The long drawn-out concerns and controversies surrounding the 13th Amendment to the Constitution (13A) appears to receive more attention recently, as the Government is seeking to implement certain political reforms in parallel with the ongoing economic, policy, and legal reforms. Even though there are different opinions about the Government’s motives in this regard, if implemented, the political reforms pertaining to the 13A could be a turning point in Sri Lanka’s history.

As various concerned parties have come forth to join the overall discourse on the 13A, following the Government’s announcement that it was paying closer attention to fully implementing the amendment, it is no longer a matter that concerns merely the Government. On the one hand, South-based groups opine that the full implementation of the 13A could jeopardise the country’s unitary status and is likely to be a threat to national security, while on the other hand, North-based groups are seeking to show that the non-implementation of the 13A has already split the country ideologically and politically and that it is tantamount to depriving the Northern people of a constitutionally guaranteed right.

This week, to enter a more diplomatic approach of addressing certain concerns with regard to the 13A, several Tamil political and civil society leaders announced that they are ready to initiate talks with Buddhist monks, who, during the past few weeks, voiced opposition against the Government’s intentions to fully implement the 13A. The group that is awaiting an appointment to meet Buddhist religious leaders is led by Thamil Makkal Thesiya Kuttani Opposition Parliamentarian C.V. Wigneswaran, who told The Daily Morning that Buddhist monks are opposing the 13A without proper knowledge on it, and that they are therefore ready to provide the relevant explanations to Buddhist monks. However, thus far, the group has not received a response from the Buddhist religious leaders that it has approached.

This is not a meeting Buddhist religious leaders should ignore or miss, as it could be a way to obtain more clarity regarding the concerns they raised through anti-13A protests. On the contrary, this is an ideal opportunity for them to discuss the pros and cons of fully implementing the 13A with the parties that are demanding it, and also to gain answers to their questions which they cannot get from Southern politicians or the Government. In addition, this could be a good opportunity for Buddhist religious leaders to learn the sentiments of North-based leaders and people, which are often diluted and twisted in the political-rights-based discussion that is taking place in the South. Even though this discussion should have ideally taken place before the monks took to the streets against the 13A, it is not too late to know what exactly the Buddhist monks should protest against or agree with. In a context where the Chief Prelates of the three Buddhist Sects (Mahanayakas) have been providing an audience to Southern politicians that merely wanted to complain about their political issues, it would not do any harm to meet the North-based leaders.

Staying true to the Buddhist ideologies that support open discourses, freedom, and individual rights including free thinking, Buddhist religious leaders that the stated Tamil representatives are waiting to meet, which include the Chief Prelates of the Sects, should provide that opportunity. However, this should be an open and honest discourse that aims to understand the sentiments of the North-based leaders and the people and to express those of their South-based counterparts, and should not be turned into an event that aims to belittle the Northerners’ sentiments. Unless and until influential parties such as Buddhist religious leaders take such open-minded steps with honest intentions, a large number of issues that the country is dealing with, including the ethnic issue, will remain unaddressed, and instead, will exacerbate, leading to more difficult times for the country.

At the same time, Tamil leaders also have a responsibility to ensure that this discussion is peaceful, logical, and receptive. While it is up to them to interpret the gravity or urgency of their concerns, they should enter these discussions with the knowledge that discussions are about not just expressing one’s concerns, but also listening to others’ concerns. Therefore, instead of repeating the need to fully implement the 13A, Tamil leaders should be ready to listen to opposing opinions and to address valid concerns diplomatically as well.