'New constitution without two-thirds support'

By Nirupama Subramanian

COLOMBO, JULY 22. The Sri Lankan President, Ms. Chandrika Kumaratunga, today said she would bring in a new constitution even without the required two- thirds support in Parliament if she won the August 21 referendum.

The exact means by which this would be achieved, would be ``disclosed later,'' she said, addressing a meeting of the delegates of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, which she heads.

Ms. Kumaratunga said the new Constitution had several concessions for the Tamil community and wanted her party members to work towards winning back Tamil support for the PA.

Except one, all the Tamil parties in Parliament are now allied with the Opposition United National Party.

She also said the party had to work towards creating an alliance with the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), which has tilted towards the Government and the UNP by turn in the recent political crisis.

The JVP is to hold 21 nationwide anti-Government rallies, including two just outside the capital, on Monday.

In a press release, it said it had reached an understanding with the police that there would be no untoward incidents during the protests.

Two persons were killed and more than 60 injured in violent clashes between demonstrators and police during a UNP-spearheaded anti-Government rally last week.

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Section  : International
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