Karu Jayasuriya, Chairman of the National Movement for Social Justice (NMSJ) yesterday said that Government had not yet taken steps to fulfill certain basic and main objectives expected of the 21st Amendment to the Constitution.Given below is his statement: “It has been two months since the Parliament passed the 21st Amendment to the Constitution following great efforts made by social forces that are working for democracy and the well-being of the country. However, we are deeply concerned that the Government has not yet taken steps to fulfill certain basic and main objectives expected by the said Amendment.

“By adopting the 21st Amendment to the Constitution, it was expected to remove the unlimited power that had been secured to a one-man (the Executive President) through the 20th Amendment to the Constitution, to represent the views of the entire society, and to establish a democratic governance structure with transparency and unity through a legislative assembly with civil society representation.

“With the 21st amendment to the Constitution, a full Constitutional Council should be appointed in accordance with the Constitution and the Commissions appointed under the 20th Amendment to the Constitution should be re-appointed subject to the agreement of a Constitutional Council appointed under the 21st Amendment to the Constitution. However, the civil society representatives to be appointed for the Constitutional Council have not been appointed yet.

“Moreover, Independent Commissions have not been enforced under the 21st Amendment to the Constitution. Considering the Independent Commissions, a need for them to be reappointed arises because there is evidence that some members of such Commissions appointed under the 20th Amendment to the Constitution have been appointed to those positions while engaging in party politics, and promoting such.

“This situation is something that really is unfortunate. Ignoring or abusing the spaces subject to the fundamental law, which were able to be secured due to enormous commitment and influence of the civil and political forces that appeared for the well-being and democracy of the country, is a serious insult to the existence of the State. In the face of such situations, we must express our strong opposition, and the failure to do so will be a great betrayal.

As the National Movement for Social Justice (NMSJ), we demand that the members who should be appointed on the basis of civil society representation for the Constitutional Council be appointed without further delay, thereby respecting the 21st Amendment to the Constitution. Also, subject to the provisions of the 21st Amendment to the Constitution, re-appointments should be made in such a way that the existing suitable members are also included for all Independent Commissions.”