TNA spokesman and the Jaffna District Parliamentarian Suresh K. Premachandra told Ceylon Today, adding that it was not only the US, but that other countries have also insisted on the successful implementation of the LLRC recommendations.
“The government cannot prolong the issue of implementing the LLRC recommendations. The people in the North and East have suffered immensely due to the lethargic attitudes of the previous governments in finding a constructive solution to the ethnic question. Therefore, what the TNA wants is for the Rajapaksa Government not to repeat the same mistakes that were made by the previous regimes,” Premachandra said.
When asked to comment on the TNA’s participation at the UNHRC meeting in Geneva, Premachandran said that it was too early to say anything on that issue and that the party has not yet made a final decision on its presence at the sessions, but added, “Soon we will arrive at a decision on our travel plans,”.
Elaborating on the views of Robert O Blake, US Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs, on TNA’s participation at the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC), he said that the TNA wanted a substantial agreement on various matters before considering its presence at the PSC. “We cannot rush to decisions. Even at the earlier talks with the government, we had clearly stated our stance on our expectations with regard to our participation at the PSC.”
He also added that the TNA cannot be a sitting duck in a forum where all the hardliners strive to cripple whatever efforts are made to reach an amicable settlement. “This has been the history. So many forums were held with the participation of various political parties. But at the end nothing has emerged to satisfy the political aspirations of the Tamils. Therefore, the TNA is now cautious on its participation at the intended PSC,” Premachandran added. (Ceylon Today Online)
CT