SLMC and TNA discuss 13A

      The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) and the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) have had talks on the 13th Amendment to the constitution, an SLMC spokesman said. Minister Hakeem met Tamil National Alliance (TNA) leader R. Sampanthan to discuss the 13th Amendment last night.

SLMC General Secretary, National List MP Hassen Ali said that the two parties would work closely with likeminded political parties, civil society organizations as well as individuals supportive of their cause to prevent unilateral action on the part of the SLFP-led government. The SLMC is not part of the government side appointed to the Parliament Select Committee (PSC) which has been tasked to formulate proposals on constitutional reforms. UPFA constituents, the SLMC and the EPDP, are  opposed to the move to dilute the 13th Amendment.

Asked whether the TNA and the SLMC were joining forces against the government, MP Ali emphasized that there was no conspiracy against the government or the President.

The TNA has meanwhile indicated it may not name representatives to the opposition side for the PSC.Among the constitutional reforms to be proposed by the PSC are changes to the 13th Amendment to the constitution.

Meanwhile the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) suspended two members of the North Western Provincial Council (NWPC) Rizvi Javaharsha and Abdeen Eheiya, who represented the Kurunegala and Puttalam Districts,  for voting to do away with two key provisions in the 13th Amendment.