Dr Sudath Gunasekara. Former Ministry Secretary and President Mahanuwara Senior Citizens Movement 20.8.2012. 

1 Ban all ethnic political parties and all ethnocentric movements
2 Implement the 6th Amendment to the very letter.
3 Abolish the Provincial council system and the 13th Amendment
4 Ban ethnic segregation in all parts within the country
5 Re-establish the Tun Sinhale Political Divisions as the units of devolution of political and administrative power.
6 Restore Rule of law and independence of the Judiciary and the Public Service
7 Install a new Constitution to ensure and guarantee above goals
I have no doubt that everyone will agree that ethnic and communal politics and the absence of national leaders who had and have the courage to implement the above bold steps besides their greed for political power are the main causes of the present political mess in his country. A leader, if he  wants to get out of this Augean mess and steer  the country in the correct path needs only to put the country before self, and give priority to people centered politics without maneuvering everything  to gain power for himself, consolidate it and remain in power as long as possible as Machiavelli taught. I am presenting this note to those in power and everybody who is concerned about this country and its future, as some food for thought.
1 Ethnic political parties and ethnocentric movements
In retrospect
Ever since 1921 with the establishment of the Ceylon Tamil  Mahajana Sabei  (Ceylon Tamil Congress) a breakaway Tamil group from the Ceylon National Congress led by Ponnambalan Arunachalam, Tamils in this country (mainly their politicians) have been agitating for separatism. They have always tried to identify as a separate Nation and claimed to be recognized as a separate political entity with territorial rights to the north and the east. The 50- 50 agitation by Ponnambalan in 1930s, stating the Ilankai Tamil Arasukachchi of Chelvanayagam in 1947 (Lanka Tamil State Party) dubbed as the Federal Party to deceive the Sinhala community, the Vadukkodddei Resolution of 1976 and finally the separatist war waged by the LTTE were the crucial events in this movement. All these attempts were aimed at creating a separate Tamil ethnic State in this country which they call EELAM comprising 1/3 rd of the country with 2/3 of the coastal belt starting from Puttalam in the West through Manar-Jaffna-Trinco-Batticloa to Katharagama in the South East.
The Vadukkodai resolution was the first call for a separate sovereign State of Tamil in this country covering more than 1/3 of the land and 2/3 of the coastal belt from Puttalam through Jaffana-Trincommallee to Walawe ganga and it was called “ƒ”¹…”The Eelam’.
This Resolution was adopted at the first National Convention of the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) on 14 May 1976. TULF’s participation in the 1977 general elections was anchored in this Resolution. In this Resolution, the TULF declared its intent of forming a sovereign State of Tamil Eelam. S. J. V. Chelavanayakam presided over the Convention. This also openly declared war against the democratically elected Government of the country
Their extremist Tamil communal approach, the ambitious parameters and the diabolical intention of making this country the head quarters of World Tamil EElam by annihilating the Sinhala Nation is clearly demonstrated by the following quotes from the Vadkkodai Resolution.
 “ƒ”¹…”This Convention calls upon the Tamil Nation in general and the Tamil youth in particular to come forward to throw them fully into the sacred fight for freedom and to flinch not till the goal of a sovereign state of Tamil Eelam is reached’
“ƒ”¹…”That the State of Tamil Eelam shall consist of the people of the Northern and Eastern provinces and shall also ensure full and equal rights of citizenship of the State of Tamil Eelam to all Tamil speaking people living in any part of Ceylon and to Tamils of Eelam origin living in any part of the world who may opt for citizenship of Tamil Eelam’.
 The Vadkkodai Resolution was a first class fabrication and distortion of the Island’s accepted and authentic history by a set of power hungry extremist communal Tamil Politicians. It is also responsible for all the brutal murder and mass killing carried out by the LTTE all over the country subsequently which included not only political leaders like President Premadasa, Rajeev Gandhi, Amirtha lingam, Doreiappa, Thiruchelvam, Luxman Kadiragamar, Lalith Atulathmudali, Gamini Disanayaka, and thousands of innocent people including  Buddhist monks, men and women and children worshiping in sacred places like the Sri Dalada Maligawa, Sacred Bo tree at Anuradhapura and traveling in busses and trains in addition to the men and women of the forces including thousands who were permanently maimed  or disabled.  Their spree of killing was not confined to one community. In fact they killed more Tamils than anybody else and brought destruction to the national economy and culture beyond reconstruction.
