8/10/2019 Could the Presidential System Be Abolished in 100 Days

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Could The Presidential System Be Abolished In 100 Days?

| by Laksiri Fernando( December 6, 2014, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian ) !F" General Secre#ary, Susil!rema$ayan#%a, %as s#a#ed (Di&aina, ' December 2014) #%a# #%e or#%comin mani es#o o*a%inda +a$a aksa or *a%inda C%in#%ana 201- .ould ou#line cons#i#u#ional re orms alon #%e

re&ious mani es#os o 200- and 2010/ %is is %ilarious/

#%e o&ernmen#, and #%is means #%e !residen#, .an#ed #o re orm #%e cons#i#u#ion i# s%ould%a&e been done already/ &en be ore breakin a.ay rom #%e !F", #%e 3 made a re5ues#.i#% a dra # in %and #o cur#ail #%e dic#a#orial o.ers o #%e !residen# and #%a# .as no# %eeded/%e demand .as #o re orm #%e cons#i#u#ion be ore #%e un#imely elec#ions and no# a #er/ %e!F" %as 2 ' ma$ori#y #o e ec# subs#an#ial c%an es, .i#% or .i#%ou# a re erendum, bu# #%a#o or#uni#y .as no# u#ili7ed/

%e SLF! olicy %as al.ays been #o abolis% #%e residen#ial sys#em .%ic% became s#alled by#%e incumben# !residen#, *a%inda +a$a aksa/ %a# is one reason .%y #%e General Secre#ary o#%e SLF!, *ai#%ri ala Sirisena, is con#es#in a ains# #%e incumben# !residen#, *a%inda+a$a aksa, .i#% #%e su or# o #%e 8! and o#%er ar#ies/ e is no. #%e common candida#e/

!residen#9s "r umen#

8/10/2019 Could the Presidential System Be Abolished in 100 Days

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!residen# ar ued #%a# i #%e o osi#ion .an#ed cons#i#u#ional re orms #%ey s%ould %a&e ar#ici a#ed a# #%e !arliamen#ary Selec# Commi##ee (!SC)/ # may or may no# be #%e case, because #%e !SC9s main manda#e .as no# #o re orm or abolis% #%e residen#ial sys#em bu# #o

ind a cons#i#u#ional solu#ion #o #%e na#ional (or e#%nic) 5ues#ion/ %e ar umen# .as like 8okerena &edakama#a konduru #el %a#% a##ayaku#% #ikkak (askin non: e;is#en# medicamen#s#o a&oid a #rea#men#)/ %ere .as no sinceri#y in #%e ar umen#/ %e o&ernmen# %as no# e&enim lemen#ed #%e main ro osals o #%e LL+C/

<%a# %a ened #o #%e "ll !ar#y +e resen#a#i&e Commi##ee ("!+C) re or# o issa =i#arana,no# #o s eak o #%e ma$ori#y or #%e minori#y re or#s> "ll #%ese .ere e;cuses/ Did #%e 1?#%"mendmen# .%ic% .as a subs#an#ial cons#i#u#ional re orm .as laced be ore #%e so:called!SC> 8o/ # .as %urried #%rou % #%e Su reme Cour# and #%e !arliamen#/ n ac# i# .as no#merely a subs#an#ial cons#i#u#ional re orm bu# a #o#al de orma#ion o a democra#ic residen#ialsys#em/ %ere is no 5ues#ion #%a# e&en a residen#ial sys#em could be democra#ic (no# like inC%ina, +ussia or @ra7il by #%e .ay) and #%e 1?#% "mendmen# %as laced #%e inal nail #o i#sdemocra#ic limi#a#ions and c%ecks and balances/

<%a# %as ro&ed #%rou % e; erience is #%a# Sri Lanka9s oli#icians are com le#ely inca able orunreliable #o e;ercise residen#ial o.ers/ %ey are by and lar e mesmeri7ed .i#% o.er andsome also .i#% money/ 8o one is com le#ely reliable in #%is ame/ %a# is .%y eo le, ar#ymembers, ci&il socie#y or ani7a#ions and concerned ci#i7ens s%ould be e;#remely &i ilan#/

Common Fron## is salubrious in #%is sense #%a# an o osi#ion %as crys#ali7ed o many ar#ies, and no# one,

romisin #o re orm and or abolis% #%e residen#ial sys#em and brin subs#an#ial oli#icalre orms/ "# #%e ore ron#, #%ere is a reliable common candida#e/ Ane ar#y or one coali#ion %as

one as#ray in #%e as#/%is is no# a coali#ion like #%e !F", bu# a common ron#/ # is like a ni#ed Fron# in o ular ro ressi&e mo&emen#s, in#erna#ionally/ "ll ar#ies ac# inde enden#ly and #%ey %a&e come in#oa common unders#andin #%rou % *A s/ %e ob$ec# is #o orm a Bna#ional o&ernmen#9 in #%eu#ure and no# a coali#ion o&ernmen# o some/ <%e#%er #%is .ould com le#ely be ma#eriali7ed.ill be decided by #%e u#ure and #%e .ay #%e eo le &o#e a# #%e elec#ions on ? 3anuary/

