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Lanka may amend Constitution to devolve power

Amberish K Diwanji in New Delhi

Sri Lankan minister for Buddhist sassan (administration), culture and religious affairs Lakshman Jayakody today said Colombo is keen to introduce a constitutional amendment to bring about a devolution package before August 24, when the Sri Lankan Parliament will be dissolved to hold elections.

Speaking to the media just before meeting External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh, Jayakody said that the Lankan political parties - including the opposition United National Party and the Tamilian parties - have agreed to the broad contours of the devolution package, but some finer details remained to be worked out.

K Balapatabendi, special secretary to Sri Lankan president Chandrika Kumaratunga, who is accompanying Jayakody, said that the devolution package sought to provide a higher degree of autonomy to the provinces. "It is more than just devolution and except for a few subjects, including internal security, we are seeking to devolve most powers to the provinces," he said.

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam has rejected the devolution package. When this was pointed out to Balapetabandi, he said the LTTE's rejection would not hamper the progress of talks as the government enjoys the support of most of the Tamil parties. He said the impression that the LTTE was the only force that mattered in north Lanka was a wrong one.

He added that the LTTE was welcome to join the devolution effort at any time.

When asked about the current role of Eric Solheim, the Norwegian mediator, Balapetabandi said Solheim had declared that he was no longer interested in mediating the dispute following the LTTE's rejection of the draft proposals.

Jayakode said that the constitutional amendment was for turning the country from a unitary structure to a federal structure with power devolving to all the eight provinces, including the Tamil-dominated regions in the north and east. He added that with elections looming, the thrust was to have the proposal accepted by the Tamil parties so that the war could end.

The meeting between Jayakode and Jaswant Singh lasted for 40 minutes. Jayakode was due to meet prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee later in the day.

Jayakode said the primary purpose of his visit to New Delhi was to thank the government and the people of India for their unstinted support in Colombo's fight against the LTTE.

According to the officials in the Ministry of External Affairs, Jayakode briefed Singh about the situation in Sri Lanka and also dwelt in detail on the proposals for devolution.

The proposals of the devolution package are quite similar to the proposals first made in the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord of 1987.

Jaswant Singh said India is keen to see some forward movement on the devolution plan towards a final settlement that would end the war while meeting the aspirations of all the people of Sri Lanka.

The devolution package has been opposed by the hardline Buddhist clergy, who come under Jayakode's ministry, and it is now up to him to convince them about the necessity of the package.

Both Jayakode and Balapetabandi refused to talk about the current war situation.

Analysts say with the Sri Lankan army holding its own in Jaffna, thus stalling the LTTE assault, the Sri Lankan government has earned sufficient breathing space to push through its devolution proposals.

The Indian government too would be keen to see the devolution package accepted and implemented soon, as it fears that continuation of the Tamil crisis could have an adverse impact upon the people in Tamil Nadu.

The MDMK, a constituent of the ruling National Democratic Alliance, had at a public rally in Erode, Tamil Nadu, called for the creation of an independent Eelam, a statement the NDA immediately rejected as not being the official policy.

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