AJITH SIRIWARDANA 
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Video: President Rajapaksa himself for 13A - Mangala
UNP parliamentarian Mangala Samaraweera said today President Mahinda Rajapaksa was an experienced and veteran politician and he would not act against the 13th Amendment, if he was to take a decision on his own.
“I do not think the President would act against the 13th Amendment, if he is to take a decision on his own. He has been taken hostage by extremist groups led by Gotabaya Rajapaksa. What we should do is not to abolish the 13th Amendment but to carry it forward. It should be 13++ not 13-.”
Mr. Samaraweera told a news conference in Colombo that certain extremist groups in the government were attempting to suppress the stance of the majority with regard to the 13th Amendment.
“Some extremist groups within the government are trying to suppress the stance of the majority with regard to the 13th Amendment. The majority of SLFP parliamentarians do not accept these amendments to the constitution. SLFP totally accepted the 13th Amendment after 1994. Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike and even president Mahinda Rajapaksa accepted that there was an ethnic conflict and it should be addressed soon. In 1997 SLFP presented a draft constitution titled, ‘Council of Regions’ which proposed a total devolution of power which goes even beyond the 13th Amendment. SLFP have not brought any proposal to change that stance yet,” Mr. Samarweera said.
Some politicians in the government were conspiring to abolish the 13th Amendment which was gained with difficulty saying that there was no ethnic conflict in the country.
He said the UNP had presented a draft document to all political parties, religious groups and people for discussion.(Ajith Siriwardana)
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