TNA ‘categorically rejects’ Sri Lankan President’s offer of devolution minus police powers 

TNA rejects Sri Lankan President's offer to implement 13th Amendment sans police powers, citing lack of political will to devolve power. India has consistently underscored full implementation of the legislation, which is a guarantee of self-determination for Sri Lankan Tamils. President's meeting with Tamil parties ahead of India visit reveals familiar promises of development, but no sign of provincial elections. Tamil leaders urge PM Modi to push for federal solution.

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) on Tuesday “categorically rejected” Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s offer to implement the 13th Amendment sans police powers, terming his proposal for development and power development “another hollow promise”.

“If the government is not willing to implement what is already in our Constitution, it is a revelation of the lack of political will to go beyond the 13th Amendment, and meaningfully devolve power,” TNA spokesman M.A. Sumanthiran told The Hindu, following a meeting convened by Mr. Wickremesinghe with Tamil political parties. “We categorically rejected the President’s proposal,” the Jaffna MP said.

Also read: The elusive political solution in Sri Lanka

The meeting, and the President’s position on the 13th Amendment — a Sri Lankan legislation that is over 30 years old and has never seen full implementation — assume significance ahead of Mr. Wickremesinghe’s scheduled visit to India on July 21.

India has consistently underscored “full implementation” of the legislation, which was enacted after the Indo-Lanka Accord of 1987. It remains the only legislative guarantee of some power devolution, following the Sri Lankan Tamils’ historic demand for the right to self-determination.

However, the 13th Amendment seeks to devolve power to all nine provinces, incuding seven that have Sinhala-majority populations. Successive governments in Colombo have refused to part with land and police powers in the provinces. Meanwhile, the military is visibly present in the Tamil-majority north and east till date, 14 years after the civil war ended. 

Also read: 13th Amendment | A promise of devolution