Sri Lanka ready to give land and police powers

[HeinzGud]

Sri Lanka : Sri Lankan government ready to discuss police and land powers with Tamil party

Jan 03, Colombo: Loosening its stance against granting police and land powers to the provinces according to the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, the Sri Lankan government said Tuesday that it is ready to consider its scope provided the major Tamil party, Tamil national Alliance (TNA), put forward its proposals at the talks with the government.

The government spokesman, Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said today that though the government is concerned about giving land and Police powers to the provinces it is prepared to discuss the issue and make concessions.

The Minister has said the government has serious concerns about devolving absolute Police powers to the provinces. "As a Government we are concerned about giving Police and Land powers to provinces. However, we are ready to consider giving those powers within certain scope if such a proposal is made by the TNA to the Government. For that the TNA should remain at talks with the Government," Minister Rambukwella told the Government Media Unit.

As an example, he said the provinces could bar the head of the country from entering the province without the police permission. The arrangement in use in India is detrimental to Sri Lanka as Sri Lanka is a smaller country in size than even an Indian state, the Minister pointed out.
The government denies that it was under any pressure from India to devolve land and police powers to the provinces according to the 13th amendment. "Dealing with day to day affairs such as smaller crimes and complaints could be dealt with by Provincial authorities," he has said. The Minister said both parties need to discuss the matters that both could agree upon before arriving at any decision and the TNA should be mindful of that. Rambukwella complained that unfortunately TNA runs away from the talks halfway and create a deadlock to portray a situation to the international community that the Government of Sri Lanka was giving nothing to them. This was the case since 1985 from the day talks began, he added. He pointed out that soon after the end of the war in May 2009, the two sides held several rounds of talks to find a solution to the ethnic issue and once again the TNA is dragging its feet without making a final commitment.

The TNA meanwhile, has decided to meet with representatives of the diplomatic community in Colombo to explain the parity's stance with regard to land and police powers to the provinces. The party would emphasize the need to allocate land and police powers to the provinces as outlined in the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, a spokesman for the TNA said.

 

[KS]

Full autonomy (under SL constitution) and guarentee against demographic engineering should be the core of the demands of the TNA. Kashmir model could be replicated there.

 

[HeinzGud]

Full autonomy (under SL constitution) and guarentee against demographic engineering should be the core of the demands of the TNA. Kashmir model could be replicated there.

Full autonomy should not be given to any Provincial Council. I personally disagree with the land and police power devolution because it will make people more divided and more hypocritical. TNA actually do not want the political settlement they want to start a conflict again in SL so they can have money and be idle to get votes!

Karthic can you give any link about the Kashmir model?

 

[pmaitra]

Full autonomy should not be given to any Provincial Council. I personally disagree with the land and police power devolution because it will make people more divided and more hypocritical. TNA actually do not want the political settlement they want to start a conflict again in SL so they can have money and be idle to get votes!

Karthic can you give any link about the Kashmir model?

Article 370 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Personally, I think Kashmir Model is a good model. How much autonomy to give? That could be debated, but p.e.a.c.e.f.u.l.l.y.

HeinzGud, India respects the external boundaries of Sri Lanka. We do not favour division of the country. You should, on your part, give as much autonomy as possible. The kind of integration you are talking about is not quite feasible, especially now, after so much conflict.

Good fences make good neighbours.

 

[johnee]

Full autonomy (under SL constitution) and guarentee against demographic engineering should be the core of the demands of the TNA. Kashmir model could be replicated there.

Such things are generally harmful to the integrity and sovereignty of a nation. Further, once such policies are adopted, they are difficult to be reversed.

Not saying that SL Tamils should not demand them, just saying that Sinhalese may not want to accept them. Of course, others can pressure them and they may reluctantly accept it. But that would not be good for SL integrity and sovereignty.

And most importantly, such moves will make integration of Tamils and Sinhalese very difficult.

Of course, I understand that Tamils in SL see themselves as being genocided. And their fears and perception are justified.

 

[HeinzGud]

LankaWeb – Ban Tamil National Alliance

TNA is neither acting in the interest of Sri Lanka, nor that of the Tamils who voted for TNA. The TNA Parliamentarians have their own Agenda and they are exploiting the poor Tamil people by whipping up their sentimental attachment towards their own Tamilness , making promises of a separate Tamil identity. That is all what they give to the Tamil people in return for their votes .

Sampanthan and his TNA cohorts are not interested in the welfare of the Tamil people as it is evident from what they had been doing from the day they were elected as Parliamentarians. Their only preoccupation had been the devolution of power for the Tamils in the North and East, make loud noises about an ethnic problem, and calling the Government for " an accountability" for the last phase of the military operations against the terrorists.

