The Jathika Jana Balavegaya (JJB), led by the JVP says it is not in agreement with the merge of the North and East of the country, one of the 13 demands put forth by the Tamil political parties. "We cannot allow the North and the East to be merged, this is a separatist request," JVP Parliamentarian Vijitha Herath said at a press conference today. Five Tamil political parties last week signed a memorandum highlighting the key demands of the Tamils in the North and the East. The memorandum was prepared by Tamil university students of the Jaffna and Eastern Universities after talks with the Tamil political parties, and is to be presented to the two main presidential candidates, Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Sajith Premadasa.

Herath said former President Mahinda Rajapaksa signed a gazette on 23 November 2005 allowing the continuation of the merge of the North and East as one administrative unit.

"No leader was brave enough to take a decision to separate this administrative unit. It was the JVP that was instrumental in bringing back the two provinces," Herath stated.

"We are against this demand as it will disunite Sri Lanka," he said. However, Herath said the JVP was in agreement that military acquired land be distributed to its lawful owners in the North and the East. "We have in the past urged the government to distribute land acquired by the military", he said. Herath said the JVP was also in agreement to repeal of the Prevention of Terrorism Act. "Tamil parties have also demanded that employment issues be sorted in the North and the East. This is a national issue and our stand is that this issue be addressed at a policy level," Herath said. Meanwhile Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe last week issuing a press statement said there was wide consensus for devolution of powers within a unitary Sri Lanka.