*y #ask %ere is #o &isuali7e .%a# could be ac%ie&ed .i#%in 100 days ar#icularly in #erms ocons#i#u#ional re orms and aboli#ion re orm o #%e residen#ial sys#em/ A#%er.ise #%ere is alar e i#inerary incor ora#ed in #%e #.o *A s so ar si ned by #%e common candida#e/ "s #%eli#erary meanin si ni ies, a *A is a memorandum o unders#andin be#.een #.o or more

ar#ies #o a &en#ure, en#er rise or ro$ec#/ 8o# one ar#y, bu# ar#ies a ree #o ac%ie&e #%e ob$ec#ss eci ied .i#%in #%e a reed #ime rame/

"n elec#ion mani es#o .ould come se ara#ely, based on #%ese *A s and also assessin #%eeasibili#y, i i# is ra#ional/ Ar o#%er.ise, i# can also can come clumsily, incor ora#in all .%a#are incor ora#ed in #%e *A s/

A osi#ion !lan

8/10/2019 Could the Presidential System Be Abolished in 100 Days

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8imal Siri ala de Sil&a, %imsel a la.yer, o ened #%e mou#% earlier on, %o.e&er misleadin ly,on be%al o #%e o&ernmen#/ <%ile s eakin #o #%e Dasa Desin ro ram o #%e SL@C on 24

8o&ember %e said #%a# #%ere is no le al au#%ori#y or a !residen# #o abolis% #%e e;ecu#i&e residency, .%e#%er %e desires or no#/ e and o#%ers insis#ed #%e same #%erea #er/ e insis#ed#%a# #%e aboli#ion o #%e residency is a ma##er or #%e !arliamen# and asked %o. an o osi#ioncandida#e could ob#ains #%e necessary 2 ' ma$ori#y or suc% a &en#ure/ %is .as be ore #%ede ec#ion o #%e SLF! General Secre#ary/ 8o. %e %as become #%e o osi#ion9s commoncandida#e/ %e scenario no. is subs#an#ially di eren#/

Sri Lanka9s residen#ial sys#em, unlike #%e S, is a mi;ed sys#em and rom #%e be innin #%e!residen# %ad a oo#%old in !arliamen#/ %is oo#%old is no. s#ren #%ened under #%e 1?#%"mendmen#/ o abolis% #%e !residen#ial sys#em and #%e 1?#% "mendmen#, #%e residen#ialsys#em and #%e 1?#% "mendmen# #%emsel&es could be and s%ould be u#ili7edE # is like =isen=isa 8asee (ne a#in oison .i#% oison)/ #%e incumben#, *a%inda +a$a aksa, can come as #%e *inis#er o Finance and ro ose #%e

@ud e#, #%en *ai#%ri ala Sirisena also can come as #%e *inis#er o Cons#i#u#ional +e orm(#em orarily) and ro ose a cons#i#u#ional amendmen# #o abolis% #%e residen#ial sys#em andalso #o abolis% #%e 1?#% "mendmen# and reins#a#e #%e 1 #% "mendmen#/ @e ore #%a# e&en %e canu#ili7e #%e o.ers o #%e 1?#% "mendmen# #o make ad$us#men#s #o re&en# any sabo#a e rom#%e $udiciary or any o#%er source/ For #%is #o %a en, #%e o osi#ion s%ould ob#ain anune5ui&ocal manda#e rom #%e eo le #o im lemen# .%a# #%ey %a&e so ar ou#lined and declared#o #%e eo le/

# is im or#an# #o no#e #%a# e&en in #%e main *A si ned be#.een #%e common candida#e and#%e 8!, and also o#%er ar#ies and or ani7a#ions, .%a# is s#a#ed is #%e "boli#ion o #%e

resen#ly e;is#in e;ecu#i&e residen#ial sys#em .i#%in 100 days and #%e reins#a#emen# o a arliamen#ary sys#em accoun#able #o #%e eo le/ # also s#a#es immedia#ely a #er #%a#, n #%ene.ly crea#ed arliamen#ary sys#em o o&ernmen#, #%e !residen# s%all be #%e ead o S#a#eand s%all %old o.ers and res onsibili#ies sui#able #o #%a# osi#ion and #%e o ice o #%e!residen# .ill be es#ablis% #o symboli7e #%e na#ional uni#y o #%e coun#ry/

n #%e *A si ned be#.een #%e common candida#e and #%e 3 i# is s#a#ed #%a# .%ilea reein #o im lemen# #%e ollo.in oli#ical re orms .i#%in 100 days #%a# i# is a reed #o doa.ay .i#% #%e arbi#rary e;ecu#i&e o.ers o #%e !residen# .i#%ou# a ec#in #%e securi#y o #%es#a#e or #%e #erri#orial in#e ri#y .%a#soe&er/

