• Politicos stress people expect justice for any HR violation committed in the past

The Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK) of the Parliamentary Opposition expressed hope for power devolution, land rights including the release of military-occupied private land, and justice for alleged war era crimes which stem from the conflict, following the election of a new Government.

“While it is too early to form any expectations from the new Government, we still expect certain issues such as land rights, power sharing or devolution, and justice for (alleged) war crimes, to be addressed,” ITAK member, and Opposition Parliamentarian elect Shanakiyan Rasamanickam told The Daily Morning yesterday (19). 

Rasamanickam stated that in order for the grievances of the Tamil people to be addressed, the new Government should be able to address these issues. “The Tamil people in the North and the East have gone through a lot during the war,” Rasamanickam said. “A lot of rights violations have been committed and the people who committed them should be punished. People want justice to any human rights violations that were committed.”

Meanwhile, ITAK member, former MP M.A. Sumanthiran PC, speaking to The Daily Morning, stated that the lands that are held by the State in the North and the East must be returned to the people. The Ministry of Defence recently confirmed that 90% of land has already been returned to the people in the North and the East. “While 90% of private land has been given back, the 10% that is remaining is also land that needs to be returned to its rightful owners,” Sumanthiran said.

These comments come after the ruling National People’s Power won the majority votes in the Jaffna District, while the ITAK came second.