The former General Secretary of the UNP, Tissa Attanayake, has warned that the common opposition candidate Maithripala Sirisena has signed an agreements with the Tamil National Alliance, despite its “extremist” policies, reported the DailyMirror.
“I have serious doubts about the MOUs signed with different extremist groups such as the TNA, JHU and the JVP. The common opposition will be obliged to satisfy the extremist Tamil groups and the Tamil Diaspora. These pledges are extremely dangerous for the national security and the sovereignty of the country. We do not know what the opposition has promised but we have a right to know,” Attanayake said.
“The opposition was a coalition of strange bedfellows who profess different extremist policies. I do not understand how the JHU, TNA and the JVP can campaign to achieve a common objective.”
Attanayake, who is backing Mahinda Rajapaksa in the presidential election next month, says he joined the incumbent’s camp to “save” the UNP from those who had “hijacked” his party.
The national list MP maintains he is still a member of the UNP and that he decided against backing the Sirisena because he had failed to fulfil his pledges to the UNP Working Committee.
Attanayake said that Sirisena’s campaign was handled by Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga from her office and the UNP had no say.
No solution offered to Tamils by either candidate - TNA (09 Dec 2014)
Presidential election not addressing Tamil concerns says TNA (07 Dec 2014)
We need your support
Sri Lanka is one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a journalist. Tamil journalists are particularly at threat, with at least 41 media workers known to have been killed by the Sri Lankan state or its paramilitaries during and after the armed conflict.
Despite the risks, our team on the ground remain committed to providing detailed and accurate reporting of developments in the Tamil homeland, across the island and around the world, as well as providing expert analysis and insight from the Tamil point of view
We need your support in keeping our journalism going. Support our work today.
For more ways to donate visit https://donate.tamilguardian.com.
