By Kamani Hettiarachchi
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has informed the government that a final solution to the North-East ethnic issue should be reached before the end of December.
Decisive talks between the two parties (UPFA and TNA) are likely to be held at the parliament complex tomorrow (December 19). A previous round of talks between the two groups was held earlier on December 14 at the parliament complex. At those discussions, both UPFA and TNA delegates had
deliberated at length on handing over of land powers to the Provincial Councils. The TNA MPs are reported to have told their UPFA counterparts that as per the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, such land powers should be assigned to the provincial councils.
The TNA delegates had further stressed that not granting such powers to the Provincial Councils previously had resulted in tensions being created between the Tamil and Sinhalese communities in the North-East, which then flared up in the form of terrorism and the formation of the terrorist organization, the LTTE.
Hence, the TNA delegation has requested the government to honour its promise of creating a united and unified state of Sri Lanka whereby all communities could live in coexistence, as per the undertaking given by President Mahinda Rajapaksa when convening the first ever All Party Conference (APC) back in 2006.
However, it is now reported that both delegations had failed to reach a compromise or understanding with regard to land powers being vested with the Provincial Councils.
The beginnings
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has informed the government that a final solution to the North-East ethnic issue should be reached before the end of December.
Decisive talks between the two parties (UPFA and TNA) are likely to be held at the parliament complex tomorrow (December 19). A previous round of talks between the two groups was held earlier on December 14 at the parliament complex. At those discussions, both UPFA and TNA delegates had
deliberated at length on handing over of land powers to the Provincial Councils. The TNA MPs are reported to have told their UPFA counterparts that as per the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, such land powers should be assigned to the provincial councils.The TNA delegates had further stressed that not granting such powers to the Provincial Councils previously had resulted in tensions being created between the Tamil and Sinhalese communities in the North-East, which then flared up in the form of terrorism and the formation of the terrorist organization, the LTTE.
Hence, the TNA delegation has requested the government to honour its promise of creating a united and unified state of Sri Lanka whereby all communities could live in coexistence, as per the undertaking given by President Mahinda Rajapaksa when convening the first ever All Party Conference (APC) back in 2006.
However, it is now reported that both delegations had failed to reach a compromise or understanding with regard to land powers being vested with the Provincial Councils.
The beginnings
Since the end of hostilities between the government security forces and the LTTE in May 2009, the UPFA and TNA first met for talks aimed at finding a lasting solution to the ethnic issue back in January 2010.
The government was represented at those talks by Ministers Prof. G.L. Peiris, Nimal Siripala de Silva, Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha and MP Sajin Vaas Gunawardena.
The TNA delegation consisted of its MPs R. Sampanthan, Mavai Senathiraja, Suresh Premachandran, M.A. Sumanthiran and P.C. Kanageeshwaran. MP Sumanthiran functioned as the official media spokesman for the discussions.
When contacted by LAKBIMAnEWS, TNA MP M.A. Sumanthiran stated that going by the undertaking given by President Rajapaksa when he convened the APC way back in 2006 that all measures will be taken to bring about maximum devolution of power in the country and within a unified and united Sri Lanka, that they decided to initiate direct talks with the current administration.
The two parties had then met for a second round of talks on February 3 last year, before they agreed to come out with a discussion paper on March 12, 2010.
Back to the round table
The government was represented at those talks by Ministers Prof. G.L. Peiris, Nimal Siripala de Silva, Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha and MP Sajin Vaas Gunawardena.
The TNA delegation consisted of its MPs R. Sampanthan, Mavai Senathiraja, Suresh Premachandran, M.A. Sumanthiran and P.C. Kanageeshwaran. MP Sumanthiran functioned as the official media spokesman for the discussions.
When contacted by LAKBIMAnEWS, TNA MP M.A. Sumanthiran stated that going by the undertaking given by President Rajapaksa when he convened the APC way back in 2006 that all measures will be taken to bring about maximum devolution of power in the country and within a unified and united Sri Lanka, that they decided to initiate direct talks with the current administration.
The two parties had then met for a second round of talks on February 3 last year, before they agreed to come out with a discussion paper on March 12, 2010.
Back to the round table
Afterwards, the talks broke down, but the two parties agreed to resume the stalled round on September 16, 2011. Discussions were also held on December 6, 14 and 15 this year. It was on December 6 that the TNA put forward its demands pertaining to the re-merging of the North-East, and handing over of land and police powers to the Provincial Councils.
The UPFA government then informed the TNA that they could not consent to the demands of the TNA MPs immediately, before Cabinet Spokesman, Minister Keheliya Rambukwella informed the media that both parties had agreed to continue their deliberations on the issues raised by the TNA.
Afterwards the two parties met for talks on December 14, with the two delegations deciding to hold detailed discussions on handing over of police and land powers to the Provincial Councils.
The UPFA government then informed the TNA that they could not consent to the demands of the TNA MPs immediately, before Cabinet Spokesman, Minister Keheliya Rambukwella informed the media that both parties had agreed to continue their deliberations on the issues raised by the TNA.
Afterwards the two parties met for talks on December 14, with the two delegations deciding to hold detailed discussions on handing over of police and land powers to the Provincial Councils.
