Video: Wimal says two changes to 13-A insufficient

12 June 2013 02:49 pm Views - 4416

National Freedom Front (NFF) leader and Minister Wimal Weerawansa said the two changes to the 13th Amendment proposed by the government was insufficient and insisted that all provisions which contribute to separatism must be abolished.

“We promised the people at our May Day Rally that we will make sure to have land and police powers and all other provisions which support separatism be abolished before the Northern polls in September. We held a 10-day countrywide petition signing campaign calling for the abolishing of the 13th Amendment. More than one million people including UNP, SLFP and JVP provincial councillors and Pradeshiya Sabha Chairmen supported us in this worthy course,” the minister said at a rally outside the Fort Railway Station after the petitions were handed over to him.

He said his party was going to hand over the petition to the President in a few days and said if the government failed to get a two-thirds majority in parliament to abolish the 13th Amendment, it should go for a referendum.

“We must protect the unitary state,for which thousands of our soldiers sacrificed their lives. We learn that the SLMC, TNA and some leftist parties will even vote against the two amendments being presented by the government. We urge the government to go for a referendum, if the two-thirds majority cannot be ensured,”the minister said.(Ajith Siriwardana-DM Online)
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