Lanka takes step forward, to share power

The issue of division of powers between the centre and regions in their proposed federal constitutional model would be discussed in the next session at Nakorn Pathom in Thailand from January 6-9, he said.

The basis for sharing of power and Human Rights protection would be discussed in the next session, said Peiris Sri Lanka’s Constitutional Affairs Minister.

Division of powers is an essential feature of any federal state. There can’t be a political resolution in the absence of sharing of powers, he said, referring to the parties’ agreement in Oslo last week that they would explore the possibility of resolving the ethnic question on the basis of federalism.

‘‘The solution is to be within federalism, that is, the outer boundary has been fixed,’’ he said.

The rebels had agreed that they were neither pursuing separatism nor a confederacy, he added.

The parties had agreed in Oslo that any solution would be based on internal self-determination, federalism and within the unity and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka. This has enabled us to address specific political issues separately, Peiris said. He said federalism was not a new idea in Sri Lanka, having been raised as early as 1930 on behalf of the Sinhalese of Kandy, and introduced into the government’s devolution proposals of 1995 and incorporated in a draft constitution that failed to get parliamentary support in August 2000.

‘‘But the difference now is that the LTTE is now part of the process. Previously, they had no confidence in the idea,’’ he said.

However, Peiris said neither the 1995 proposals, nor the 2000 draft could be adopted in toto. There had to be some modifications. ‘‘We are not excluding anything of value, whether from our experience or from outside.’’

The government and LTTE had, therefore, decided to study various federal models, including the swiss and Canadian systems. The issue of Human Rights protection as part of the proposed solution was another subject to be discussed.(PTI)