Several Tamil parties met last week (25) at the residence of TNA leader R Sampanthan to discuss critical issues to achieve a political solution on the island.
The TNA hierarchy invited all Tamil political parties representing the North and East to participate in a discussion scheduled at the residence of its Leader MP R. Sampanthan in Colombo.
Tamil Eelam Liberation Organisation (TELO) Leader MP Selvam Addaikkalanathan, People’s Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE) MP Tharmalingam Sidthadthan, Eelam People’s Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRLF) Leader Suresh Premachandran, and Tamil Makkal Thesiya Kuttani (TMTK) Wigneswaran participated in this meeting.
Tamil National People's Front (TNPF) representatives were not present.
Last week, addressing Parliament during the Budget speech, President Ranil Wickremesinghe invited all parties for talks to resolve the long-lasting national question after the conclusion of Budget 2023.
The parties have addressed three main issues which are needed to be solved immediately.
1. To stop the land-grabbing activities from the state and military across provinces in the North East and for the land to be returned to Tamils immediately
2. To immediately implement current devolution-related provisions and thereby hold provincial council elections
3. Enabling maximum power devolution through a new Constitution.
Addressing the media, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Spokesman President’s Counsel (PC) MP M.A. Sumanthiran noted last Friday (25) that the above issues were identified during the first rounds of discussions among the Tamil political parties representing the North and East.
Tamil Makkal Thesiya Kuttani (TMTK) Leader MP C.V.Wigneswaran who also participated in the meeting noted the same points while addressing the media.
There have been suggestions made during this meeting that a third-party representative should be present to observe the discussions between the Government and the parties in solving the national ethnic issue.
It was also discussed during this meeting that the Tamil political parties representing the North and East would participate in the talks, whether the Government is genuine or not in this issue, making use of the opportunities available to them.
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