Sampanthan's criticism of the report of the LLRC, had been highlighted in an articel « TNA wants Accountability Mechanism for Sri Lanka » in The Hindu website. Sampanthan had said that the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission report "categorically fails to effectively and meaningfully deal with issues of accountability". These statements of Sampanthan and others of the TNA had to be seen in the light of other issues to understand the tactical role the TNA is playing to deceive the government and the people of Sri Lanka inviting the attention of the terrorist front Organisations of the Tamil Diaspora.

 

[HeinzGud]

Article 370 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Personally, I think Kashmir Model is a good model. How much autonomy to give? That could be debated, but p.e.a.c.e.f.u.l.l.y.

HeinzGud, India respects the external boundaries of Sri Lanka. We do not favour division of the country. You should, on your part, give as much autonomy as possible. The kind of integration you are talking about is not quite feasible, especially now, after so much conflict.

Good fences make good neighbours.

Does article 370 has solved the problem of Kashmirs in Indian side??

I do not think that Indian models are credible enough to end the Tamil problem in SL. We know that in 87 India has pushed SL to accept the Provincial councils made according to the Indian states model. But did Tamil political parties had enough?? No they didn't.

The same was right for the Sanvardhna Saghas in '82, Tamils politician do not want end the ethnic problem they are profiting from it.

TNA is like LTTE. It only wants the Tamil Elam which SL will not give!

 

[asianobserve]

Full autonomy will only reinforce the separatist sentiments of the Tamils long term (they're really different). The solution is to bring them to the fold of the central government and woo moderate Tamils into civil service. Pour money into the province, build infra, hospitals, schools, and lots of scholarships for Tamil children... At the same time cut the discrimantory policies against Tamils.

 

[pmaitra]

Full autonomy will only reinforce the separatist sentiments of the Tamils long term (they're really different). The solution is to bring them to the fold of the central government and woo moderate Tamils into civil service. Pour money into the province, build infra, hospitals, schools, and lots of scholarships for Tamil children... At the same time cut the discrimantory policies against Tamils.

Yes they are. What are you trying to say? How about Malaysia started treating Indians, mainly Tamils, with a little more respect? The laws aren't particularly egalitarian in Malaysia, are they? Charity begins at home.

 

[HeinzGud]

Full autonomy will only reinforce the separatist sentiments of the Tamils long term (they're really different). The solution is to bring them to the fold of the central government and woo moderate Tamils into civil service. Pour money into the province, build infra, hospitals, schools, and lots of scholarships for Tamil children... At the same time cut the discrimantory policies against Tamils.

Indeed Tamils are different to Sinhalese and Muslims living in SL demographically they are not different or separated in the political arena. As for your knowledge moderate Tamils are in the civil service currently the best example is the late Mr. Kadiragamar. So there are no need to woo them.

As for the issue of the money, SL government has a problem of supplying money to any provincial council. Therefore that option is not validable under present economic climate. Lets assume that if the full autonomous Northern province lacks money to do anything due to lack of money transfers... what will Tamil politicians do? will they say SLG don't have money or will they say SLG and Sinhalese don't care about them? What'll Tamil peasants think?

There are no discriminating policies towards Tamils in SL if there are show me some cuz I do not know any!

 

[Ray]

Even if Land and Police power is given, there will be an overall supervision by the Federal Govt I am sure.

So, Hakuna Matata!

 

[Param]

Full autonomy will only reinforce the separatist sentiments of the Tamils long term (they're really different). The solution is to bring them to the fold of the central government and woo moderate Tamils into civil service. Pour money into the province, build infra, hospitals, schools, and lots of scholarships for Tamil children... At the same time cut the discrimantory policies against Tamils.

SL Tamils are different from Sinhalese. Tamils there deserve a federal structure.

The centralisation agenda is a plan to slowly Sinhalise the country. Money and economic development cannot be a substitute for legitimate political rights.

 

[amoy]

Echoing AsianObserve and Johnee's remarks, I feel so called 'full' autonomy or federation will open the pandora box for SL. In addition to 'fund allocation' btwn the Central and the Provincial, instantly following scenarios come to mind given your history / demography

* Within the 'autonomous' provinces Sinhalese may be marginalized as 'minority'. How will their rights be protected? That will create a new disparity. Think about Serbs in Kosovo.
* Ethnicity based party (say TNA) may become a key 'minority' in your parliament as it is very likely to hold seats from Tamil dominated provinces. Or furthermore even worse - all your political parties are already ethnicity based as resulting in deeper division. To draw an inappropriate parallel to Kurds party in Iraq

So, Heinz, u know more than us what is practical with those lofty goals in mind as SL is a tiny island...