The Sinhala people on the other hand never have made such mad communal agitation in the history of this country. Even today with all these destructive communal cries of Tamil politicians and some Muslim politicians like Rauf Hakeem, the Sinhalese never resort to such mean and parochial measures. Even today they willingly share the resources including even their women with all other communities. They even tolerate their women being converted to Islam after marrying Muslims.
The LTTE proxy the TNA and its band wagon supported by a sizable section of Tamils both at home and abroad who are misnamed as diaspora to win over the sympathy of the catholic and Christian world for their cause today continuous with the same old communal game. Though the Muslim community in the early days worked together with the National political parties, of late they also have started to agitate for separation following the Tamil example. This movement is spearheaded by power crazy communal politicians like late Ashrof, Hakim, Rishard Bathiudeen and Salley. Now they want the Eastern Province for Muslims saying that 42 % of its population is Muslims. What the country needs is more Muslim politicians like Imitiyar Marker, Fais Mustaffa, Alavi Maulana , Fausi, Kabir Hashim and late Sinhala C.A.S. Marikkar of Kadugannawa. On the other hand Muslim politicians like Rauf Hakeem and Salley who sow seeds of communal politics and hatred should be discarded from the political field in this country. Fortunately the Estate Tamils have not so far claimed for a separate State in the centre of the country although the Tamil politicians in the North and East have enlisted them also within their dream EElam. It is also strange that so far Tamils in the Western Province, though they throw their solidarity with other Tamils, also have not asked for a separate State claiming that there is a Tamil majority in Colombo and Wellawtta.
The latest cunning strategy of the TNA leader is his attempt to muster the support of the Muslims as well for the Eelam cause calling them Tamil speaking people. But I don’t think Muslims who were chased out of Jaffna, Mannar, Mutur and even some eastern areas will ever forget how they were treated by these Tamil politicians though they were Tamil speaking even at that time.
The most common characteristics when it comes to politics with both Tamils and Muslims in this country are

1. Both communities refuse to accept that this country had been the land of the Sinhalese from the dawn of history and they had been only the minority communities enjoying the goodwill of the sons of the soil. They also refuse to accept that the Sinhala people have a nonnegotiable claim to this country as the people who fashioned the civilization of this Island from the inception. In the case of Tamils they go even further and claim a major part of the Island extending from Puttama through Jaffna-Trinco to Kataragama as their traditional Homeland and they want a separate kingdom for them.
2. Both communities have their basic allegiance to India and the Arab world respectively as their Motherlands
3. Both communities want strictly to preserve, propagate and adhere to their Indian and Arab cultures and behave and feel as Indians and Arabs.
4. Both communities want to convert this country to either a Tamilnadu or a Kalisthan

Ethnic and communal politics is the root cause of all these problems. As such logically banning ethnocentric politics should be the starting point to pave the way for a long lasting solution to all communal tensions and problems arising there from.
Thereafter all candidates for elections should be permitted to contest only under national political parties. Then they will naturally polarize around the national parties and people of all ethnic groups will begin to think as one nation and one country.
It is also necessary to ban the establishment of institutions like Banks, Schools etc on ethnic or religious basis that promote communal thinking and segregation and build up separatist sentiments. Predominantly
(2)The implementation of the 6th amendment should be the next step in this exercise.
According to Sec 57A. In fact this may even precede banning ethnic politics.
(1)   The 6th A  says “no person shall, directly or indirectly, in or outside Sri Lanka, support, espouse, promote, finance, encourage, or advocate the establishment of a separate State within the territory of Si Lanka”
(2)   “No political party or other association shall have as one of its aims or objects the establishment of  a separate State  within the territory of Sri Lanka”
(3) Abolish the Provincial council system and the 13th Amendment and along with it do away with the PR system of elections as well.
