Minority votes a crucial factor – TNA

Minority votes a crucial factor – TNA

BY UMESH MORAMUDALI AND  RUWAN LAKNATH JAYAKODY-2014-11-23

As the momentum gathers, in the run up to the Presidential Election, the votes of the minority become a very crucial factor for the main players, to secure a win. The votes of the Tamils and Muslims might be crucial to the outcome at this Presidential election, TNA Parliamentarian Suresh Premachandran said. The major party, representing the Tamils in the country, stressed that the vote base of nearly one million could swing the decision, based on the ability of the beneficiary to provide solutions to the serious problems faced by the Tamil people.

Expressing his views on the common candidate, fielded by the Opposition, former Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena, he said, "I never heard about corruption from his side. He is a good candidate."
He noted that the number one problem in Sri Lanka is massive corruption and nepotism, adding that if Sirisena can stop corruption and nepotism, people in the country will be very happy.
According to Premachandran, all parliamentarians of the party are to hold a special meeting today in Colombo to take final decision on who to support at the Presidential Election to be held in January next year.
Premachandran stressed that their support will be extended to whoever addresses the issues of Tamil people in the country.
"Tamils have different problems about which people in the South are not aware. We want those to be addressed.

Demands of the TNA
The TNA demands include, a solution to the ethnic issue, withdrawing the Army from the Northern Province, resettling the people in the Northern Province on their own lands and the release of political prisoners.
Further elaborating on their demands, he said, although these issues were discussed with the United People Freedom Alliance (UPFA) Government, led by the President, no solutions were provided to the issues faced by the Tamil community.
"For one year, from 2011 to 2012, we had discussions. We could not move an inch. We need a domestic solution to ensure the rights of the Tamil community," he added.
When questioned about abolishing the Executive Presidency and TNA's stance on it, he said, the TNA too believed that Executive Presidency was not needed.

"In order to extend our support to either candidate we need to meet them and discuss what they are hoping to do, their manifesto and whether it protects the rights of the Tamil community," he stressed.
No free and fair election
Premachandran predicted that the upcoming presidential election would not be a free and fair election, noting that a lot of violence could take place considering the critical situation the present government has faced.
"Only the people who live in North know that they have been inconvenienced. People in the South are not aware of such issues. If anyone wants to win votes he or she should address the problems of the people," he said.

Justifying his claims further, he said,
"I don't think that Sinhala people are against resettlement. Also, Army regulations imposed in the North should be curtailed. I think Sinhala people will also agree with that."
He claimed that the government keeps putting up camps in the Northern Province claiming that there are threats of the LTTE remerging.
Premachandran, while stressing that such LTTE supported activities or LTTE reactivation activities are not taking place in the Northern Province, emphasized that the government had created propaganda to attract Sinhala Buddhist votes by claiming that LTTE is reemerging and regrouping.

"This is all rubbish. The common candidate should inform the public that there is no LTTE grouping and it is only government propaganda," he stressed.
Tamil votes in Northern Province amounted to nearly 600,000 while there are 400,000 Tamil votes in the Eastern Province.
Stance on Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC)
Expressing the TNA's stance on the PSC formed to address the ethnic issue, Premachandran said, the party is not against the PSC and willing to join in bilateral talks with the government or any other party.

"The settlements to the ethnic issue should be discussed and resolution should be passed to ensure the rights of the Tamil community," he added.
Premachandran further noted, they are yet to discuss with the government or the Opposition and the common candidate. However, presidential election results indicate that the vote of the Tamil community, particularly in the Northern Province is a crucial factor on deciding the winner or loser.