The right to autonomy will not be granted in Sri Lanka, said a senior government minister when responding to questions regarding claims by the Tamil National Alliance that a United National Front (UNF) government would grant Tamils self-rule.
Speaking to journalists in Colombo on Thursday, Sri Lanka’s cabinet spokesperson Rajitha Senaratne, refuted the TNA’s claims, stating,
“We do not approve of it. They say these things during elections. Any power sharing will be within a unitary state.”
The latest reaffirmation of Sri Lanka’s rejection of Tamil self-rule comes days after the deputy foreign minister for Sri Lanka ruled out any form of federal power sharing set-up in Sri Lanka.
UNP rules out federalism (22 July 2015)
Wigneswaran calls for united effort to achieve Tamil nation's aspirations (21 July 2015)