SJB backs full implementation of 13A: Kiriella

The main Opposition in Parliament, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya yesterday (22) stated that the Party supports the full implementation of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, noting that National Land and Police Commissions would control related provincial commissions so that no issues would arise.

Speaking to The Daily Morning, Chief Opposition Whip and SJB Parliamentarian, Attorney Lakshman Kiriella said: “We are for the 13th Amendment. It was former President and incumbent Government Parliamentarian Mahinda Rajapaksa who said that the 13th Amendment is not enough, and that he is for going beyond it. When he was conducting the war against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in 2010, he was worried that India might intervene to satisfy them, and therefore, he said that he will give ‘13th Amendment plus’. The 13th Amendment passed by the Parliament is the law now.”

When queried as to whether the SJB supports the full implementation of the 13th Amendment, Kiriella said: “Exactly. There will be a National Land Commission and under it, there will be a Provincial Land Commission, and the National Commission would oversee the work of the Provincial Commission so that there would not be any problem. Also, there would be a National Police Commission, and a Provincial Police Commission. Therefore, the Provincial Commissions would be under the National Commissions. Everything can be controlled. This is how it happens in India. The National Commissions cover the whole country, and they have oversight over the Provincial Commissions.”

When queried as to whether the ethnic issue could be resolved via the full implementation of the 13th Amendment, he said: “Definitely, it can.” 

Meanwhile, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna’s (JVP) former MP Sunil Handunnetti stated in a recent interview that his Party (represented in Parliament as the National People’s Power [NPP]) is not in agreement with the 13th Amendment. Speaking during an interview with Ada Derana, Handunnetti revealed that the NPP does not accept the said Amendment to any extent, adding that the JVP too is vehemently against the said piece of legislation. 

“The difference between the current state of the provincial councils, and that are following the implementation of the 13th Amendment, is the devolving of Police and land powers. Where are these Police and land powers now? They are within the Constitution, but cannot be implemented as the people do not want this,” he added. 

President Ranil Wickremesinghe recently stated at the all-party conference that he is bound to implement the existing law in accordance with the Executive powers of the President. He also stated that the 13th Amendment should be implemented accordingly, or that the Parliament should abolish it. The President further stressed that he is not ready to divide the country at all and that he would not betray the Sinhalese population either.