A Public Appeal By Artistes, Intellectuals & Social Activists t is our considered view that our country at present is facing a serious crisis of many Meanwhile, public services such as free health and free education are in a state of utter chaos.With dimensions.I The crisis should not be allowed to continue, if we want our country to progress. the collapse of the rule of law,Sri Lanka has become a land of crimes and impunity. Furthermore, the worsening of Human Rights record is unprecedented. Country’s constitution and the system of Hidden beneath the superfi cial development being carried out by the government through its various governance are no better. infrastructure projects, which are funded by costly foreign loans, is the reality of the erosion of the economic well being of the people. The government is also facing a fi scal crisis, although it is This continuing and widespread chaos in the country is a direct result of the aberrations in concealed from the public. It is with great diffi culty that the government is handling even the day– our system of governance and society.The violent confl icts and bloodbaths produced by these to-day fi scal management. aberrations have only further intensifi ed them. The inter-ethnic and inter-religious relations are also at the point of breaking up. Even fi ve years As citizens who are committed to the common good of our people and to a better tomorrow for after the military defeat of the LTTE, the Tamil people of the North and East have not received the country, we make the following appeal to the government, its constituent political parties and anything matching their legitimate entitlements as equal citizens of our country.Instead, they have the opposition parties: Please dedicate yourselves for a new democratic constitution and a system fallen from the frying pan to fi re, compelling them to live in a militarized society where they have of governance by abolishing the executive presidential system with its unbridled powers in order been robbed of their freedom and human dignity. Meanwhile,an anti-Muslim campaign has been to create space for re-building our system of governance while bringing to an end the prevailing active for quite some time.The recent tragedy of Aluthgama is only a horrendous consequence of corrupt, chaotic and arbitrary practices.That is the only way to restore public confi dence and this racist hate campaign. legitimacy on the governing process. We also urge that the new constitution and the system of governance should embody the following principles: l Equal rights and equal opportunities to all ethnic and religious communities. l Severe punishment for the abuse of power. l Securing of fundamental rights to all citizens, including the Right To l Centralised political power to be devolved based on the concept of devolution of Information. power between Centre and periphery. l Ensuring there is no space for corruption, ineffi ciency,and oppressive, l Protection of the Rule of Law. authoritarian rule. l People’s sovereignty for the people. We believe that by working towards a new constitution and a new system of governance built on the above core principles,Sri Lanka can regain the trust and respect of her own citizens as well as the world community. Dr. Dharmasena Pathiraja Sunil Perera (Gypsies) Jayantha Dhanapala Prof. Kumar David Dr. A. C. Visvalingam Dharmasiri Bandaranayaka Kasun Kalhara Chandra Jayaratne Prof. Laksiri Fernando Tissa Jayathilaka Prasanna Vithanage Jayathilaka Kammallaweera Susil Siriwardene Prof. Desmond Mallikarachchi Tassie Seneviratne Parakrama Niriella Kathleen Jayawardene J. C. Weliamuna Prof. Jayantha Seneviratne Saminadan Wimal Jayalath Manoratne Ariyawansa Ranaweera Dr. Jayampathy Wickramaratne Dr. Muttukrishna Sarvanandan Dr. Nishan de Mel Rajitha Dissanayaka Tenyson Perera Prof. Savitri Goonasekere Dr. Nirmal Ranjith Devasiri Prof. R. S. Perinbanayagam K. B. Herath Buddhadasa Galappaththi Victor Ivan Dr. Udan Fernando Prof. Ajith Abeysekera Somalatha Subasinghe Gamini Viyangoda K.W. Janaranjana Prof. Vijaya Kumar Dr. Chandana Aluthge Ratna Sri Wijwsinghe Lal Hegoda Sunil Jayasekara Deepthi Kumara Gunaratne Uvindu Kurukulasuriya Lucian Bulathsinhala Wijayananda Jayaweera Dr. Sunil Wijesiriwardene Chandrapala Kumarage Vidarshana Kannangara Kaushalya Fernando Kapila Kumara Kalinga Dr. Sumanasiri Liyanage Dr. Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu Anton Marcus Neil Alles Kusal Perera M.D. Mahindapala Chandraguptha Thenuwara Leenus Jayathilaka Vimukthi Jayasundara Manjula Wediwardene Dr. Liyanage Amarakeerthi Dr. Michal Fernando Athulasiri Samarakoon Channa Deshapriya M. A. Nuhman Anoma Rajakaruna Dr. Sumathy Sivamohan Prof. Valentine Daniel Harsha Makalanda Piyal Kariyawasam, Lal Wijenayaka Lakshman Mendis Fr. Sarath Iddmalgoda W. Jayasiri Nandana Weerasinghe Prof. H. L. Seneviratne Sunanda Deshapriya Shoba Sakthi Hemasiri Liyanage Mahinda Prasad Masimbula Prof. Sarath Wijesuriya Dr. Harshana Rambukwella Gaya Nagahawatta Ajith Jinadasa Nishshanka Wijemanna Sujeewa Dissanayaka Jayasiri Jayasekara Jagath Manuwarna Bimal Jayakody Anurasiri Hettige Sudarshana Gunawardene Emil van der Poorten Latheef Farook Sujanee Menaka Shanthi Dissanayaka Pradeepan Raveendran Indika Udugampola Henry Warnakulasuriya Deepani Silva Chulananda Samaranayaka Nalaka Gunawardene Mahesh Munasinghe A. Jesurasa Dumindu Dodantentenna Keerthi Welisarage Mahinda Ratnayaka Nadee Kammallaweera Gunasena Vithana Tusitha Laknath Daya Tennekone Malaka Devapriya Lasantha Ruhunage Pushpa Ramlani Wimalanath Weerarathna Grace Tennekone Athula Vithanage Neil Wijethilake Tiran Kumara Bangagamaarachchi.