Dissanayake holds talks with leaders of ethnic minorities, underscores need for ‘national consensus’ on new Constitution
Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake is prioritizing a national consensus over a rushed constitutional overhaul. He held discussions with minority party leaders to address concerns regarding the Constitution, provincial elections, and land disputes.
Why it matters
The move signals a shift toward inclusive governance in Sri Lanka, aiming to resolve long-standing ethnic and constitutional tensions through dialogue.
Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has said his government will work on building a “national consensus” rather than “hastily” drafting a new Constitution.
He made the remarks during a discussion on Monday (August 3, 2026) with leaders of political parties and alliances representing the island’s Tamil-speaking minorities in the north and east, and the Malaiyaha Tamils living in the central and southern hill country.
Members of various political formations of Tamil, Tamil-speaking Muslim, and Malaiyaha Tamil communities — who are Sri Lanka’s ethnic minorities — had recently launched a common platform or “medai”, called the Political Council for Tamil-Speaking People, to foreground issues affecting their constituencies.
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