As
Sri Lankans we face several grave challenges. The country, which was once seen
as a model of democracy, has degenerated in recent years into a place where its
citizens cannot live with dignity and in safety. Among the manifestations of
this situation are:
- the total breakdown of the
Rule of Law,
- the erosion of democratic
institutions essential for governance,
- an unprecedented widening of
social disparities and social injustices,
- severe strains on
co-existence between different ethnic and religious communities and
increasing disharmony and distrust.
In
this situation, the following program is presented so as to re-establish
democracy, good governance, social justice and the rule of law.
Accordingly, it is proposed that the present authoritarian and corrupt regime
be defeated by fielding a common candidate acceptable to all those in agreement
with the programme. The immediate tasks will be implemented within a hundred
days, including abolition of the current executive presidency and the
re-establishment of a parliamentary form of government. Through a new
Parliament the rest of the programme will be fulfilled.
To
fulfill the immediate tasks and objectives given below, an All-Party Government
will be formed for a period of not less than two years.
Immediate
Tasks
- The present executive
presidential system will be abolished within a hundred days and replaced
by a Parliamentary form accountable to the people. Under the
Parliamentary system, the President will symbolize national unity
and have duties and powers appropriate to the position.
- The Eighteenth Amendment to
the Constitution will be repealed and the independence of
institutions essential for democratic governance, such as the judiciary,
police, public service, election authorities, Attorney-General,
Auditor-General and independent Commissions re-established and further
strengthened.
- The current preferential
voting system will be abolished. The new electoral system will provide for
the just representation of all communities and political opinions and will
be a mix of the first-past-the-post system, which ensures that every
electorate has its own Member of Parliament, and proportional
representation.
- The oppressive burden of the
cost of living of the people will be reduced through granting of a
commensurate increase in salaries of the public service and the private
sector; strengthen the industrial, agricultural, plantations,
fisheries and small industries components of the economy and guarantee a
fair price for local produce; develop an effective social safety net for
marginalized groups and the poor and, in particular, for women and
children, the elderly, pensioners and disabled persons.
In
addition, measures will be initiated in the first hundred days to:
- immediately prevent, through
greater transparency and accountability, the present unprecedented large
scale fraud, corruption, bribery and earning of commissions as well as the
wastage of public funds; take action according to law to deal with abuses
that have been committed
- guarantee the primacy of the
Rule of Law, restore democracy on a sustainable foundation of good
governance, secure and advance fundamental rights and freedoms, strengthen
the right to freedom of expression inclusive of media freedom and the
Right to Information, and ensure the right to live in human dignity
- further develop the right to
live in human dignity through re-establishment of the welfare state, and
in particular guarantee the right to high quality free education and
health services
- empower youth to
successfully meet the challenges of the rapidly changing world, in
particular through providing essential technical knowledge and skills and
training required for high level employment
- guarantee dignity and equal
opportunity for all citizens in the social, cultural, economic and
political spheres
- create a civilized and moral
society and in particular reform the political culture of the
country that has sunk to unprecedented depths.
The
political parties, groups and citizen’s organizations that are committed to
this People’s Agenda shall dedicate themselves towards achieving its
objectives.
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