Prez agreed to go the whole hog-civil society

Constitutional reforms

by Shamindra Ferdinando-February 10, 2017, 9:38 pm 

President Maithripala Sirisena and a group of nearly 50 civil society organizations have agreed that the proposed new constitution should be subjected to a referendum.

 Their stand is compatible with that of the UNP, main coalition partner in the government strongly pushing for a brand new constitution in accordance with an understanding reached with the Geneva-based United Nations Human Rights Council. 

Although, they haven’t discussed a possible time frame, UNP national list MP and constitutional expert Dr Jayampathy Wickremaratne has assured the gathering at the Presidential Secretariat on Wednesday (Feb 8) that the draft constitution would be handed over to President Sirisena soon. 

Government Nursing Officers’ Association President Saman Ratnapriya, in a brief interview with The Island, on behalf of the consortium of civil society organizations said that they had reached consensus on a course of action to bring in a new constitution with the approval of the electorate. The civil society representatives included Ven. Dambara Amila thera, Ven Thiniyawala Palitha thera (director of Lanka Hospitals), Gamini Viyangoda and Nirmal Ranjith.

The meeting between the President and the group lasted for about two hours, the third since the former was elected at the January 2015 poll.

 Underscoring the pivotal role played by the civil society grouping in the political project to oust the previous government in January 2015, Ratnapriya emphasized their resolve to bring in a new constitution to address the grievances of the people. Ratnapriya quoted President’s Counsel and ex-Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP) stalwart Wickramaratne as having said that the draft constitution could be handed over to President Sirisena next week.

 Dr Wickremaratne, a member of the Steering Committee drafting the new Constitution had been among two members of parliament present on the occasion with the other being UNP MP Arjuna Ranatunga.

 Ratnapriya acknowledged that the Steering Committee appointed by the Constitutional Assembly chaired by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe hadn’t been able to finalise the draft constitution on Jan 5-6 session as originally planned. Had they been able to reach consensus at the two-day meet in parliament, the report was to be presented to the Constitutional Assembly comprising all MPs.

Ratnapriya said that the proposed report would be essentially based on the six sub-committee reports on fundamental rights, the judiciary, law and order, public service, public finance and centre-periphery relations.

The 21-member Steering Committee constituting representatives of all political parties in Parliament, has been deliberating on core subject areas pertaining to the nature of the State, form and structure of government, principles of devolution, religion, electoral reforms and land.

 Ratnapriya said that on behalf of the group he called for electoral reforms, law and order, post-war national reconciliation measures as well as the abolition of the executive presidency.

Asked whether President Sirisena had been explicit in his support for the civil society project, Ratnapriya said that the President in his capacity as the leader of the SLFP had assured his party’s support and commitment to the daunting task.

The civil society grouping has received President Sirisena’s assurance against the backdrop of mounting pressure on him as well as the SLFP not to go for a referendum. Those opposed to a referendum had repeatedly said that Sirisena’s presidential election manifesto was quite clear about the new constitution. They have pointed out that Sirisena promised to introduce constitutional amendments which could be accommodated without being subjected to a referendum.

Leader of the House and Higher Education Minister Lakshman Kiriella’s recent declaration that the UNP would go for a referendum with the support of the SLFP should be examined in the backdrop of the civil society receiving an assurance from President Sirisena for a referendum.

 "We are ready to go all-out is campaigning to ensure success at a referendum," Ratnapriya said, adding, "I raised the issue with SLFP General Secretary Minister Mahinda Amaraweera on Thursday night. Minister Amaraweera reiterated his commitment to the project".

Ratnapriya told The Island that civil society representatives repeated their request that several courts be assigned to hear cases pertaining to corruption and killings that had taken place during the previous administration. Ratnapriya quoted President Sirisena as having said that instructions had been issued to the IGP as well as the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and the Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID) to expedite inquiries meant to prosecute the wrongdoers regardless of their standing in society.