Tamil Peoples' Council demands framework pact before constitution making

The Tamil Peoples’ Council (TPC) aka Tamil Makkal Peravai, headed by the Northern Province Chief Minister C.V.Wigneswaran, has demanded that the Sri Lankan government enter into a “basic vision” or framework agreement with the Tamils before it begins re-writing the country’s constitution.

The TPC’s constitutional proposals released in Jaffna on Sunday, said that it will be pointless to re-write the constitution without first entering into an agreement with the Tamils on the “basic vision of the state” on the lines of the 1998 “Good Friday” Agreement (between the UK and the Northern Ireland groups), and the 1995 “Dayton” Agreement (a multi-national pact relating to Bosnia and Herzegovina).

Delineating its notion of the “basic vision for Sri Lanka”, the TPC said that the Tamils’ right to self-determination must be recognized. The Northern and Eastern Provinces must be merged to form a single Tamil-speaking province with special provisions for Muslims. Lanka must be a Federal State and called “Federal Republic of Sri Lanka.”

Devolution of power must not be circumscribed by the 13 th. Constitutional Amendment as it is set within a unitary state. The Lankan state should cease to be a “hierarchical” one with the Sinhalese-Buddhists at the top. The framework agreement must encompass issues like demilitarization and ending state-sponsored colonization. It should be under-written by US or India or the UN. The Tamils should be able to go for a referendum to decide on their status if the Sinhalese-Buddhists unilaterally abrogate the agreement.

Federal Lanka

Delineating the contours of the federal state, the TPC said that there will be two lists of subjects – a Federal List and a States List, with no Concurrent List. The very long State List includes Land and Law and Order, which are not devolved now. The States have the right to seek foreign investments and financial assistance. Although Foreign Affairs is a Federal subject, the North-East have a unit in Lankan embassies to promote its interests.

Lanka will have a bicameral legislature with the House of States (Senate) having the power to stop any bill. If the majority of North-East legislators are against a bill, it cannot be taken up. The official languages will be Tamil, Sinhalese and English. (The New Indian Express)