 

[asianobserve]

Yes they are. What are you trying to say? How about Malaysia started treating Indians, mainly Tamils, with a little more respect? The laws aren't particularly egalitarian in Malaysia, are they? Charity begins at home.

You're veering off topic. But our ethnic Indian minorities are doing fine. Have you heard of ethnic Indians wanting to go back to India? No country is perfect not even India but certainly minorities are better off in Malaysia than most Asian countries especially in the South.

 

[anoop_mig25]

Sri Lanka : Sri Lankan government ready to discuss police and land powers with Tamil party

As an example, he said the provinces could bar the head of the country from entering the province without the police permission. The arrangement in use in India is detrimental to Sri Lanka as Sri Lanka is a smaller country in size than even an Indian state, the Minister pointed out.

i donot see any head of gov requires permission from state of police before entering that particular aera

 

[anoop_mig25]

Echoing AsianObserve and Johnee's remarks, I feel so called 'full' autonomy or federation will open the pandora box for SL. In addition to 'fund allocation' btwn the Central and the Provincial, instantly following scenarios come to mind given your history / demography

* Within the 'autonomous' provinces Sinhalese may be marginalized as 'minority'. How will their rights be protected? That will create a new disparity. Think about Serbs in Kosovo.
* Ethnicity based party (say TNA) may become a key 'minority' in your parliament as it is very likely to hold seats from Tamil dominated provinces. Or furthermore even worse - all your political parties are already ethnicity based as resulting in deeper division. To draw an inappropriate parallel to Kurds party in Iraq

So, Heinz, u know more than us what is practical with those lofty goals in mind as SL is a tiny island...

well problems can be solved by giving (complusory) representation from minorties in an region

 

[asianobserve]

Of course Heinz is in a better position to asses the realities on the ground in SL. But there's no silver bullet solution for problems like this.

 

[HeinzGud]

I'm waiting for the hardline pro-Tamil DFIans to answer my question stated above but not a single one came in!

 

[Param]

Echoing AsianObserve and Johnee's remarks, I feel so called 'full' autonomy or federation will open the pandora box for SL. In addition to 'fund allocation' btwn the Central and the Provincial, instantly following scenarios come to mind given your history / demography

* Within the 'autonomous' provinces Sinhalese may be marginalized as 'minority'. How will their rights be protected? That will create a new disparity. Think about Serbs in Kosovo.
* Ethnicity based party (say TNA) may become a key 'minority' in your parliament as it is very likely to hold seats from Tamil dominated provinces. Or furthermore even worse - all your political parties are already ethnicity based as resulting in deeper division. To draw an inappropriate parallel to Kurds party in Iraq

So, Heinz, u know more than us what is practical with those lofty goals in mind as SL is a tiny island...

Whether it is China, SL, Malaysia or my own country there is one thing common between supporters of the Unitary system. All of them are opposed to power sharing.

China has issues with Uighers and Tibetans. That's the reason China supports majoritarian regimes and opposes autonomy or Federalism

Power sharing is true democracy. Unitarism in a diverse country is a Majoritarian Shamocracy.


There is no hope for true democracy if the west declines. That is one of the reasons I try to defend the west very often despite the colonial injustices.

asianobserve said,

You're veering off topic. But our ethnic Indian minorities are doing fine. Have you heard of ethnic Indians wanting to go back to India? No country is perfect not even India but certainly minorities are better off in Malaysia than most Asian countries especially in the South.

Why would they want to go back to India? The are Malaysians regardless of their ethnicity. There is discrimination that's why groups like HINDRAF are protesting.

I am aware of the Bumi Putra Majoritarian policies in Malaysia.

 

[pmaitra]

Echoing AsianObserve and Johnee's remarks, I feel so called 'full' autonomy or federation will open the pandora box for SL. In addition to 'fund allocation' btwn the Central and the Provincial, instantly following scenarios come to mind given your history / demography

* Within the 'autonomous' provinces Sinhalese may be marginalized as 'minority'. How will their rights be protected? That will create a new disparity. Think about Serbs in Kosovo.
* Ethnicity based party (say TNA) may become a key 'minority' in your parliament as it is very likely to hold seats from Tamil dominated provinces. Or furthermore even worse - all your political parties are already ethnicity based as resulting in deeper division. To draw an inappropriate parallel to Kurds party in Iraq

So, Heinz, u know more than us what is practical with those lofty goals in mind as SL is a tiny island...

You are a Chinese all right. If you were a Chinese living in Malaysia, you wouldn't have made that post. I don't want to go any further, but you are getting my drift, I hope.