TELO REJECTS SUMANTHIRAN’S VIEWS ON MERGING N/E PROVINCES

The Tamil Eelam Liberation Organisation (TELO), an ally of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), has rejected the views expressed by MP M.A. Sumanthiran, stating that the merger of North-east provinces was not immediately possible and also justifying the grant of extended time to the government vis-à-vis the war crimes probe.

Issuing a statement, TELO General Secretary former MP N. Srikanta said the basic demand of the Tamils had always been that the merged Tamil linguistic regions of North-east must remain a single unit enjoying fullfledged autonomy.

He said this basic premise brooks no compromises or opportunistic adjustments.

“Pursuing its goals, the TNA obtained an overwhelming mandate from the Tamil people at the last general elections and at the previous provincial council polls in the North and the East.

“The present government, made up of the two major Sinhala ethnocentric parties, The basic demand of the Tamils had always been that the merged Tamil linguistic regions of North-east must remain a single unit enjoying full-fledged autonomy is not willing to get rid of the unitary structure of the government and grant autonomy to the Tamils in their traditional habitat within a united country.

“Further, President Sirisena and his government have rejected outright the setting up of a hybrid judicial mechanism, including foreign and local jurists to probe war crimes, in compliance with the UNHRC Resolution 30/1 on Sri Lanka.

“In the meantime, TNA leader Sampanthan and its spokesman Sumanthiran have expressly supported the government’s plea for a twoyear extension ostensibly to meet Sri Lanka’s obligations in terms of the UNHRC resolution including the war crimes probe. The TNA is an alliance of four political groups. We of the TELO and two other groups in the TNA have opposed the stance taken by Sampanthan and Sumanthiran in this regard.

“Also, Sumanthiran has made several remarks questioning the intelligence of 11 other TNA MPS who have signed and sent a memorandum to the UNHRC, urging the Human Rights body not to grant extended time to Sri Lanka,” he said.