Ranil Wickremesinghe rejects full implementation of 13th Amendment in manifesto

by admin
Sep 5, 2024

Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe unveiled his manifesto ahead of the presidential polls, stopping short of fully implementing the 13th amendment and devolving land and police powers to the Tamil North-East

The manifesto states that power will be devolved to the Provincial Councils “as per the constitution” but that the vesting of police powers “will be decided by the new Parliament”. It goes on to list the select few powers that Provincial Councils will have, including “tourism promotion” and “vocational training”.

There was no mention of justice and accountability for the atrocities committed by the Sri Lankan state, and largely sidestepped significant issues and Tamil grievances, such as the militarisation of the North-East, Sinhalisation, land grabs and ongoing human rights violations.

In his manifesto, Wickremesinghe however acknowledged that "water scarcity has been a burning issue in the North for many years," and noted that his government has already initiated a seawater desalination project. He emphasized that the "River for Jaffna" project will be prioritized, with commencement slated for 2027. He also outlined plans to construct the Punarin Tank by 2026 and refurbish smaller tanks across the North-East. Additionally, he proposed building a reservoir along the Paliaru river, which flows into the sea at Mannar.

Wickremesinghe's plans align with India's initiative to develop the North-East. Furthermore, he promises to establish an annual Tamil Literary Festival.

In the East, Wickremesinghe pledged that Trincomalee “will be transformed”.

Read the full text of his manifesto here.

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