No wonder the LTTE and its agents in Colombo are so keen on mediation. Some of the more naive advocates of devolution maintain that it will not lead to secession because the moderate Tamil parties are willing to settle for a viable alternative. Aspirations, limited only by the imagination, are much easier to work with than grievances, which are necessarily specific and liable to be exposed if baseless. The switch has been effected with the sleight of hand of a conjuror, unnoticed by the audience. Turning to the draft proposals themselves, the peculiarities begin with the preamble.
Constitutional preambles are by nature inspiring.
The preambles, too long to quote here, of the present Constitution of Sri Lanka effective 1978, and the previous one of 1972, are in this inspirational mould. Technically, the complete Constitution has not been presented. In view of the fundamental nature of a Constitution, leaving the preamble incomplete cannot be regarded lightly as a harmless omission. Prohibited but permitted The Constitution steps into the world of Alice in Wonderland early in the text. This should gladden the hearts of the legal profession.