If you carefully analyze all these ramifications centered on the Provincial Council system you will find that the root cause of this political Augean mess is the anachronistic colonial political division of the country. The 179 year old Provincial system, introduced by the British was basically meant to keep the nation divided and eternally quarrelling mainly on an ethnic basis as a strategic administrative mechanism. This artificial division facilitated ethnic segregation and polarization. Added to this is the 13th Amendment (1987) imposed on us by the Indian government with the typical Kautilya approach. These two banes together provided the fertile ground for communal politicians and international conspirators and their agents to sow the seeds of separatism and communal politics in this country. So if these two causes are removed their effects too will cease to exist. Along with the abolition of Provincial Councils the provincial system of administrative divisions should also be done away with and the District should be installed as the basic peripheral administrative unit. This will bring an end to agitations for devolution on a communal or ethnic basis as well. With the establishment of the Tun Rata as given under item 5 below all Sri Lankans irrespective of their ethnic identity will begin to get identified as citizens of Ruhuna, Pihitirata and Maya Rata. This will put an end to people of all ethnic groups trying to claim separate territories for their respective ethnic group who often want to call themselves separate nations.
Abolition of the Provincial Council system
Abolition of the Provincial Council system and the PR system of elections will also restore not only ethnic tension but it will also put an end to all killing, arson and other election violence and colossal waste of national wealth associated with Provincial Council elections as well as general elections and once again bring back sanity in democratic elections in this country.
(4) Ban ethnic segregation in all parts within the country
Planned ethnic segregation, both by the Tamils and Muslims ever since independence, has led to polarizing ethnic consciousness. While the Tamils have given an open political tone for this segregation the Muslims on the other hand have concentrated more on the religious aspect by putting up mosques in every place where there were few Muslim families and deployed a broader plan of building up of their community. Increasing their population by exponential rates, buying properties from the Sinhalese, intruding the business world, marrying local women and converting them to Islam, establishing Tamil medium Muslim schools, building up financial institutions through the Mosques and also directly for the purpose of up-lifting their community according to a well drawn out long term plan and deploying underground plans were all subversive tactics of their political and religious power. Had there been constitutional safeguards against this type of subversive activities against the major community most of the present day ethno religious problems in the body politics in this country would have been not there or at least they would have been minimal. 
(5) Re-establish the Tun Sinhale Political Divisions as the units of devolution of political and administrative power.
Had we gone back to the pre-1815 position of the political map (the Tun Rata) that was there from 427 BC and re-established that time tested geopolitical map along with appropriate constitutional measures in 1948 and installed a new constitution based on history and tradition of this country, I think none of the present day communal and ethnic problems would have ever emerged. 
I know the moment I say Tun Sinhale, the communal Tamil and Muslim politicians will cry Sinhala chauvinism. But I must emphatically say that their assertion is baseless. Because the word Sinhale had been used to designate this Island even long before the arrival of Vijaya and it has nothing to do with the prevailing Sinhala ethnicity as against Tamil or Muslim ethnicity.
