• Sumanthiran says reduction in Police units, release of lands in the North also discussed

During a meeting held last Friday (20) between President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Tamil National Alliance (TNA) representatives, discussions were held regarding the drafting of a law on the National Land Commission to implement the existing provisions in the Constitution relevant to land powers.

Speaking to The Daily Morning, TNA Spokesman and MP President’s Counsel (PC) M.A. Sumanthiran said that the above topic was discussed at the meeting, in relation to the implementation of the current provisions of the Constitution in this regard.

“President Wickremesinghe said they are drafting a National Land Commission law, and that we will be informed once completed,” he said.

President Wickremesinghe had also notified the TNA representatives regarding Police units, he added.

“In regard to Police units for the provinces, he said the range of Deputy Inspectors General (DIG) of Police had been reduced to 10, meaning [the DIGs of] nine provinces and one metropolitan area. Once these announcements properly come, we will then decide what we will do thereafter,” he added.

Accordingly, Sumanthiran noted that the TNA representatives were assured that a Cabinet paper would be submitted today (23) regarding the release of lands in the North.

“Through this Cabinet paper, it would be notified as to which parts of the lands had been surveyed and demarcated for release,” he added.

He stated that they were also notified that five prisoners under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) would be released, but that the date of release was not mentioned.

During this meeting, the TNA was represented by TNA Leader and MP Attorney R. Sampanthan and Sumanthiran, while the Government was represented by President Wickremesinghe, Minister of Foreign Affairs M.U.M. Ali Sabry PC, Minister of Wildlife and Forest Resources Conservation Pavithra Wanniarachchi. Officials related to the Wildlife Department, Forest Department, and Archeology Department were also present.

Sumanthiran also said that President Wickremesinghe had informed them of holding an all-party conference on 26 January.

TNA representatives highlighted during this meeting that with 17 January, the one-week ultimatum issued by the TNA to the Government – demanding that the latter examine issues related to missing persons, the release of prisoners held under the PTA, and the release of lands in the North – was over, and that there had been no response in this regard. However, President Wickremesinghe had provided the above updates in response.

Meanwhile, speaking to The Daily Morning on 17 January, Sumanthiran said that, having received no response from the Government in regard to the one-week ultimatum, the party would not meet with President Ranil Wickremesinghe or the Government again.

On 10 January, noting that there was no progress at the meeting held at the Presidential Secretariat between the Tamil political parties and the Government representatives including President Wickremesinghe, the TNA noted that a timeframe of one week would be provided to the Government to examine the issues relating to missing persons and the release of PTA prisoners and lands in the North, and that depending on the reply, they would decide on whether or not to meet again for discussions. 

Addressing the media on the same day, Sumanthiran said that his party would not be meeting Government representatives from 11-13 January to discuss devolution-related matters as decided earlier, since there had been no progress on the above-mentioned issues. 

On 14 December 2022, President Wickremesinghe, during the all-party conference, stated that he would hold discussions with Opposition and Samagi Jana Balawegaya Leader Sajith Premadasa in January 2023, with regard to the report on Constitutional reforms submitted by a committee led by President’s Counsel Romesh De Silva.