‘Cooperate with Constitution-making process’

Sampanthan appeals to MR:

Opposition Leader R. Sampanthan yesterday appealed to former President Mahinda Rajapaksa to cooperate in the constitution-making process.

Speaking during the budget debate, he told parliament that if Mr. Rajapaksa was opposed to the creating of a new constitution, he could have done so at the time of bringing in a resolution to convert parliament into a Constitutional Assembly.

“If you opposed, why didn’t you come attend parliament sessions at that time and say the country did not need a new constitution,” he said looking at Mr. Rajapaksa, who was sitting next to him.

Mr. Sampanthan said Mr. Rajapaksa was opposing what he promised when he was in power.

He asked Mr. Rajapaksa not to use the constitutional making process for his political objectives.

“LG polls are coming. If you want to win the election and defeat the government, just do it. Nobody can complain about that. Do not try to stir communal tension in the country by stating that the new Constitution was an attempt to divide the country. That is not the way to get about resolving problems of our people,” he said.

Mr. Sampanthan said UNHRC adopted a resolution in 2015 which sought the government to make constitutional amendments.

“The government has given a commitment to the UNHRC that it will do certain things with regard to constitutional making to ensure reconciliation and peace in Sri Lanka,” he said.

He said country’s situation in the UN was worse prior to 2015. “The country was set to face economic sanctions and dire difficulties. But that did not happen under the new government,” he said.

Mr. Rajapaksa, who was the next speaker in the budget, said that Mr. Sampanthan made a sentimental speech and that he could realise why he was speaking sentimentally but refrained from making any comments