13th Amendment must go: JHU
The Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) will write to all opposition political parties with the exception of the Tamil National Alliance, seeking meetings with them.
This is to discuss its private member's motion in Parliament to repeal the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, JHU General Secretary and Minister Champika Ranawaka told the Sunday Times.
Here are edited excerpts of a Q & A:
WHY JHU IS SEEKING A REPEAL: Our position is that the Indo-Sri Lanka Agreement was signed under duress and is therefore illegal. It was gunboat diplomacy by India. The then Parliament was one that had extended its term through a referendum. MPs had already given their undated letters of resignation. The Provincial Councils legislation was presented on the same day as the Indo-Sri Lanka Agreement was tabled. Both the chicken and the egg came out the same day.
MEETING OTHER POLITICAL PARTIES: We want to meet all opposition parties, with the exception of the TNA. We will also meet those in the UPFA. We want to campaign for a free vote for our draft 19th Amendment.
CAN THE JHU MOVE LEGIS- LATION? If there are arguments about procedural barriers, we have other options to resort to. We are in the process of a "de Eelamification." This is much the same way there was "de Baathification" when US invaded Iraq or "de Gadaffication" when an Arab spring ousted Muammar Gadaffi. The terrorist LTTE ideology should be banned if we are to translate our military victory into political victory.
INDIA'S EFFORTS: On the one hand it wants to probe so-called war crimes. On the other, it wants us to change our Constitution to hand over power to the neo Nazis. India will actually learn a lesson. It instigated separatists to pressure us.
ON JHU ACTIONS AFFECTING ITS ROLE AS PARTNER IN THE UNITED PEOPLE'S FREEDOM ALLIANCE (UPFA): We don't care about our position. We only care about our country and its people. There are only circumstances and we have no personal interest.
NPC POLLS: The consequences of holding such polls are going to be more serious than any time before. Nationalist forces that elected President Mahinda Rajapaksa may cut the ground. Modern nationalistic forces in Sri Lanka are the ones who will be able to determine the course for the future. We are opposed to the polls. We have not resettled Tamils and Muslims.
PROPOSED PARLIAMENTARY SELECT COMMITTEE FOR RECONCILIATION: It will not work. The TNA will not participate. The TNA leaders have an inflated ego. The only way forward is to abolish the 13th Amendment. We are not going to backtrack from that.