Tamil political parties have issued a call for a Hartal on the 25th of April to protest against the Anti Terrorism Act and the ongoing rapid Sinhala Colonisation of the North-East. The leaders of various political parties, including the Eelam People’s Revolutionary Liberation Front, the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Katchi, the People’s Liberation of Tamil Eelam, the Tamil Eelam Liberation Organisation, and activists from the Democratic Revolutionary Party and Tamil National Alliance, met at the private residence of Suresh Premachandran to discuss the issue.

The Tamil political parties have opposed the Anti Terrorism Act, which is to be tabled at Parliament on April 25th, as a piece of legislation that violates human rights and has the potential to increase violence against ethnic and religious minorities, journalists, dissenters, cooperatives, and trade unions. Moreover, the ongoing Sinhala colonisation of the Tamil homeland has also been protested by the Tamil political parties. Buddhist temples have appeared in sites such as Hot Wells in Kinniya, the Kurunthur Malai temple, the Vedukkunaari Malai temple, Vediyarasan’s Fort in Delft, and Katchativu with the assistance of the Sri Lankan Archaeological Department, Army, Navy, Police, and Survey Department.

Despite ongoing resistance to both issues, the current Sri Lankan government has decided to table the Anti Terrorism Act in Parliament. The Tamil political parties have decided to issue a call for a hartal throughout the North-East of the island to show solidarity and resist these issues, which are endangering many Tamil lives.