In what appeared to be a significant policy shift, the main opposition UNP yesterday said in a report to its Political Affairs Committee (PAC) that the party stood for the unitary character of Sri Lanka when it came to the national question.
The report prepared by party’s national organizer S.B. Dissanayake states the party would stand for the total independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country.
A Committee member told Daily Mirror the UNP earlier stood for a federal solution in a united Sri Lanka as a means of resolving the national question but the shift in policy was in keeping with the present political climate in the country.
“Politically, we are for a unitary State and are prepared to devolve power as far as possible under such a system,” he said.
Senior constitutional lawyer and parliamentarian K.N. Choksy said the UNP stood for a unitary state with equal rights conferred on the minority communities including the Tamils and Muslims.
Mr. Choksy who usually participates in constitutional affairs meetings on behalf of the party said since 1815 Sri Lanka had been continuously governed as a single entity after the British unified the country.
“This should continue with greater rights with regard to language and land ownership being conferred on the minority communities,” he said.
Mr. Choksy said this was the party’s stand, but his personal views were different.
He said he personally emphasised the need to remodel the constitution on federal lines.
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