As the Sri Lankan government’s newly formed ‘National Council’ held its inaugural meeting today, not all of the named council members were present, with the Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF) leader Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam stating he was appointed “without my consultation or consent”.
“I will not be taking my place in the “National Council”,” tweeted Ponnambalam last week.
“Our party has repeatedly stated that our support will only be for the limited purpose of ensuring a General Election that is the overwhelming wish of all the peoples of this island.
“To appoint a NC without any indication of seeking a fresh mandate is only to obtain a false cloak of legitimacy to what is clearly a parliament and Govt. rejected by the people, an exercise with which the [TNPF] will play no part”.
The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) will also not be part of the National Council, according to its chairman and former Sri Lankan president Maithripala Sirisena.
A statement from the Sri Lankan parliament said the National Council will:
- Determine the general priorities of parliament to guide the formulation of short, medium, and long-term national policies.
- Agree on short-term and medium-term common minimum programs related to economic stabilisation.
- Organise special meetings with cabinet ministers, the National Council, the chairpersons of special committees and youth observers of youth organisations.
