06 August, 2011
Tamil National Alliance, Parliamentrian M.A.Sumanthiran Sri Lanka’s major Tamil party, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) says that it has reached to a situation where they are unable to continue further talks with the government on political reforms.
TNA parliamentarian M.A.Sumanthiran told BBC Sandeshaya that they are awaiting a response to three issues; the structure of governance, the subjects and functions allocated to the central government and the provincial councils and issues pertaining to fiscal and financial devolution that it had presented to the government.
No response
No response
Mr Sumanthiran said that the TNA is prepared to begin talks once it received government’s response to them.
He said that it has been five months since the three issues were presented to the government in writing.
The government said on Thursday that the TNA had given only 10 days for it to respond to their demands.
“It is certainly not possible, nor is it consistent with the national interest at this stage, to make a final pronouncement on crucial issues, hastily and without wider consultation”, the government Information Department website said.
Parliamentary Select Committee
The government will proceed with the appointment of a Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC), as it is the appropriate forum for a discussion in which all the representatives of the people can participate with a view to identifying the constitutional reforms, it states.
TNA MP Sumanthiran said the government had told them that the consensus of the current ‘government-TNA’ talks will be subsequently put before a PSC.
“There is no consensus at our talks as yet and once an agreement reached through these talks we will be able to put it before a Parliamentary Select Committee”, MP Sumanthrian added.
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SL inquiry on possible US violation
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SL inquiry on possible US violation
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| Sri Lanka Air force says it believed the aircraft was from a US carrier |
The government has ordered an inquiry into suspected United States fighter jets detected on Sri Lankan air space.
Suspected United States aircraft has been seen on Sri Lankan radar screens few days ago, air defence authorities told BBC Sandeshaya.
"We have reason to believe that it was aircraft from a US carrier," Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Spokesman Andrew Wijesuriya told BBC Sandeshaya.
Civil Aviation Director General HMC Nimalsiri told BBC Sandeshaya that Minister Priyankara Jayaratrne has ordered them to submit a report over the incident 'as soon as possible'.
"We need to make sure whether it is a violation of the Sri Lankan air space or they were seen in the radar screen while flying outside the air space ," he said.
'First incident'
Tapes containing radar recordings will be scrutinised by aviation authorities.
|  We have reason to believe that it was aircraft from a US carrier |
Mr Nimalsiri said this is the first time that such an incident occurred during his time in the office.
Minister Jayaratne has refused to comment regarding the incident.
Group Captain Wijesuriya described it as, "an intrusion into Sri Lankan air space,".
The spokesman said radars recorded aircrafts performing what they believed to be training manoeuvres.
"And those aircrafts moved in across the line onto our air space," said Group Captain Wijesuriya.
When SLAF passed on a message to the aircrafts they responded and went out of Sri Lanka air space, according to the spokesman.
"The air space controlled by Sri Lankan Air Traffic Controlling which is 200 nautical miles from Pidurutalagala except on the north-western coast adjoining India," he added.
Situated 2,524 metres above sea level in the central highlands, Piduruthlagala is the highest mountain top in Sri Lanka.
