• Political prisoners to be released following judicial process 

The Government stated that a solution to the ethnic problem will definitely be provided through a new Constitution under a National People's Power (NPP) Government as soon as the Parliamentary Election is concluded.

During a media briefing held yesterday (1), the media queried Cabinet Spokesperson Minister Vijitha Herath, who is also the Minister of National Integration, regarding the NPP administration's plan to resolve the ethnic problem including their stance on the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. In response, he said that President Anura Kumara Dissanayake's Election manifesto clearly stated that the ethnic problem would be solved by introducing a new Constitution under an NPP Government. "Our stance on this matter is still the same. We will fulfill our promise to introduce a new Constitution. We will do it as soon as an NPP Government is formed after the Parliamentary Election."

Responding to another query about political prisoners, he said that the NPP is of the view that political prisoners should be released. "There is a legal process to be followed in releasing political prisoners. We are ready to follow that process, obtain the necessary reports from the Judiciary, and release them accordingly." Although the matter was not discussed at the Cabinet of Ministers meeting held on Monday (30 September), he said that the relevant decisions would be made in the near future.

The frequent issues faced by the Tamil community in the Northern Province include the lack of infrastructure facilities, the occupation of their lands by the military forces and State departments, the detaining of certain individuals from the Tamil community under Legislation such as the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act, and the non-implementation of the 13th Amendment in full. Over the past, Tamil community based politicians have been charging that the majority community based politicians, including the Heads of State, are not interested in resolving such issues.