# is ossible under #%e re orms #%a# #%e !residen# re#ains 8a#ional Securi#y a# leas# or #%e #ime bein , as a necessi#y or #o alle&ia#e cer#ain concerns o some sec#ions o socie#y (i/e/ armed

orces)/ .ould also ro ose, in #%a# case #%a# %e s%ould also be in c%ar e o 8a#ional+econcilia#ion/ %ey o %and in %and under a os#:ci&il .ar si#ua#ion/ %ere s%ould be a

balance be#.een #%e #.o, .i#%ou# usin one a ains# #%e o#%er/

100 Days

8/10/2019 Could the Presidential System Be Abolished in 100 Days

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n #erms o cons#i#u#ional la. and rac#ical oli#ics .%a# is im or#an# #o ans.er %ere is .%e#%er#%e aboli#ion o #%e Bcurren# e;ecu#i&e residen#ial sys#em9 is ossible .i#%in 100 days/ *yans.er is an une5ui&ocal yes, in #erms o cons#i#u#ional la./ <%a# .ould be ro osed is no# ane. cons#i#u#ion al#o e#%er/ %e ramin o a ne. cons#i#u#ion #akes #ime and s%ould #ake #ime/# s%ould be .ell #%ou %# ou#/ o.e&er, #%e aboli#ion o #%e e;is#in e;ecu#i&e residen#ialsys#em is a or one conclusion/%en #%e remainin ar# o #%e 5ues#ion is .%e#%er *S or #%e common o osi#ion could recei&ea necessary 2 ' ma$ori#y in #%e resen# arliamen#/ # is a#en#ly clear #%a# #%e Bcommono osi#ion9 as i# is #oday does no# e&en %a&e a ma$ori#y/ o.e&er, oli#ics is a luid

%enomenon ar#icularly in Sri Lanka and ar#icularly a# #%is $unc#ure/ .o main elemen#s areim or#an# in ans.erin #%is 5ues#ion/

1/ %e o osi#ion %as &ery clearly s#a#ed #%a# .%a# #%ey .ould orm a #er #%e residen#ialelec#ion (o course i #%ey .inE) is an all: ar#y or a na#ional o&ernmen#/ .ould assess #%is

ossibili#y as %i % (?0 ercen# ossibili#y) oin ar#icularly by #%e B ro %esy9 o none o#%er#%an #%e resen# !rime *inis#er, D* 3ayara#ne, .%o said in !arliamen# #%a# #%e !o e .ould be

mee#in a ne. o&ernmen# .%en %e arri&es/ # is #%e !* .%o said #%a#/ "nd i# is #%e GeneralSecre#ary o #%e rulin ar#y, #%e SLF!, .%o is con#es#in a ains# #%e incumben# !residen# no.E

2/ suc% a ro osed cons#i#u#ional amendmen# is de ea#ed in !arliamen# .%a# .ould %a en>%e !arliamen# .ill be dissol&ed and a res% elec#ion .ill be %eld .i#% immedia#e e ec#/@e ore redic#in .%a# .ould %a en a# suc% an elec#ion, le# me oin# ou# #%is ac#/ %ere arenearly -0 *!s in !arliamen# .%o %a&e en#ered #%e c%ambers or #%e irs# #ime/ %ey are en#i#ledor a ension only a #er - years and #%a# is 22 " ril 201-/ %is is ob&iously a #rum card #%a#*S %as i %e .ins/

"s a erson .%o is no# a&orin insidious me#%ods in oli#ics, .ould no# su es# #o use #%a##%rea# or #%e #rum card/ &en .i#%ou# #%a#, #%ere are clear si ns #%a# #%e s%i is no. sinkin /%ere .ould be o many eo le $um in ou#, some enuine and some no# so/ # is a u#ure and anecessary #ask #o sor# #%em ou# or o#%er.ise #%e c%an e #%a# #%e eo le e; ec# .ould be ar #oos%or# o #%eir as ira#ions/ %e main #ask #oday is #o .in #%e elec#ions o&er.%elmin ly and #%a#is ossible i #%e cam ai n is conduc#ed .i#% sinceri#y and de#ermina#ion/