuing Courts summons (in Sinhala) to Tamils in N & E. Well Mr. Ungi, as you are aware, thousands of Tamils live outside N & E in places like Wellawatta and Kotahena. Are they too receiving Court summons in Sinhala? Or they love to live in majority Sinhala areas? I don’t think issuing court summons in Tamil is not a problem. Hope you listened to Sri Lanka National Anthem sung in Tamil. Another thing Mr. Ungi, thousands of Tamils live in Canada and eat fruits of life (may be apples & graphs) do they receive court summons in Tamil (in Canada)?