Members of Bodu Bala Sena (Buddhist power force), a young Sinhala-Buddhist organisation in Sri Lanka, gathered outside the Indian High Commission here on Tuesday, protesting against the 13th Amendment.
The protest, held just a couple of days before >Sri Lanka’s Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa’s visit to India, saw a group of Buddhist monks assembling at the venue, and joining the chorus against the 13th Amendment, which was an outcome of the Indo-Lankan accord of 1987.
Terming the Amendment a “white elephant”, the BBS said India’s interference, and the implementation of the 13th Amendment in particular, would lead to bloodshed again.
Kirama Wimalajothi Thero, BBS president, who handed over a memorandum to A. Sunil Achaya, Counsellor (Consular), High Commission of India, requested India to honour the sovereignty of the country, and refrain from imposing solutions. The protest comes in the wake of ongoing debates on the 13th Amendment. Mr. Rajapaka’s visit on July 4, which would soon be followed by National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon’s visit to Sri Lanka early next week.