The left wing Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) stated it was opposed to federalism, in response to the manifesto released by the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) this week.
JVP Propaganda Secretary and Member of Parliament Vijitha Herath told The Island, "the JVP is against federalism”. Whilst accepting that “the grievances of the Tamil people should be redressed,” Mr Herath reiterated that “federalism is not that solution”.
He also spoke out against the merging of the Northern and Eastern provinces, as outlined by the Indo-Lanka accord, which saw the 13th amendment of the Sri Lankan constitution signed.
“It is the JVP that went before the courts and got an order to demerge the two provinces that had been arbitrarily merged after the Indo-Lanka Accord,” said Mr Herath. “These two provinces should function separately.”
His comments come after the release of an election manifesto by the TNA, which called for constitutional changes that accept the Tamil people's entitlement to their right to self-determination under the United Nations International Covenants on Civil political rights and Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICCPR).
"It seems that the TNA’s motive is to increase its votes,” added the JVP secretary, stating that it would lead to “disharmony and bloodshed."
The 13th amendment, which calls for devolution of land and police powers to provincial councils, has been rejected as a starting point for a solution to the ethnic conflict by all Tamil political actors including the Tamil National People’s Front, the Tamil National Alliance and the Chief Minister of the Northern Province.
Also see our earlier posts:
UPFA election manifesto limits political solution to ethnic conflict to 13A (28 Jul 2015)
TNA manifesto calls for constitutional change that accepts Tamil right to self-determination (25 Jul 2015)
‘13A can never be the final solution’ says Chief Minister Wigneswaran (12 March 2015)
TNPF: 13A is not a starting point, interim or final solution (13 Jun 2013)
UNP rejects any political solution beyond 13A (14 Oct 2014)
Modi tells Rajapaksa to go 'beyond' 13th Amendment (27 May 2014)
TNA's promises.. (02 Oct 2013)
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