This country has been known by three names from very ancient times, namely Lanka, Sinhale and Tambapanni. Ancient Snskrit writings and works such as Puranas have used the word Lanka and Sinhale alterntively to refer to this Island. Lanka denotes beauty or serendipity. It also connotes the meaning centre. Harhsadeva wrote “ƒ”¹…”raman teshyamiti Lanka.” Thus according to Harshadeva it is called Lanka owing to its beauty. Vahnipuranaya also compared it with the Amarawathi of Sakka full of all wealth and happiness. It also says Yakkas are the chief inhabitants of this Island. Terms like Serendib, Ojadeepa, Waradeepa (The noble Island) also mean more or less the same thing. On the other hand Lanka also means the centre. For example ancient Indian astrologers wrote “Lankiyati Bhumadye ankiyatiti Lanka” which means it is so called as it is situated at the center of the earth.  Among other writings that support this notion are Garudapuranaya, Bhagawath Champu Ramayanaya and Magha Ramayanaya. Garudapuranaya and Jotistathvaya have used the word Sinhala. These sources referring to the people on the Island had said “thath dviipavasin Sihalan”- those who live on that Island are Sihala. Terms like Ceilan, Ceilo Ceylon, Salike, Silan, Siladib, Silan, Singaldib and even Ilam are all derived from this name. All this means the land of the Sinhala people. This I think is irrefutable evidence to say that this country had been known both as Lanka and Sinhale and both these terms had been used to name this Island long before the arrival of legendary Vijaya in 543 BC and also to prove that all the people who lived here were called Lankans ad Sinhala. Thus from time immemorial this land had been known as the Land of the Sinhala people and Lankans. Lastly the term Taprobane in Ptolemy’s work owes its origin to Tambapani. The word Tambapanni had been used in Garudapuranaya and also in Valahassa Jatakaya.
 Tun Sinhale is therefore not a new concept or a new proposal either. In fact this political division goes far back in to antiquity to about 5000 BC. According to Utarakanda of Ramayanaya the first wave of immigrants who belonged to the Yaksha tribe came to Lanka from north-west India. They were supposed to be a group of people who left Mohenjodaro (5000 BC) due to Aryan invasions. Malyawantha, Sumali and Mali, the three sons of Sukesh a Yaksha tribal leader, were the first three rulers who consolidated their power in Lanka. Malyawantha the eldest ruled as the king over the Pihitirata with his capital at Lankanpura, Sumali ruled over Ruhunu Rata as a sub-king with his capital at Mahiyangana or Nagadeepa and Mali ruled as a sub king over Mayarata Rata with his capital at Tambapanni may be under different names. This geopolitical division of the Island got permanently established on ground of the Sinhale (from 427 BC with Pandukabhaya marking the village boundaries over the whole Island and it continued up to 1815 AD in one form or the other. Therefore this could be considered as the oldest geopolitical division in the world for any country. This idea also tallies with the notion that the first “Democratically elected King” (Mahasammata) Manu was sworn in, in Lanka with his capital at present Mannarama. The Yaksha tribe was later joined by others like Raksha, Deva and Naga, together who formed the Sivhela which subsequently became Sinhala. Heladiva appears to be older than both Lanka and Sinhale It comes from haleo-Sun. In this sense Heladiva means the Land of the Sun. Siv+Hela means the four tribes of the Sun Island. Probably after he arrival of Vijaya-a Prince of the Sinha clan from India they would have adopted the word Sivhela which later became Sinhale-meaning the land of the Sinhala people.

It is within this geopolitical framework (Tun Sinhale) we reached the zenith of civilization in the following years with fame that spread in all corners of the orient as well as the occident. The destinies of this Island nation have been shaped during the twenty-four centuries prior to 1815 within this geopolitical framework. I do not think any other country in the world can boast of such unbroken political continuity or stability within one single political map. As such arguably it is time tested and therefore today, under the present situation, it presents an ideal model of geopolitical division for the country for effective and just governance.

It treats the whole country and its territorial waters as one State with a strong government at the centre supported by three semi-independent regional political entities, thereby simultaneously preserving the territorial integrity and the regional identities of the Island. It takes in to account regional variations in both physical and human factors. It is also important to note that the early rulers of this Island were obviously fully aware of the vertically arranged resource dependency, in addition to regional cultural variations, between the different altitudinal zones of the country and also the inseparable relationship between natural environment and development, which the present generation of politicians and administrators has miserably failed to comprehend. That is why the ancient people perhaps guaranteed that each Rata extends from the summits of high hills right at the centre up to the very sea thereby ensuring integrated and balanced development. Each of these Ratas also had its own physical and cultural individuality that warranted separate treatment. The boundaries between these Ratas were also natural and fixed and as such there was no room for boundary disputes either.
