MONDAY, 01 JULY 2013
Dharmalingam Siththarthan, the Leader of the People’s Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE), a former militant who embraced democratic politics consequent to the signing of the Indo-Lanka Accord told the Daily Mirror that the Provincial Council system introduced under the Accord should not be weakened despite it being inadequate in addressing the aspirations of Tamil people. During the war PLOTE was an organisation that was opposed to the LTTE. After the end of the war, the PLOTE, however, teamed up with the Tamil National Alliance (TNA).
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By Kelum Bandara and Yohan Perera
Q:Yours is a political party that was opposed to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam(LTTE). But, how do you see the political developments after the elimination of the LTTE?
Well, rather than being opposed to the LTTE, the LTTE were opposed to us. After 1987 Indo-Lanka Accord, we believed that a solution could be found within a united Sri Lanka. We realised that India would never allow a separate state in Sri Lanka. We thought an armed struggle for a separate state was a self-destructive exercise. That is the reason that compelled us to opt for a solution within a united Sri Lanka. Yet, the LTTE never gave up its separatist agenda. Any party or individual opposing the LTTE ideology was seen as their enemies. We had no choice. We had to defend ourselves. In that process the only attacks were from the LTTE.
During Thimpu talks, we advocated the Swiss canton system as an alternative to Sri Lanka’s problem. At that time the government of Sri Lanka did not care for it.
By Kelum Bandara and Yohan Perera
Q:Yours is a political party that was opposed to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam(LTTE). But, how do you see the political developments after the elimination of the LTTE?
Well, rather than being opposed to the LTTE, the LTTE were opposed to us. After 1987 Indo-Lanka Accord, we believed that a solution could be found within a united Sri Lanka. We realised that India would never allow a separate state in Sri Lanka. We thought an armed struggle for a separate state was a self-destructive exercise. That is the reason that compelled us to opt for a solution within a united Sri Lanka. Yet, the LTTE never gave up its separatist agenda. Any party or individual opposing the LTTE ideology was seen as their enemies. We had no choice. We had to defend ourselves. In that process the only attacks were from the LTTE.
During Thimpu talks, we advocated the Swiss canton system as an alternative to Sri Lanka’s problem. At that time the government of Sri Lanka did not care for it.
