Participating in the parliamentary debate, Sampanthan charged that the government has not made a tangible move to achieve reconciliation in post-war Sri Lanka. He said successive governments maintained an insensitive and a callous attitude when it came to solving the issues faced by the Tamil community.
While noting that the Tamil community has a distinct character and a culture the TNA Leader said the governments in Sri Lanka have been and still trying to make the Tamil community a minority even in the parts where they are not a minority by ruining the culture and civilization of the Tamil community. He said that certain countries which supported the government during the war did not realise the “legitimacy in the Tamil struggle for self respect and equality.”
Sampanthan acknowledged that it was not only the Tamil community which suffered from the war but also the Sinhala and Muslim communities. However he asserted that the Tamil community must be given the same political rights which are enjoyed by the Sinhala community.
Meanwhile he charged that the government should be ashamed to cover up the inability of providing remedies for the reconciliation process by talking about the LTTE.
“Talking about LTTE is your escape route. Rather than delivering your obligations you talk about LTTE. The government can’t survive long on this propaganda; probably the government does not want lasting peace. Some of you say that TNA wants power sharing but it is the Tamil community who wants power sharing and the LLRC also recommends it. Stop saying crap like this,” he charged.
He accused the government of speaking with two tongues about the national issue and added the government brought the US backed resolution upon themselves.
He said India voted against Sri Lanka not because of India’s internal politics but because the government gave false promises regarding the implementation of the 13th Amendment.
“You will not be able to deceive the international community as you did the Tamil community for more than six decades. The only solution to the problem is protecting diversity of the different cultures in this country,” he said.
Sampanthan further said the passing of the resolution is the first sign which shows the international community would not let Sri Lanka ignore the problems faced by the Tamil community adding they will not adopt a diplomatic stance regarding Sri Lanka.
By Gagani Weerakoon and Sarasi Paranamanna
CT