R. Sampanthan

People’s democratic choices must be accepted, says the senior Tamil leader. Meera Srinivasan./The Hindu. It is unfair to attribute a “racist” dimension to the Tamil vote in Sri Lanka’s presidential election, according to senior Tamil leader R. Sampanthan. His remark comes a day after the results of the country’s biggest election were declared. The winner […]

Image: Political prisoner Thevathasan Kanagasabai . Early this week, Tamil political prisoner Thevathasan Kanagasabai (62) alias Nadan incarcerated in the high-security Welikada Prison agreed to suspend his fast unto death protest following the intervention of Minister Mano Ganesan. Kanagasabai was into the ninth day of a hunger strike demanding that he be granted bail to […]

In a way of adjournment motion which will be presented tomorrow in Parliament, TNA leader R. Sampanthan  has responded to the state minister of defense Ruwan  Wijewardena, who has reiterated their position  that there are political prisoners in Sri Lanka at present and Tamil detainees  held under the PTA will not be released.  In his adjournment motion […]

Sending a strongly worded letter  President Sirisena the leader of the TNA and paliamentry opposition R. Sampanthan says that ” issues of political prisoners cases cannot be considered as coming purely under the purview of the Attorney General’s Department. With due respect to the Hon. Attorney General as the Chief Legal Adviser of the state, these […]

By Manekshaw. It was a few weeks ago Leader of the Opposition and Tamil National Alliance R. Sampanthan addressing participants at an event at the Sarvodaya centre in Colombo emphasized the need of a new Constitution and pointed out that all citizens should support the new Constitution in the best interests to strengthen peace and […]

The choice should not be difficult, looked at superficially But our experience shows that the Choice is not that easy It is quite difficult, why is it not that easy? It is because Human Society is so complex, so diverse as to necessitate that Governance is structured so as to meet such complexity and diversity. […]

R.Sampanthan. Image:  Keppapulavu families continue protest for get back their land. photos @shalin. Thanking  the people from outside the Northern Province, the Sinhalese people and the Muslim people who have also been staging protests in support of this very legitimate demand TNA leader R.Sampanthan has  posed a question as to “whether such a situation can […]

( Protest in Jaffna; Image Tamil Guardian) T. Ramakrishnan. The TNA leader also urged the government not to let itself dictated by “slogans” from certain “parochial” sections. Sri Lanka’s leader of Opposition R. Sampanthan on Tuesday slammed the government over continuing detention of people booked under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) even after it […]

By D.B.S.Jeyaraj. “For Brutus, as you know, was Caesar’s angel.Judge, O you gods, how dearly Caesar lov’d him!This was the most unkindest cut of all;For when the noble Caesar saw him stab, Ingratitude, more strong than traitors’ arms,Quite vanquish’d him: then burst his mighty heart” – William Shakespeare “Julius Caesar”(Act 3 Scene 2) Political tensions […]

I want to raise the question of the persons in custody – detainees. I was extremely happy to listen to the Statement of the Hon. Minister of Foreign Affairs. It was a very progressive and a very positive Statement. Hon. Mangala Samaraweera, we expect that you will be in a position to fulfill the various […]

“The devastation that has occurred in the North and the East, Mr. Speaker, consequent to the war over a long period of time, is extensive – unbelievably extensive. Tens of thousands of families have been rendered destitute. They have lost all their possessions, their houses, their livelihood; all means of such livelihood, all their equipment […]

By R. Sampanthan, (MP,TNA). Mr. Deputy Chairman of Committees, we are discussing through this Adjournment Motion the Resolution adopted at the 30th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council on Promoting Reconciliation.  This is the fourth Resolution relating to Sri Lanka adopted by the UN Human Rights Council in consecutive years; the others being […]

A Tamil becomes the Opposition leader after a 32-year minority vacuum. Recognising R. Sampanthan as the Opposition Leader of Parliament by Speaker Karu Jayasuriuya on September 3 is being viewed by a section of society as one of a series of measures taken by President Maithripala Sirisena to checkmate former President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Another school […]

Newly appointed Leader of the Opposition, and Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Parliamentary Group Leader Rajavarothayam Sampanthan said, in an interview with Ceylon Today, “I’m a Sri Lankan, I belong to Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka is my country and Sri Lanka belongs to me. My duties will be towards Sri Lanka and all Sri Lankan people, […]

(R Sampanthan) Speaker Karu Jayasuriya named TNA leader R. Sampanthan as the Opposition Leader of the Eighth Parliament of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. There was a debate on the post of opposition leader since both the TNA and the UPFA faction which is against the national government were demanding it. The Speaker […]

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Parliamentary Group convened today (1st Sep 2015). Hon. R. Sampanthan was elected as the TNA’s Parliamentary Group Leader at this meeting. It was also decided that Hon. Sampanthan should be appointed as the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament. On this basis, TNA MP Hon. Selvam Adaikalanathan accepted appointment to […]