Ground Realities: The Third Constitution In The Making
By Mass L. Usuf –March 13, 2016
Mass L. Usuf
“The true civilization is where every man gives to every other every right he claims for himself” ~ Robert G. Ingersoll
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe announced that the Parliament has approved on Wednesday, 9th March a resolution where all Members of Parliament will constitute the Constitutional Assembly. They will be discussing the new Constitution. He said, “We will be starting work in May”.
Like cerebral asymmetry, the perception of the people towards this exercise is variegated. It is good to begin with the doubting Thomases. They see this exercise only as a diversionary tactic to engage the masses away from the economic and other woes. For those who remember the pledge given to the late Venerable Sobitha Thero viz. abolition of the Executive Presidency, devolution of powers and a mixed electoral system, claim that only an amendment to the relevant Articles in the constitution would suffice. Dr. Jayampathy Wickramaratne, Constitutional expert and his ilk would like to see a new and modern constitution. One in line with the developing countries where the scope of civil and political rights has been expanded. In addition, includes children’s rights, women’s rights, the economic and cultural rights as enforceable rights. To the general citizenry, many are the expectations to be fulfilled by this new constitution. The Tamils wants a solution to their ‘Tamil problem’. The Muslims look forward for some accommodation as a minority community. The Sinhala masses want a unitary state.
Missed opportunity
History laments the disgracefully squandered opportunities of the 1972 and 1978 governments which could have anchored Sri Lanka as an exemplary democratic nation – stable, peaceful and prosperous. The price tag, as we all know, of these misadventures is enormous and continuing to mount in different forms.
Even if the constitutional indulgence of Madam Sirimavo Bandaranaike is excused due to the then prevalent circumstances, can an elderly Statesman like the late Mr. J. R. Jayewardene be pardoned? It would be unfair to assume that he lacked foresight or a vision for his Dharmista nation when he architected the Socialist Democratic Republican Constitution of Sri Lankan in 1978. It is an open secret that party politics, Sinhala chauvinism and Buddhist nationalism were their priorities over the future and greater interest of the entire nation. Sadly, remnants of these retrogressive elements are making their presence relevant even today in both of the major parties.
