Sri Lanka will look to solve the Tamil national question in the North-East within the framework of Sri Lanka’s 13th amendment to the constitution said the new prime minister.
On accountability processes to deal with findings from the UN investigation into Sri Lanka's atrocities, Ranil Wickremesinghe added that there was no “legal basis” for an international investigation within Sri Lanka, stating,
“But we always said, the UNP, that there was no legal basis for international investigation within Sri Lanka; it had to be domestic. We would like to put forward a domestic mechanism which would be within the four corners of our Constitution but would also be acceptable to all the communities in Sri Lanka plus the international community.”
In an interview with The Hindu, Ranil Wickremeshinge, said,
“Substance is what we have to look at. So let us look at how we could work this whole system out and go ahead. The formula which was accepted by India also, let’s see how we work it out within the13th Amendment, maximise it. Let’s build on this. That’s what we are talking about now.”
Commenting on further devolution of power to the provincial councils, Mr Wickremesinghe added,
“There has been a request by some of the Provincial Councils that as far as the powers exercised jointly, by both the Centre and the Provinces, concurrent powers, are concerned, some of it could be transferred to the Provinces. Those are the main issues and we have to work this out. We have to discuss this, the two main parties and the TNA, the third one. They will be the three key players in formulating [the proposals]”
The 13th amendment has been consistently rejected by the Tamil electorate as a starting point for a political solution to the ethnic conflict.
When asked if the 2006 proposal for the merger of the North and Eastern councils would be back on the agenda, Mr Wickremesinghe said,
"That was a temporary merger; there was no permanent merger. The Constitution provides that tow Provinces or more can be merged if it is passed by the Provincial Councils and accepted at a referendum held in the respective provinces separately. So that formula stays as it is."
In 2006 the UNP offered support to to a parliamentary bill which sought to merge the two provinces, without requiring a referendum.
The run up to Sri Lanka's parliamentary election saw all Tamil political parties canvas on a platform of a political solution that went far beyond the 13th amendment and an international justice mechanism to deal with findings of the UN investigation into Sri Lanka's atrocities.
TNA manifesto calls for constitutional change that accepts Tamil right to self-determination (25 Jul 2015)
TNPF calls for internationally mediated political solution acknowledging 'two sovereign nations' in one country (14 August 2015)
International investigation is essential agree Tamil political parties across North-East (02 August 2015)
Litmus Test (24 Aug 2015)
‘13A can never be the final solution’ says Chief Minister Wigneswaran (12 March 2015)
Work towards political solution beyond 13A to avoid international pressure, says India (05 Apr 2014)
Vote for liberation (27 September 2014)
No starting point to resolution (07 Aug 2013)
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