Under this system, even though persons belonging to different ethnic groups and tribes of varying origin were resident in different parts of the Island, the whole country was treated as one Kingdom and one nation with three political Sub-Divisions, which were called Ratas. The country was known as “The Sinhale” or Lanka.
Undisputedly this was the position up to the 2nd March 1815. The Rajarata continued to be the main seat of power almost four 20 centuries until it was shifted to Gampola in the mid-14th century. The King of Anuradhapura was usually acclaimed as the King of Lanka. While he directly ruled Rajarata, the viceroys or sometimes Regional Kings who swore allegiance to the King of Anuradhapura and paid their dues as well ruled over the other two. Under this system Sri Lanka was one Kingdom and one nation with maximum devolution of power to the other Sub-Kingdoms, as they were known then. For those who cry for a federal system of government for this country this could be cited as one of the earliest examples of a “federal state” known in the world. So why not adopt it now.
It is in view of this long and rich heritage that I suggest adopting this time tested model to overcome the intractable situation we are currently faced with. That will also provide with a sustainable devolution model for centuries to come as it had already been there for 2000 odd years. Under the proposal the Island should be divided in to three regions called Rata, namely, Ruhunu, Pihiti and Maya.  Mahaweli, Walawe or Nilwala and Deduru Oya could be used as the physical bounderies of the three Ratas in keeping with the current political and economic realities. .Each Rata will have nine districts. There will be a Rata Sabha for each Rata headed by a Governor appointed by the President of the country. The capital of the country could be located in Mahanuwara on a ground carved out from the three Rata with the present city as the nucleus. Mahanuwara Division could be taken as the 28th District. But it will be independent from the other 3 Rata. However this District will also have its representation in the National Assembly. The number of representatives assigned to this district will be 6. It will also have one senator. Three members will represent this district in the 3 Rata Sabha. This arrangement will strengthen the inter-state relationships. Each Rata Sabha will have a council of Ministers headed by a Chief Minister and it will have about 50 MPP elected by the people to represent the districts. (This can vary).
A President, elected directly by the people, as it is done now, who shall be answerable both to the Parliament and the people, will head the state and the central government under this system. The President shall be the head of the cabinet and a cabinet of Ministers not exceeding 15-will advise and assist him. It is proposed that the three Chief Ministers of the three Rata Sabhas should also be included in the national Cabinet of the central government to ensure better coordination between the center and the Rata Sabhas. The Parliament shall not have more than 125 MPP to represent the 28 districts. The Commissioner of Elections to determine the allocation of seats for different districts based on population and area.  The Parliament of Sri Lanka should be vested with the supreme power of governing the whole country. Devolution of power to Rata Sabha should be confined only to running their local affairs.

In addition to the House of Representatives and the three Rata Sabhas there shall also be a Senate of 31 members, 28 representing the 28 Districts and 3 to be nominated by the President to represent the 3 Rata Sabha in order to enlist the services of the best talented men in the country to run the affairs of State. This will make the total number of politicians 310 for the whole country. This will include The President, The Prime Minister, and 13 Cabinet Ministers, including the 3 Chief Ministers, Rata Sabha Ministers, MPP of Parliament, Rata Sabha Members, three Governors and the 31 Senators. Drastic reduction of politicians and superfluous political and administrative institutions in this country is a crying need to reduce waste and cost of governance. It is important to note here that even the United Kingdom has decided to reduce the strength of its Parliament by 100 members.

At present there are 225 Members of Parliament, 109 Ministers of the Central Government (As at today), 638 Provincial councilors, 9 Governors, 9 Chief Ministers, 45 Provincial Council Ministers, 638 Provincial Sabha councilors and a President totaling up to 873 politicians.(Add Pradesiya Sabha members here ).Under the new proposal this will be brought down to 310 as stated before, and as such there will be a reduction of 563 politicians. These 563 parasitic politicians thereafter could engage in some productive work that will benefit the country. This will reduce the maintenance cost of politicians at least by 65 %. One can just imagine the amount of money that could be saved as a result. Pradesiya Sabha Members and Members of other local bodies like Municipal councils and urban councils who will be retained in any case even under the new system are not counted in this context. This of cause is only an outline proposal. Details of the demarcations and the modus operandi have to be worked out in the event of this proposal being accepted by the authorities.
