Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa told Parliament that the 20th Amendment to the Constitution was introduced to remove the 19th Amendment which caused anarchy in the country and was rejected by the people.
Participating in the Second Reading debate of the 20th Amendment to the Constitution in Parliament on Wednesday, the Prime Minister said the mandate given to Parliament was to strengthen the President so that the 20th Amendment was brought in to ensure national security and nullify the 19th Amendment which destabilised the country.
Prime Minister Rajapaksa said that the Government was not preparing to continue with the Constitution by introducing the 20th Amendment and expressed confidence that a new Constitution would be brought soon to build the nation fulfilling the aspirations of the people.
He said, “No other Constitution has been criticised as much as this Constitution. Dr. N.M. Perera, Dr. Colvin R. de Silva and Sarath Muththettuwegama were opposed to the Constitution.
However, we have no choice but to maintain this Constitution. Although the SLFP opposes the Constitution, four SLFP Presidents had governed the country under it.
The then UNP Leader, J.R.Jayewardene introduced this Constitution to prevent the SLFP from coming to power, but the SLFP has ruled the country for the longest time by producing the highest number of Presidents. All of us have been subjected to political ridicule under this Constitution.”
However, we have not been able to change this Constitution. It was difficult to change a Constitution because one party could not get a two-thirds majority in Parliament,” the Prime Minister said.
“For the first time, we have disproved the theory that we can never win a two-thirds majority under this electoral system.
The people wanted to build a Government that would safeguard the sovereignty of the people without succumbing to foreign pressures and prevent the country from breaking up into factions.
That is why the people have been compelled to give us a two-thirds majority even under this proportional representation system.”
Prime Minister Rajapaksa said when a Constitution is amended, it leads to debates in Parliament.
“However, certain amendments have been made with great pressure on the Members of Parliament.
We are not bringing this 20th Amendment though political deals or snatching votes by exerting undue pressure on anyone. That is why when the 20th Amendment is being brought, there is room for debate.”
The Prime Minister said that the 19th Amendment aimed at taking revenge from the Rajapaksa family and targeting the civic rights of the Rajapaksas.
It only resulted in jeopardising the national security and unity of the country, he said.
“The previous Government rejoiced and gloated that they had clipped the wings of the President, not realising that they had cut off the neck of the country’s national security and national unity. Three years after the 19th Amendment pruned the powers of the President, they witnessed the repercussions for their actions.
The head of intelligence revealed to the Easter Sunday Commission that at least 10,000 officials were aware that such an attack would happen but could do nothing to prevent the attack. It is shameful when we hear these and as a result of the actions of the Government, many lives were lost,” he said.
The Prime Minister said that the President did not have the power to remove the IGP even after the Easter Sunday attack or to transfer unproductive police officers.
“The state intelligence and other intelligence services were strong during our time. But after the introduction of the 19th Amendment, the CID was used to hunt down Opposition politicians.
The training that those officers received had been disrupted. The Police Commission will not intervene to improve these services. As a result, the efficiency of services, such as the CID intelligence deteriorated.
Now, the CID could not even apprehend Rishad Bathiudeen. His younger brother who was allegedly linked to terrorists had been released on bail by the Police and nothing could be done about it,” he said.
Prime Minister Rajapaksa said that during the former Yahapalana regime, officials from the Attorney General’s Department were brought to Temple Trees to conduct an Anti-Corruption Committee. For five years, Temple Trees spent a colossal sum of money to maintain that Committee.
“Even the officials of the then Attorney General’s Department had said that the Committee was illegal. But has the Independent Audit Commission audited the huge expenditure incurred due to this Committee? Is there a report after such an audit?” the Prime Minister asked.