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ITAK welcomes President’s political solution assurance

19 Sep 2022

BY Mirudhula Thambiah    The Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK) has welcomed President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s recent assurance to provide a political solution to the Tamil people in the North and East, by addressing the national question. Former Jaffna District MP and ITAK Leader Mavai Senathirajah told The Morning yesterday (18)  that his party welcomes President Wickremesinghe’s recent stand to bring in a suitable political solution to the Tamil people in the North and East. Senathirajah noted that since most Tamil political parties representing the North and East had already handed over proposals to President Wickremesinghe, he can begin dialogues with the parties from there onwards. “We believe that such a political solution will be based on the recommendations we have given along with other political parties to the President,” he added. “President Wickremesinghe was always keen on providing a political solution to the Tamil people. He also mentioned power devolution in his first Presidential speech in Parliament. It is a positive stand,” he said. “Based on his first speech in Parliament, we believe he has always had a view to bringing in a political solution with maximum power devolution,” he added. President Wickremesinghe is efficient and has experience; therefore, bringing in a suitable political solution can be possible, he noted. “Although every party would not agree with the President’s views, we believe that the majority will agree to his recommendations in the matter of reaching a solution to the ethnic issue in Sri Lanka,” Senathirajah said. He went on to say that he welcomes India’s stand at the 51st United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) meetings urging for a political solution and implementation of the 13th Amendment. “India had urged to fully implement the 13th Amendment while pressing on a political solution to the Tamil people. Although the recommendations mentioned in the draft resolution have not reached our expectations in regard to war crime investigations, there are some positive points included in it,” he said. The ITAK Leader was of the view that the draft resolution by the Core Group countries not only mentioned the political solution but pressed on the economic crisis that had been affecting everyone in this country. “President Wickremesinghe has also announced that he will bring in many projects to uplift the economic status of the Northern Province, which is a positive approach,” he said.   He also noted that the international community had not only come forward to provide economic assistance but had proposed recommendations to bring in a suitable political solution.     “Tamil representatives must handle this opportunity diplomatically to reach the long-term goal. Therefore, we will extend our support to the Sri Lanka Government and the international community for the betterment of our people,” Senathirajah said.   Commenting on the interim report on constitutional reforms that was presented to Parliament during the “Yahapalana” (Good Governance) Government, Senathirajah noted that the interim draft of the constitutional reforms submitted to Parliament did recommend a federal-type solution.   Meanwhile, Senathirajah rejected the domestic mechanism and stated that his party will not agree with the Government’s proposal to go ahead with the current approach.   “We do not believe that the Government would resolve issues by adopting a domestic mechanism. We have lost that trust,” he said.   President Wickremesinghe assured on 14 September at the first graduation ceremony of the National Defence College, that a final settlement with the Tamils and the Northern population of the country would be reached within the next few months  


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