Ceylon Today Editorial

TNA MUST DROP ‘UNITED stand’

25th October 2015

In 1976, the Vaddukoddai Resolution called for separatism that nurtured terrorism that ran its course with the three decade war. That situation worsened when they called for the devolution of power as the 13th Amendment to the Constitution was brought into action.

However, the Tamil community maintained that the powers embodied in the 13th Amendment to the Constitution were not adequately devolved to the periphery. That claim is justifiable.

Now with the Tamil National Alliance Leader R. Sampanthan becoming the Opposition Leader, he stands to support the Government of Sri Lanka to resolve the ethnic issue. That is most welcomed by all the sections in the country, despite the handful of nonconformists. Unlike Sampanthan's predecessors, he has said that he will support the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe Government to find a lasting solution to the ethnic issue. And, according to him he will stand by the government to create a 'united and undivided' country. At the All Party Conference, Opposition Leader Sampanthan had said, there will be no demand for a Tamil Eelam, separation or a division of the country.

Sri Lanka, in accordance with the Constitution of the country, is one country with a unitary character and the word 'unitary' is embodied in the Constitution. More so, all the Members of Parliament have sworn on an oath of allegiance to uphold the unitary character of the country as mentioned in the Constitution.
If the Tamil National Alliance and Opposition Leader Sampanthan harps upon the word 'united' it could create an unwarranted obstacle to the smooth process of discussions that are expected to continue at the All Party Conference. His observations on a 'united' nation have the unnecessary potential of being identified as an entry point for a federalist State. This has the potential of having adverse repercussions on the All Party Conference, if whoever joins the conference notices these subtle differences in terms. What is required is not a number of small units or States, in their various levels of independency or power, 'uniting' under one cause followed by the Central Government, but the need of a unitary State under the Central Government.

Adequate powers can be devolved to the periphery by the government under the present unitary character of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution. For that to happen, the Sinhalese leaders must trust Tamil political leaders. And, as the latter suggests, there will be no demand for a Tamil Eelam, separation or a division of the country. It is rather high time that the Sinhalese leaders moved away from the paranoid state of mind and moved on to trusting the Tamil communities who have expressed their needs of reconciling on the ethnic issue. Not just the Sinhalese leaders, but also those citizens who still don't trust the Tamil man living next door should look in that positive direction.

Furthermore, we cannot, but stress on the importance of the All Party Conference which has given the opportunity to almost all active political parties to express their views on establishing the domestic mechanism inquiring into the alleged war crimes. Although it may be a long drawn process, the presence and active participation of all the invited parties can lead to a successful outcome in the near future.

More so, the invitees and the participants should take to mind that this is not an average parliamentary debate. This is a vital stage in the process of resolving the ethnic issue which has infected our country for far too long. Therefore, discipline is of utmost importance. The opportunity has come and it would be wise to use it. Otherwise, there would be no use crying over spilt milk later.

Thus, the Tamil National Alliance must not insist on the term 'united' and the Government of Sri Lanka must agree to devolve power to the periphery without fear, placing trust in the Tamil community who are undoubtedly citizens of our own mother country.

Sociologist Theodor Adorno once wrote, "An emancipated society would not be a unitary State, but the realization of universality in the reconciliation of differences."Our country has taken the first few baby steps of realizing the universality in the reconciliation of differences, be it ethnic or religious. Subtle differences in words and terms can have a major impact on the outcome of things and it would be an improvement if our leaders could realize that too.