Noble start in north!
- At historic inauguration, Chief Minister Wigneswaran says TNA has rejected separatism but calls for removal of troops from north, stresses land rights
- Governor, CM inaugurate new NPC complex with National Flag raising ceremony
- NPC will push for Police powers to be devolved to provinces
- NPC Opposition Leader pledges cooperation
- Good beginning, says Sampanthan
By Dharisha Bastians in Jaffna-October 26, 2013
The Northern Provincial Council met for the first time in Jaffna yesterday, with Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran making a passionate call for demilitarisation in the region and citing serious lapses in the 13th Amendment, but pledging to use his huge electoral mandate to push for reconciliation in the former conflict zone.
The inaugural session of the first-ever Northern Provincial Council (NPC) was held at a newly-constructed building in Kaithady,
Jaffna, that was opened earlier in the morning by Northern Province Governor, retired Major Gen. G.A. Chandrasiri and Chief Minister Wigneswaran. The pair hoisted the National and Provincial Flags and participated in a colourful ceremony before the Council was scheduled to meet at 9:30 a.m.
“The 13th Amendment is a vessel full of holes. Its powers are not sufficient to deliver all the aspirations of the Tamil people and offers no independence for the provincial councils,” Wigneswaran said, making his maiden speech to the Council.
He said the provincial government would do its best to ensure Police powers as set out in 13A are devolved to the province. “We need Tamil-speaking Police personnel who can be sensitive to the language, culture and aspirations of the people,” he said.
The retired Supreme Court Judge said his provincial government would however use the overwhelming victory handed to them by the people at last month’s historic election held on the basis of 13A to push for peace, reconciliation and democratic governance. “We hope the Government will cooperate,” he noted.
The Chief Minister made a strong case for the removal of troops from the Northern Province, suggesting the surplus soldiers could be absorbed into the UN Peace Keeping Force or integrated back into civilian life.
“There will be no civil administration here if one in every five people is a soldier,” Justice Wigneswaran charged. He said the
presence of a Military Governor in the region as the President’s representative also hampered civilian administration.
Reaching out to the Muslim and Sinhala communities in his maiden assembly speech, the Chief Minister said Muslims evicted from the region must be resettled and urged the Sinhalese to believe that the TNA had rejected separatism.
Striking a note for good governance, Justice Wigneswaran said there would be no room for corruption in the Council and every councillor would be subject to periodic performance review, the results of which would be made public.
Also addressing the Council for the first time, NPC Opposition Leader K. Kamaleindran of the EPDP pledged to cooperate with the TNA-led Council. “For 30 years, there was destruction. The war tore everything apart. Here we now have a chance to rebuild,” he said.
Before the session began, Secretary to the NPC G. Krishnamurthy read out the proclamation by the Northern Governor, constituting the Council. Kandasamy Sivagnanam was unanimously appointed Council Chairman.
“Everything went well. The Government seems inclined to cooperate. The beginning is good,” TNA Leader R. Sampanthan told reporters at the conclusion of the session.
Sampanthan and TNA MPs Marvai Senathirajah, M.A. Sumanthiran, E. Saravanabhavan and Suresh Premachandran attended the inaugural session. Senior lawyer Kanag-Iswaran also was in attendance.
The Northern Provincial Council met for the first time in Jaffna yesterday, with Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran making a passionate call for demilitarisation in the region and citing serious lapses in the 13th Amendment, but pledging to use his huge electoral mandate to push for reconciliation in the former conflict zone.
The inaugural session of the first-ever Northern Provincial Council (NPC) was held at a newly-constructed building in Kaithady,
Jaffna, that was opened earlier in the morning by Northern Province Governor, retired Major Gen. G.A. Chandrasiri and Chief Minister Wigneswaran. The pair hoisted the National and Provincial Flags and participated in a colourful ceremony before the Council was scheduled to meet at 9:30 a.m.“The 13th Amendment is a vessel full of holes. Its powers are not sufficient to deliver all the aspirations of the Tamil people and offers no independence for the provincial councils,” Wigneswaran said, making his maiden speech to the Council.
He said the provincial government would do its best to ensure Police powers as set out in 13A are devolved to the province. “We need Tamil-speaking Police personnel who can be sensitive to the language, culture and aspirations of the people,” he said.
The retired Supreme Court Judge said his provincial government would however use the overwhelming victory handed to them by the people at last month’s historic election held on the basis of 13A to push for peace, reconciliation and democratic governance. “We hope the Government will cooperate,” he noted.
The Chief Minister made a strong case for the removal of troops from the Northern Province, suggesting the surplus soldiers could be absorbed into the UN Peace Keeping Force or integrated back into civilian life.
“There will be no civil administration here if one in every five people is a soldier,” Justice Wigneswaran charged. He said the
presence of a Military Governor in the region as the President’s representative also hampered civilian administration.Reaching out to the Muslim and Sinhala communities in his maiden assembly speech, the Chief Minister said Muslims evicted from the region must be resettled and urged the Sinhalese to believe that the TNA had rejected separatism.
Striking a note for good governance, Justice Wigneswaran said there would be no room for corruption in the Council and every councillor would be subject to periodic performance review, the results of which would be made public.
Also addressing the Council for the first time, NPC Opposition Leader K. Kamaleindran of the EPDP pledged to cooperate with the TNA-led Council. “For 30 years, there was destruction. The war tore everything apart. Here we now have a chance to rebuild,” he said.
Before the session began, Secretary to the NPC G. Krishnamurthy read out the proclamation by the Northern Governor, constituting the Council. Kandasamy Sivagnanam was unanimously appointed Council Chairman.
“Everything went well. The Government seems inclined to cooperate. The beginning is good,” TNA Leader R. Sampanthan told reporters at the conclusion of the session.
Sampanthan and TNA MPs Marvai Senathirajah, M.A. Sumanthiran, E. Saravanabhavan and Suresh Premachandran attended the inaugural session. Senior lawyer Kanag-Iswaran also was in attendance.
