TNA demands ‘a measure of autonomy within a united, undivided Sri Lanka’

By Shamindra Ferdinando-September 22, 2013

Having secured the Northern Provincial Council (NPC) with an overwhelming majority at Saturday’s Provincial Council polls, the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kadchi (ITAK) aka TNA yesterday urged the government to ‘grant a measure of autonomy to Tamil speaking people within a united undivided country.’

Saturday’s was the first Northern PC polls since the introduction of the 13th Amendment, in accordance with the Indo-Lanka Accord, signed on July 29, 1987.

TNA heavyweight M. A. Sumanthiran, MP, told The Island that the government should ensure the newly elected NPC was given an opportunity to exercise its powers in accordance with the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.Nothing could be as important as allowing the NPC to exercise even the limited powers it enjoyed under the present PC system, the MP said. Saturday’s overwhelming verdict reflected the mood of Tamil speaking people in spite of the UPFA’s relentless efforts to undermine the democratic process, the MP said.

The TNA obtained a staggering 353,595 votes (78.48%) to secure 30 seats, while the UPFA and its constituent, the SLMC, obtained seven and one seats respectively in the 38-member NPC.

Responding to a query, Sumanthiran pointed out that the TNA’s achievement was bigger than even a two-thirds victory. "What we have achieved under proportional representation is extraordinary. We hope the government as well as the people will respect the verdict. The government can no longer ignore the verdict at the NPC."

The attorney-at-law said that the TNA expected the government to engage in a meaningful discussion with the party in the wake of its historic electoral victory. Sumanthiran said that the party would act responsibly to pursue post-war national reconciliation.

When pointed out that the TNA as well as several other organisations had repeatedly alleged that a free and fair election couldn’t be held due to heavy presence of the military in the Jaffna peninsula, Sumanthiran said that troops had intervened on behalf of those contesting on the UPFA ticket. The MP alleged that some troops had fired in the air outside the Varani College on the day of the polling when the TNA rushed to the scene after having heard of trouble there. The MP alleged that troops positioned close to some polling booths had chased away voters between 1.00 and 3.00 p.m.