'Withdrawal of funds' from north

27 July, 2011

	TNA says that the government is trying to negate TNA's victory

The major Tamil political party in Sri Lanka warns that the government is planning to withdraw funds to a majority of local governing bodies in the north.

Tamil Parliamentarian MA Sumanthiran told BBC Sandeshaya that the challenge by Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka to the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) to develop the north on its own is clear evidence of that plan.

Power and Energies Minister Ranawaka commenting on the TNA landslide victory in the north told journalists on Tuesday that it is the responsibility of the winners themselves to rebuild the area.

"It was not the Sinhalese who destroyed the tanks, electricity and railway lines," he charged.

'Undemocratic means'

TNA MP Sumanthiran in response said, "the government is trying to negate the Tamil people's democratic will by economic force".

	The minister says that it was the LTTE that destroyed the north

He alleged that the ruling coalition failing to win the north by force during the local government elections is now resorting to undemocratic means.

Earlier, the the secretary general of the ruling party said that it has received more votes than in the last elections.

"We will start by building upon our 57 members who have been elected," said United Peoples Front Alliance (UPFA) Seceretary General Minister Susil Premjayanth.

Minister Ranawaka has also said that the TNA with the new found support should not demand police and land powers or federal status.

"This threat to democratically elected bodies sends a wrong signal that the Tamil people cannot achieve their democratic aspirations through the ballot," said Mr Sumanthiran.