Senior Minister of Human Resources, D.E.W. Gunasekera said yesterday while he had no problem with the government deciding to give Police powers to the Northern Province, he felt giving the same powers to the other Provinces was not advisable due to the ill repute of politicians. Gunasekera added that the 13th Amendment should be implemented with Police powers given to a Central Police Commission and land given to the Land Commission through a land policy.
He opined there were unnecessary, imaginary fears on the part of the people, especially Tamils and Muslims, in that the ethnic balance in areas like Kilinochchi will become completely Sinhalese.
Gunasekera said "I have no problem with the Chief Ministers of the North and East being given Police powers. If it is done through a Central Police Commission, minority Tamil political parties including the Tamil National Alliance too could be persuaded to come around. But if given elsewhere there is the question of whether other Chief Ministers will abuse these powers through their behaviour as seen in examples from the past."
The 13th Amendment has not been implemented fully since 1987.
"Distribution of lands has been done in the South including in Hambantota. The main policy should be to give land to landless people, then to the people in the said District, afterwards to those in the adjoining District and then to anyone else. Police powers can be given to Chief Ministers in other areas only when a new political culture emerges. The absence of policy is the problem," he added.
By Ruwan Laknath Jayakody
Ceylon Today
