TNA TO BOYCOTT CHOGM

October 26, 2013 

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has decided not to participate in the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) taking place in Colombo next month.

The decision was reached at a special discussion held last evening under the patronage of the TNA leader R. Sampanthan, TNA General Secretary Mavai Senathirajah said.

He stated that representatives from all parties of the alliance participated in the discussion including MPs Suresh Premachandran, Shiva Shakthi Anandan and M.A. Sumanthiran.

However, we hope to inform all foreign leaders taking part in the Commonwealth summit of the human rights violation taking place in Sri Lanka in writing, he told Ada Derana.

CHOGM is scheduled to take place in Colombo from November 15 to 17.

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper has decided to boycott the upcoming Commonwealth summit — scheduled for November— in protest over the island nation’s human rights record while Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has still not confirmed his participation.

However, several other heads of Commonwealth nations have officially confirmed their participation.