TNA calls for equality and democratic space to be preserved

• Says vote proves Tamil people firm in achieving their rights within a united, undivided and indivisible country 

Tamil National Alliance (TNA) leader R. Sampanthan, in a statement issued yesterday, congratulated President Gotabaya Rajapaksa while also calling for the preservation of equality and a democratic space. 

“Our wish is that the new President will respect the very substantial democratic verdict of the Tamil people of the North and East and it is my belief that he will do so,” said Sampanthan, adding, “it is only then that we can bring about a sense of oneness and the feeling that we are all equal citizens of one country.”

“By creating such an environment, we can achieve major economic and social development which will benefit all the people of this country,” he went on to say.

Sampanthan also took the opportunity to thank those who voted for New Democratic Front (NDF) candidate Sajith Premadasa by accepting the TNA’s request and rejecting the call to boycott or to vote for a Tamil candidate. According to Sampanthan, this sent a message to the leaders of the country and the international community that “the Tamil people are firm in achieving their rights, within a united, undivided, indivisible country.”

The request made by the TNA for people to vote for Premadasa was based on the concept of maximum devolution of power, Sampanthan said, adding: “The people belonging to all administrative and electoral districts in the North and the East have very largely voted for Sajith Premadasa who, in his election manifesto, outlined certain features pertaining to the resolution of the longstanding national question.”

In the statement, Sampanthan also stated: “All major political parties and leaders have accepted that maximum devolution of power is needed to find a solution to the national question.”