Lanka's new Constitution will address the Tamil issue: Minister

COLOMBO: The Sri Lankan government will find a political solution to the Tamil issue in the new Constitution, a senior minister said today.

"We will address the issue of giving a political solution in the new Constitution," Lakshman Kiriella, the leader of the House and the Minister of Highways, said in the central town of Kandy.

He said the Constitutional Assembly would have its first sitting on April 5.

The government kicked off the process to have a new Constitution in January this year. It has sought public opinion on the new constitution the report of which is to be presented end of April.

The issue of political recognition for the minority Tamils which raged in the 80s remained unaddressed.

The new Constitution will replace the current executive president headed constitution adopted in 1978.

Maithripala Sirisena, who was elected last year after his stunning electoral victory over Mahinda Rajapaksha, wants to abolish the present executive presidential system which for long has faced accusations of being authoritarian.

Sri Lankan troops in 2009 defeated the LTTE which was fighting for an independent state for minority ethnic Tamils.

At least 40,000 Tamil civilians may have been killed in just the final months of the civil war, according to a UN report.