Monday, 26 May 2014 00:00
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Says GoSL is ‘aggressively pursuing agenda’ to undermine reconciliation, permanent peace
Govt. has failed to keep promises to India and Int’l community: Sampanthan
By Dharisha Bastians
The Tamil National Alliance has sought a meeting with the newly-elected Government of India under Narendra Modi, expressing the party’s confidence in India’s ability to evolve an honourable peace based on justice and equality for the Tamil community in Sri Lanka.
Congratulating the Indian Prime Minister-designate Modi on his resounding victory in recently concluded parliamentary elections, TNA Leader R. Sampanthan said his party hoped to work closely with the new Government to strengthen ties between the two countries and prevent a recurrence of violence in Sri Lanka.
" In his letter, Sampanthan pointed to the Government’s failure to
Allow the democratically elected Northern Provincial Council to govern
Ongoing state land acquisition policies in the north
Systematic attempt to change the ethnic demographic in the north and east
Destruction of places of Tamil cultural and religious significance and
Oppressive presence of the military in the former war zone"
The letter comes one day after Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran declined a Presidential invitation to travel to New Delhi to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the new Indian Premier, saying to accept would “facilitate tokenism” in the absence of cooperation from Colombo that allows the NPC to govern meaningfully.
Echoing Wigneswaran’s sentiments in his letter of rejection, his Party Leader told Modi that the Sri Lankan Government was “aggressively pursuing an agenda” that was undermining reconciliation and efforts to seek permanent peace and harmony in the island.
In his letter, Sampanthan pointed to the Government’s failure to allow the democratically elected Northern Provincial Council to govern, ongoing state land acquisition policies in the north, the systematic attempt to change the ethnic demographic in the north and east, the destruction of places of Tamil cultural and religious significance and the oppressive presence of the military in the former war zone.
The TNA Leader said these actions by the Sri Lankan Government were “clearly indicative of a lack of genuine commitment to evolve an acceptable political solution” after the end of the war.
“We consider it our duty to bring these matters to your consideration at the earliest possible opportunity. We do so in the belief that an honourable peace, based on justice and equality must prevail – and that India’s role would ensure that,” the TNA Leader wrote.
Sampanthan told the new Indian Prime Minister that both during the armed conflict and after its conclusion, the Sri Lankan Government made commitments to both India and the international community to bring about an acceptable political solution.
“Unfortunately this commitment has not been honoured,” Sampanthan wrote to the new Indian Premier.
