TNA lays down conditions for backing Premadasa
The TNA, yesterday, asked the UNP to reveal what its presidential candidate, Sajith Premadasa, would do to fulfil what it called the aspirations of Tamils in the North and East and his plans to introduce a new Constitution, with more devolution, if it was to back him.
The TNA had put forth this demand when its representatives R Sampanthan and M.A. Sumanthiran met Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and Ministers Premadasa, Malik Samarawickrama and Ravi Karunanayake, at Temple Trees, to discuss the TNA’s stand, sources said. The meeting commenced around 3 pm and lasted till about 4.30 pm.
At the commencement of the meeting, PM Wickremesinghe said that his party had nominated Minister Premadasa as its presidential candidate and the nomination would be approved by the UNP-led UNF at a convention to be held on Oct 3 in Colombo. He said that UNF would expect the support of the TNA for its candidate’s election victory.
TNA Leader Sampanthan said that his party’s main concerns were about the safeguard of the aspirations of the Tamils in the North and the East and devolution.
Sampanthan said that they were not ready to extend their support to UNF candidate on the basis of promises made behind closed-door meetings. The UNF candidate should include in his manifesto his solutions for the country’s national problem.
The manifesto should be made available to the Sinhalese of the South and if they endorsed the UNF candidate, then the TNA too would consider supporting him at the presidential poll, Sampanthan said.
Minister Premadasa said that he would discuss the issue with the UNF leaders and inform the TNA of their position on the matter at the next meeting. However a date and place had not been fixed for the next meeting between UNP and TNA, party sources said.
(Source: The Island – By Saman Indrajith)
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That’s excellent news.
The majority Sinhala Buddhist Candidate should publish want he intends to do in his Manfesto, in the Sinhala Language, and distribute the Manifest among Sinhala Budhist Voters.
The aspirations of the Tamils is to split our country into two; i.e. Elam!
Look at the borders of their map; almost two thirds of Sri Lanka coastline.
That is phase one.
With legitimate rights to their own
Tamil country, there is nothing to stop other Tamils from other countries e.g. Tamil Nadu
( India), Malaysia settling here.
This will be their Israel; their country for all Tamils. Finally, a country of their own!
Question: Are those of us who have no other motherland prepared to give up our country because UNP wants their votes?
An important and essential constitutional change is to ensure that the country
IS NEVER DIVIDED or COLONISED!
These policies should not be taken for granted. They should be in the constitution.
Without it, we will become like the Native American Indians or the Aborigines!
Once lost, land can never be re-gained!
REPLY to “concerned”.
But look at our politicians.
Are they serving the welfare of Sri Lanka and ALL its citizens or their own communities based on race or religion? E.g. TNA, SLMC.
Until this mindset is changed to
“We are all Sri Lankans FIRST”, none of us will be treated as equal citizens.
A unified approach is a progressive approach; one that can prosper,
The day every human living in this country is treated as a citizen and not treated according to religion, race or any other, is the day this country will prosper.
Dear Cocerned,
What you say is an ideal state.
SL is many, many miles away from that position.
Me, I bear a Tamil name because my father was Tamil.
I was born in a Southern Sinhala Village, schooled theare, went to University and for higher ed in a foreign country.
I returned to SL 20 years ago and have been living in my ancestral home in the south. No worries there because I speak fluent Sinhala.
The moment I go to Colombo and in places where i have to produce my NIC with a Tamil name, I am discriminated; I wait longer in queue’s till Public Servants check my identity. I went to Courts once and it was hell. I have been to Police Stations and have been slapped on my cheeks because of my identity card bearing a Tamil name.
So Concerned, stop dreaming and identify yourself with the aspirations of the minority.
Reply to Ganjapani,
Very sorry to hear about your treatment regarding your NIC card.
Perceived or actual discrimination is a truly disheartening experience.
If it’s any consolation, those of us with Sinhala names also face discrimination in Sri Lanka. Travelling around North and East Sri Lanka, my family and I received very hostile treatment from the local people. Even simple requests for directions were met with verbal abuse and aggression. Why? What had we done, but want to explore parts of our country, which were previously dangerous and out of bounds. We were made to feel like outcasts in our own country. It was a frightening and bitter experience.
Angry at the time, but still believing in a unified country, not a divided one.
I recalled this again when Sinhala students were beaten in Jaffna University and discriminated.
Take heart. At least you had the freedom to live in the South in a Sinhala village, have an ancestral home there, and receive opportunities to have higher education abroad.
Given the prejudices in the north of Sri Lanka, I doubt whether Sinhalese people can live in a Tamil village there, let alone own an ancestral home.
As for the police and courts; a lot of people have had bad experiences irrespective of race and gender. It will take a millennium for that to change!
We must unite and rise above those people who want to divide us. It will take time to heal bitter experiences, and earn trust on all sides, but we must try. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.