The proposed model will benefit the country in the following manner.
The proposal will,

1. Firmly establish a sound geopolitical framework that will consolidate the political map of the Island that conforms to regional physical and cultural differences and lays the foundation for building a strong and vibrant nation state.
2. Provide a framework for maximum devolution of political power to the periphery that will bring about better democracy to the people and ensure balanced development.
3. Discourage ethnic segregation and promote ethnic and regional harmony that leads to national integration.
4. Do away with the Provincial Council white elephant and reduce the number of politicians and superficial politico-administrative institutions to a workable and economic minimum needed by the country thereby saving billions wasted at present to maintain a ceremonial, corrupt and wasteful system. 
5. Drastically cut down the Government expenditure and make available more funds for development that will improve the standards of living of the common people.
6. Put an end to colonial administrative and political legacies that nurtured ethnic polarization and a divide and rule policy that seriously hampered the forward march of the post-independent Sri Lanka and open up new vistas for a united and prosperous new Lanka sans ethnic, religious and communal tensions.
7. Ensure fair and equitable distribution of resources among the regions and promote maximum regional development.
8. Provides a political framework where all people will begin to think firstly, as members of a Rata (either Ruhunu, Pihiti or Maya), and secondly, as one nation instead of the present tendency of thinking as Sinhalese (Low country and Kandyans), Tamils or Muslims etc.
9. Restore the lost historical, political, cultural and economic heritage of the people of this Island nation and lay the foundation for future political stability and socio-economic prosperity.

(6) Restore independence of the Judiciary and the Public Service and re-establish Rule of Law in the altar of governance.
Since everyone knows the present situation with regard to the appalling situation in these fields in this country I do not want to waste your time by trying elaborating.  It suffice to say that both these services apart being independent, today  they have got reduced to be mere domestic services of the government in power irrespective of whatever the party may be. That way today the term Public Service is only a euphemism where the holders of office are paid from public funds for doing what the politicians want to consolidate their power. Besides making the public service independent the quality also has to be drastically upgraded to guarantee efficient delivery of services. Meritocracy in recruitment, promotion, placements, and rationality and a person’s ability to deliver the goods above all other considerations has to be installed in place of the present haphazard practices such as political and other personal factors.  The ultimate objective of the Public Service should be service to the public. Ensuring and guaranteeing independence efficiency of the Judiciary and the Public Service and restoration of the rule of law are vital for good governance.
(7) Install a new Constitution to ensure and guarantee above goals
This too I do not wish to go in to details as everybody knows the faults of the present constitution and also the need for a new one to realize the above objectives.
Outcome
Only such a system keeping with the age old traditions of the country will guarantee good governance and restore democracy. It will also drastically reduce political and administrative positions and Institutions. Therefore it will result in drastic reduction in Government expenditure on salaries, vehicles, buildings, office equipments, travelling and all sort of unnecessary items.  It will also reduce cost of elections both for the candidates and the government and pass down the benefits to the people.  This will end the present “system of Government by the politicians, for the politicians and of the politicians, their families and cronies” and instead we will have a “system of Government by the people, for the people and of the people”
Finally I must make it very clear that this is a concerned call,
firstly, to those in power to see the reality in the country, perhaps deliberately hidden behind the curtain by unscrupulous elements in order to protect their newly acquired positions and power and
secondly, to make an open invitation for everyone who loves this country, to initiate a public debate on this issue and jointly work out a work plan to avert this imminent danger. I am convinced that unless we take immediate remedial action to arrest this situation without being complacent we are definitely heading for disaster as a nation. We have to remember that we are all sitting on a catastrophic dormant volcano which no one knows at what moment will erupt. It is our duty by the country and the nation to see that we don’t allow that disaster to happen before our own eyes.