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SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa flanked by party members at the protest against the proposed 20th Amendment and the abolition of the 19th Amendment yesterday - Pic by Sameera Wijesinghe
The main Opposition, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya, yesterday vowed to defeat what it called the selfish and undemocratic proposed 20th Amendment with a people-centric and patriotic 19th Amendment Plus.
“Constitutional building is all about ensuring wellbeing of the country and the people as a whole by upholding democracy and safeguarding people’s power.”
“However, the proposed 20th Amendment is largely targeted at individuals and personalities focused on adding or subtracting powers and privileges of a particular individual or individuals,” Opposition and SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa told a meeting with editors yesterday.
He charged that the 20th Amendment was a deadly blow to democracy, people’s sovereignty and freedom.
Premadasa opined that the 20th Amendment went against modern dynamics and best practices of constitutional making, which address factors such as separation of powers, balance of power, checks and balances.
“What is proposed is a concentration of power which is dictatorial and even going beyond that to militarisation, threatening democracy, good governance, transparency and accountability,” Premadasa emphasised.
“We totally oppose the 20th Amendment and will take the message to the people by democratic means, rallying all progressive forces to defeat it,” he told the editors’ meeting ahead of a peaceful Satyagraha last evening near the statue of Ven. Maduluwawe Sobitha Thero, who was a prominent campaigner for the 19th Amendment.
A public campaign with multiple initiatives will be spearheaded by a committee headed by MP Dr. Rajitha Senaratne.
The SJB has also announced it would challenge the proposed 20th Amendment in the Supreme Court.
Premadasa said as an alternate SJB would champion the 19th Amendment Plus, “which would address any shortcomings of the 19th Amendment whilst preserving its goodness”.
The Opposition Leader stressed that 19A+ would be “real patriotic and strengthen national security whilst respecting democratic rights, voice and values”.
Premadasa also said that the SJB had learnt lessons and uncovered truths of certain failings in the 19th Amendment and would approach formulating the 19A+ in an integrated and holistic manner consulting and drawing inputs from likeminded democratic and progressive forces. “This approach is a breath of fresh air in politics and in the country,” the SJB Leader added.
“We will do our best and we are very confident of succeeding in not only defeating the proposed 20th Amendment but mobilising political and civil society support for 19th Amendment Plus. We believe in the power of persuasion and will garner enough support,” emphasised Premadasa during the meeting attended by General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara, MPs Dr. Rajitha Senaratne and Eran Wickramaratne, MP and SJB Media Spokesman S.M. Marrikar and MPs Tissa Attanayake and Manusha Nanayakkara.
The SJB’s proposed 19th Amendment Plus will address certain failures of independent commissions recommending higher funding, staff, capacity building and equipment where necessary. “We need to ensure the continuity of independence of key institutions sans political interference,” Premadasa added.
MP Senaratne said that the 17th Amendment and 19th Amendment received overwhelming Parliamentary approval because they were people-centric, while the 18th Amendment undid the benefits of the 17th, and now the same fate was threatening the 19th Amendment via the proposed 20th Amendment. He warned that the 20th Amendment was extremely short-sighted to achieve narrow personal short-term gains and wasn’t in the country’s or people’s interest.
