Colombo: Catholic bishops in Sri Lanka have expressed concern over a constitutional amendment that they fear would affect representation of minority religious and linguistic groups in the island nation’s parliament.
The Catholic Bishops Conference in Sri Lanka (CBCSL) Saturday welcomed the salutary features of the 20th amendment to the Constitution.
“The national media has reported that the Cabinet of Ministers has already discussed and approved the proposed 20th Amendment to the Constitution. Along with that several civic groups have called for its expeditious approval in parliament,” said a statement signed by CBSL president Cardinal Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith and secretary general Bishop Valence Mendis on Saturday.
It said the bishops’ conference understands the reasons for introducing the electoral system through the amendment and appreciates the need to ensure that elected members of Parliament become accountable to their electors and the unhealthy struggle for preference votes is definitely overcome, reports island.lk.
“While that is so, we the members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference are concerned about the way some of the electorates are being planned to be rearranged with the possible effect of non-representation or reduced representation of the minority religious and linguistic groups in the august assembly. It is our belief that for a true democracy the participation of all sectors of people living in Sri Lanka in the governance of this country is an absolute necessity.
“Already some groups have expressed their concern in this matter and we too wish to state that the inordinate hurry, with which this amendment is being pushed through without a proper study and consultation, can have adverse effects on the country as a whole. Therefore while accepting the need for a change in the present way of electing the peoples’ representatives, the concerns of all groups, specially the minorities, need to be taken into consideration before any more alterations are done to the Constitution.
The bishops urged the president, the government and political leaders of the country “to give adequate time for a sufficient study prior to the approval of this amendment with due openness and a spirit of seriousness in making such far reaching amendments to the Constitution.”