February 05, Colombo (LNW): Leaders and parliamentarians from across the political opposition have jointly called on the government to engage in a broad-based national conversation on the formulation of a new constitution, warning that meaningful reform cannot take place without state participation.
The appeal was made at a forum on constitutional change organised under the One Text Initiative, which brought together representatives from multiple opposition parties to exchange views on the country’s constitutional future. Speakers repeatedly stressed that a credible and lasting constitution requires inclusive dialogue rather than unilateral action.
MP Dayasiri Jayasekera criticised the government for what he described as a deliberate reluctance to open discussions on constitutional reform, despite having pledged such changes in its own policy agenda. He further alleged that the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna had remained unclear about its true stance on constitutional matters.
MP Harsha de Silva highlighted the need for government involvement to ensure that any new constitutional framework safeguards minority rights within a system often dominated by majority politics. He argued that both President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and the National People’s Power had shown little urgency in pursuing reform, notwithstanding promises made during recent election campaigns.
Echoing these sentiments, MP Ravi Karunanayake said constitutional reform should be approached with a long-term vision, emphasising that future generations would bear the consequences of decisions taken today. Former minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa added that a new constitution must narrow the divide between the state and the public, cautioning that such an outcome would be impossible if the government remained on the sidelines.
Pivithuru Hela Urumaya leader Udaya Gammanpila warned against attempts to impose a constitution shaped by the interests of a single political force. Drawing on past experience, he noted that draft constitutions proposed under several previous administrations failed precisely because they lacked national consensus. He cautioned that no government should assume its own ideology reflects the will of the entire country, arguing that only an inclusive and consultative process could produce a constitution acceptable to all.
