Col R Hariharan
Highlights
Devolution muddle: After India
cautioned Sri Lanka against tinkering with 13th Amendment (13A) and
some of the partners of the ruling UPFA coalition objected to it, a
parliamentary select committee (PSC) has been appointed to consider the issue
and make recommendations. The government has clarified that the Northern
Provincial Council (NPC) be held in September 2013 under existing 13A.
Continuing Buddhist activism:
Continuing Sinhala Buddhist activism directed against Muslims and Christian
establishments is causing concern.
Devolution muddle
The ruling UPFA coalition’s reluctance to allow the
Tamil National Alliance (TNA) – former political allies of the LTTE- gain
control of the Northern Provincial Council (NPC) in the elections due in
September 2013 was manifest in various moves undertaken to weaken the 13th
Amendment (13A). After a TNA delegation met Indian leaders on June 19 and
briefed India on the moves, Indian prime minister cautioned Sri Lanka to desist
from diluting the 13A.
While Sri Lanka announced the NPC election would be
held as planned in September without any change in 13A, it appointed a
parliamentary select committee (PSC) to suggest changes in 13A. The UPFA has
nominated 18 members but the three major opposition parties United National
Party (UNP), the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and the TNA have refused to take
part. The PSC is scheduled to meet on July 9. SLFP leaders have said the PSC
would go ahead to make recommendations even if opposition parties do not join
in the deliberations.
Since October 2012, Rajapaksa brother’s had been
orchestrating political pressure for doing away with 13A using the right wing
Jathika Helay Urumaya (JHU), and the Marxist National Freedom Front (NFF) of
Weerawansa. However, Indian pressure and strong opposition from some of UPFA’s
coalition partners had deferred the issue.
Now, as the NPC elections are nearing, Rajapaksas have
launched multiple moves to dilute or do away with 13A and replace it with 19th
Amendment. For instance the SLFP-led Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council has approved the
government proposal to amend the 13A. The Province Chief Minister proposed
doing away with the provision which enabled two or more provinces to amalgamate
as well as rescinding the requirement for consent of all provincial councils
for the passage of legislation coming under their purview.
It
has been reported that Basil Rajapaksa, President’s brother and Minister for
economic development will be visiting New Delhi on July 4, to brief Indian
Minister for External Affairs Salman Khurshid and National Security Advisor
Shivashankar Menon “on the political situation including matters relating to
proposed amendments” to 13A. New Delhi already peeved with Sri Lanka is
unlikely to relent from its stand easily as Sri Lanka will need India’s
continued support to see through the CHOGM meeting Colombo is hosting in
October 2013.
Continuing Buddhist activism
Continuing Buddhist activism led by fringe
organizations targeting Muslim traders and Christian religious groups is
causing concern in Sri Lanka. The President at a breakfast meeting with editors
of newspapers is reported to have requested them not to give publicity to such
reports.
On
June 16, members of the Ravana Balaya, one of the fringe groups, rounded up a
group of Jehovah’s Witnesses, a Christian sect, in Mulleriyawa.
According to a media report, Ven. Itthakande Saddhatissa Thero of the group claimed
that the Jehovah’s Witnesses visited homes while the men were out and only
women were there, distributing leaflets about their cause. This group had
visited the Buddhist village of Visthapura and had tried to convert them. The
monk was quoted as saying “These are Christian extremists,” and the Ravana
Balaya and villagers “arrested and questioned” the Jehovah’s Witnesses, and
told them to take Christ’s message to Christians instead of trying to spread it
amongst Buddhists.
In
another incident, a Muslim beef stall in Tangalle was set ablaze while members
of a fringe group Sinhala Ravaya were marching towards Colombo protesting
against cattle slaughter. A Muslim photographer was also manhandled by the
marchers. Though the group had disclaimed any involvement in the incident,
obviously its campaign had provoked the attack.
Commenting
on the Sri Lankan authorities response to such violent incidents the US
Department of State’s 2012 International Religious Freedom Report
said:“Authorities were reluctant to investigate or prosecute those responsible
for attacks on churches, Hindu temples, or mosques. In some cases, the police
response was inadequate and local police officials reportedly were reluctant to
take legal action against individuals involved in the attacks.”
Miscellaneous
Economy: Sri Lanka's gross domestic product grew 6.0 percent in the first quarter of 2013, slowing from 8.0 percent in the previous year. In the last 12 months ending June 2013 consumer prices rose 6.8 percent.
Tamil Nadu protest against training Sri Lankan
officers: Sri Lanka withdrew two of its defence officers
attending the Defence Staff College, Wellington in Tamil Nadu, after the Tamil
Nadu Chief Minister objected to their presence as an affront to the sentiments
of Tamil people. She wrote to the Prime Minister on the subject and protests by
fringe parties in Wellington added to the tension, after which the Union government decided
to pull the two Sri Lankan officers.
Pak army chief’s visit: General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, Chief of Army Staff, Pakistan
arrived in Sri Lanka on June 27, 2013 on a three-day visit. This was his second
visit to Sri Lanka after his January 2011. As chief guest he reviewed the
Passing out Parade at Sri Lanka Military Academy, Diyatalawa. The visiting
Pakistan's Chief of Army called upon the Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
The Defence Secretary discussed the sequence of security concerns that were
emerging in the region. Chief of Defence Staff, Navy and Air Force Commanders
were in attendance during the meeting with Secretary Defence.
General Kayani also met with his Sri Lankan counterpart General Jagath Jayasuriya. According to Sri Lanka army website their meeting “explored avenues of receiving more training opportunities for Sri Lankan officers in Pakistan, in addition to ongoing training programmes. Participation in Sri Lanka Army’s Defence Seminar, higher education programmes in both countries and Sri Lanka’s military exercise ‘cormorant’, etc were among other matters that were taken up.”
Written on June 30, 2013
Courtesy: South Asia Security Trends, Volume 7, No. 6 July 2013, New Delhi
www.security-risks.com
General Kayani also met with his Sri Lankan counterpart General Jagath Jayasuriya. According to Sri Lanka army website their meeting “explored avenues of receiving more training opportunities for Sri Lankan officers in Pakistan, in addition to ongoing training programmes. Participation in Sri Lanka Army’s Defence Seminar, higher education programmes in both countries and Sri Lanka’s military exercise ‘cormorant’, etc were among other matters that were taken up.”
Written on June 30, 2013
Courtesy: South Asia Security Trends, Volume 7, No. 6 July 2013, New Delhi
No comments:
Post a Comment