By Dinasena Ratugamage

The Northern Provincial Council yesterday passed a resolution sponsored by the TNA to urge the government to introduce provisions to the proposed new constitution enabling the merger of the North and the East and granting federalism.

The TNA had appointed a special committee which met people and representatives of civil organisations in all districts of the Northern Province before drafting the resolution.

The resolution also asks the government to set up different controlling units to address the grievances of the different communities affected by the conflict. A separate controlling unit should be set up to address the issues pertaining to the war widows. A different unit has been proposed to look into the grievances of those who lost lands and houses due to the conflict.

The resolution was moved by Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran. Thereafter ministers and the members of the council expressed their views on the resolution.

Only two Sinhala members of the NPC namely Wannihamige Jayathilaka and Dharmapala Seneviratne of the UPFA opposed the resolution.

All other members of the NPC spoke in favour of the resolution.

Another motion has been moved seeking the approval of the NPC to hand over the resolution to Opposition and TNA Leader R. Sampanthan.

The Sinhala members opposed the motion pointing out that such a resolution should be submitted not to the Opposition leader but to either the Prime Minister or the leader of the House of Parliament.

Courtesy:The Island