SLPP slams TNA for discussing 13A matters with external parties

He slammed the TNA for discussing internal matters with external parties and cited those moves as measures to spread racism in the country, which would eventually lead to the end of the country.

The 13th Amendment to the Constitution was brought up as part of Indo-Sri Lanka accord and the Provincial Councils which were born through the amendment are now in a dysfunctional state.

As the Yahapalana (Government of Good Governance) administration failed in completing the necessary legal changes for the elections for the Provincial Councils, the country is not able to call for elections of the Provincial Councils in the country.

On Friday (21) a TNA delegation called on the Indian High Commissioner during which the latter congratulated the TNA for their performance at the recent general elections.

At the meeting, the Indian High Commissioner reiterated India's longstanding position on peace and reconciliation and full implementation of the Thirteenth Amendment.

TNA Leader R. Sampanthan said the promises made to further strengthen the 13th Amendment to the Constitution must be fulfilled adding the existing issue need a permanent solution.

Sampanthan believes India would continue to provide its support to solving issues as the Government of Sri Lanka had given a promise to the Indian Government with respect to the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.

MP Dharmalingam Siddharthan said India would intervene if the amendments to the constitution would pose a direct impact on the Indo-SriLanka agreement.

The ruling party claims the TNA had discussed the possibility of postponing the Provincial Council Elections, during the meeting with the Indian mission in Sri Lanka.

The ruling party said the TNA should in fact discuss the issue first with Government.

" If you have the 13th amendment as an integral part of the constitution then you have to hold the elections if you have it as an institution. But as the General Secretay of our party very clearly explained to you, it was the TNA, actually more than the Yahapalana Government, more than the United National Party or the SLFP, it is the Tamil National Alliance that postponed those Elections.," said G. L. Peiris, the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna.

" More than 50 percent of the Tamil people voted against the TNA. And in my view, one of the principal reasons for it was the stand they took with regard to depriving their people of the most cherished of all human rights and freedoms, the franchise," said the SLPP Chairman adding "The contribution of the TNA to the Tamil people was to take away the most sacred of their rights, to elect the provincial councilors. It is now ironic that now they should go to the High Commission of India, to undo what they themselves deliberately and calculatedly did."

EPDP or Eelam People's Democratic Party Leader Douglas Devananda said even before India came into play, the EPDP made repeated calls for the complete implementation of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.