Sri Lanka's senior Buddhist clergy from the Malwatu and Asgiriya chapters urged the government to "stop drafting" the new constitution immediately, stating it was "not needed".
“We have decided the unsuitability of the proposed Constitution. We say that a new Constitution is not needed. The present Constitution is good for us. We will express protest of the Maha Sangha after briefing the Mahanayakes of the Asgiriya and Malwathu Chapters, Ramannaya and Amarapura Nikayas," they were quoted by the Daily Mirror as saying.
"We urge the government to stop the drafting process immediately. The present Constitution is better for us. President’s powers should be intact. But a electoral system based on first-past-the- post system also should be there. We decided that the Maha Sangha should oppose the proposed Constitution."
“The proposals made in the proposed Constitution were detrimental to the unitary state concept and decentralisation of state power would create a serious situation. It is evident that the country would be divided,” they added.
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