A host of senior government Ministers representing the left and the SLFP said today that the government had a silent majority to defeat any attempt to curtail the 13th Amendment.
 

“There is a silent majority within this government which is not depicted and that majority stands with us. We are speaking on behalf of them and have gathered here on this common platform to represent their views” the Ministers said.
 

Addressing the news briefing, SLFP Ministers Rajitha Senaratne, Reginald Cooray and leftist party leaders Vasudewa Nanayakkara, Prof. Tissa Witharana and Chandrasiiri Gajadeera explained each and every facet of the 13th Amendment and countered all ‘fears’ against it.
 

“These are ghosts and ‘goni billas’ that are created by these chauvinist forces who can’t comprehend the 13th Amendment. These were the very same forces that were against the Tamil language being given an equal status. It took bloodshed and 40 years of war for us to realize the vices of this move,” Minister Tissa Vitharana said.
 

The former head of the All-party Representative’s committee (APRC) Prof. Vitharana said those against the 13th Amendment were ignoring the root causes of the political problem in the country.
 

“They fear that the TNA would go on a separatist agenda, but the separatist sentiment culminating in the rise of the LTTE was exactly because the Tamils were alienated repeatedly. This is the exact situation that the tampering of the 13A would create” he said. 
 

Vitharana reiterated that the Provincial Council system had not failed and was the most potent method of devolving power to the villages. 
 

Minister Senaratne alluding to Minister Wimal Weerawansa said the JVP during the Indo Lanka accord had threatened all those who would go to vote at the PC elections with death and even went on to state that the people would have to get visas to travel from one province to another.
 

“They murdered people who were for the provincial council system even going to the extent of saying that anyone who voted would be killed. But millions of people voted during the elections. That’s the mandate given by the people. What more of a mandate do you want?. This has been in existence for 25 years now and the people against it are against it out of pure jealousy, they don’t want to give the North what they enjoy in the South. The rest of the fears were ghosts created by the chauvinist forces which in the end proved today to be utter lies” he said.
 

Speaking on the argument relating to the Indian involvement in the making of the 13th Amendment, Minister D.E.W Gunasekara said the Indo Lanka accord was a culmination of debates that began in the 1920’s and rejected the notion that it was forced upon the country by India.
 

“SWRD Bandaranaike wanted a federal system way back in 1926. The debate began thereafter leading up to the languages act, the Banda-Chelvanayagam accord, the Dudley-Chelvanayagam accord among many others. The debate took a different turn only after 1983 riots with India being compelled to intervene leading to the culmination of the Indo Lanka accord in 1988” he said.
 

Speaking further the Ministers said the LTTE did not raise a finger against any of those against the 13th Amendment today.
 

“Not a finger was raised against them and the LTTE and the JVP both killed only progressive people. Racists were not killed because each side thrived on the existence of the other” he said.
 

Minister and SLFPer Reginald Cooray said that the today many forces have moved away from the need to a political solution, which was the root cause of the conflict.
 

“With the end of the war there was euphoria all around and everyone ignored the root of the problem moving away from the need to address the political problem. Racism, extremis, and the tribal mentality is the best tape to be playing and is the oldest tape that has been played. We have to learn from our past mistakes,” he said. 
 

Citing international examples, Cooray said that every nation which had diverse populations and cultures had devolved power enabling them to become powerful nations.
 

“These heroes who scream against the international community within this country don’t know an atom about how political systems work. Every country in this world has devolved power to a certain extent and that is a must,” he said. 
 

He also warned that the silent majority would speak when the need arises.
 

“The silent majority within the cabinet and the government will speak. We are speaking on behalf of this silent majority. These people who are sprouting hatred and extremism and using it against devolution do not represent this government or its views,” he said.
 

A charged up Vasudewa Nanayakkara said the only reason many forces are against the implementation of the 13th amendment is due to the fact that they could not face an election in the North.
 

“They know they can’t face an election sprouting their extremism in the North which is why they are against it. These are the cowards.  We didn’t run away from facing an election. We even won a seat in the Point Pedro PS. These are the real cowards,” he said.
 

Answering questions posed by journalists regarding their passive participation in the war effort, the Ministers clamoured for the mike stating that each and every one of them were ardent supporters to defeat the LTTE Militarily.
 

“We came to this government not asking for ministerial posts, we wanted an end to the war and to give a durable political solution. I was branded as one of those who vociferously supported the war” Minister Rajitha Senaratne said.
 

Every Minister reiterated during the briefing that there would be no two-thirds majority within parliament to amend the 13th Amendment.
 

“We all fought for the rights of all people including the Tamils. We are the few left from the terror of the 80s and all of us have been on hit lists. We want this country to move forward devoid of the tribal mentalities prevalent and therefore we would continue this fight” they said.( Hafeel Farisz and Lahiru Pothmulla)