“In accordance with Parliamentary practice and convention, the Parliamentary Group Leader of ITAK must thus be recognized as the Leader of the Opposition.” the Ilankai Thamil Arasu Kadchi (ITAK) has today said.
Rajavayothi Sampanthan – The Leader ITKA
Issuing a statement today the ITAK said; “Both President Sirisena and the Government have been public in a commitment to treat the Tamil People as equal citizens of this country. However, a reluctance to recognize the democratically elected representatives of the Tamil People of the North and East as the main opposition party when such is clearly the case can only be reflective of an unwillingness to honour this commitment. A reluctance to even recognize the elected representatives of the Tamil People as the main party in Opposition does not bode well for the readiness of the President and the Government to arrive at a solution that grants meaningful powers of governance to the Tamil People.”
We publish below the statement in full;
At the General Election held on the 17th of August 2015, the United National Party (UNP) emerged as the party with the largest number of seats in Parliament. The United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) obtained the second largest number of seats. It has been announced that a National Government has been formed and that Members of Parliament who contested and were elected under both the UNP and the UPFA have accepted cabinet portfolios. Accordingly, both the UNP and the UPFA bear collective cabinet responsibility. As political parties in Parliament, they thus must publicly support all Governmental decisions made in Cabinet. This support includes voting with the Government when sitting in Parliament. There is thus no question whatsoever of the UPFA sitting in opposition in Parliament. Further, all Members of Parliament who contested and were elected under the UPFA are now Members of Parliament of the UPFA. There is thus no question whatsoever of the constituent parties of the UPFA being recognized as political parties in the current Parliament.
In these circumstances, the Ilankai Thamil Arasu Kadchi (ITAK) which obtained a total of 16 seats, has emerged as the largest political party in Opposition in Parliament. In accordance with Parliamentary practice and convention, the Parliamentary Group Leader of ITAK must thus be recognized as the Leader of the Opposition.
Both President Sirisena and the Government have been public in a commitment to treat the Tamil People as equal citizens of this country. However, a reluctance to recognize the democratically elected representatives of the Tamil People of the North and East as the main opposition party when such is clearly the case can only be reflective of an unwillingness to honour this commitment. A reluctance to even recognize the elected representatives of the Tamil People as the main party in Opposition does not bode well for the readiness of the President and the Government to arrive at a solution that grants meaningful powers of governance to the Tamil People.
At the Presidential and Parliamentary Elections this year, the peoples of this country created the space and opportunity for it to move forward. We urge both the President and the Government not to waste this opportunity. If they are committed to resolving the national problem, then their actions must reflect that. For our part, we are committed to constructively engaging with the Government to resolve the national problem in Sri Lanka.
Ilankai Thamil Arasu Kadchi (ITAK)
Tamil National Alliance (TNA)
Related posts;
ITAK Makes Fresh Bid For Opp Leader Role, Writes To The Speaker
Who Should Be The Leader Of The Opposition?
Next Leader Of The Opposition In Sri Lanka
Sampanthan As Opposition Leader
Sampanthan As Opposition Leader Would Be The Last Nail In The Coffin
SLFP Snubs Also Call For ‘Royalist’ As Opposition Leader
Siripala Says Him Continuing To Be The Opposition Leader Isn’t Unethical
Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / August 29, 2015
The TNA claim to have the position of ‘Leader of the Opposition’ is predicated on the assumption that the UPFA elements ( excluding the SLFP members who join the National Government) will not be the largest group in parliament. It is very likely the UPFA will have the larger numbers. Why is the TNA jumping the gun, before a clear picture emerges?
Further, why does the TNA want to lead the opposition? will it see eye to eye with the UPFA and even the JVP?
Should not the TNA openly support or be part of the National Government, on the basis of MOU? If there is a mutually agreed MOU, those who are represented by the TNA and the country at large, would be able to measure progress with that as a barometer. There will also not be reasons to suspect or suggest secret deals, by the extremists on both sides of the communal fence.
I wish the TNA will stop running with the hare and hunting with the hounds as it is wont to. When Amirthalingam was the leader of the opposition the same thing happened and provided JRJ with the opportunity to exclude the TULF MPs from parliament through the th amendment to the constitution.
Dr. Rajasingham Narendran
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Robert.R / August 29, 2015
I wish the TNA will stop running with the hare and hunting with the hounds as it is wont to.
Is this not what you do? You support whichever side is most beneficial to you while hedging your bets on the other side as well?
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Mallaiyuran / August 29, 2015
EPDP did not just hunt hares, it shot many chickens and “Dears” too. But this time it all has become sand castle only. It the Chieftain does not get a well paying job from the National Government Cabinet, the hounds will wanders away from the master soon to seek out the meat on their own.
UNP Ranil Mahata put up the EPDP. Chieftain move to with the Old King. This is to the disappointment of Naren. So now he is with TNA to take it to UNP.
Good luck Naren
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Agnos / August 29, 2015
Dr. RN,
During the election, TNA leaders told people they wouldn’t accept ministerial positions until a political solution was found. They can’t now go back on that all of a sudden. The right thing for them is to wait to see how the new government deals with the UNHRC war crimes report as well as the UNFGG’s promise to make constitutional changes. The TNA can support the latter process without becoming part of the government.
Meanwhile, if the national government idea is finalized without any split in the SLFP/UPFAand without the MR faction creating a new party, then the TNA is entitled to the opposition leadership, and can use that position to speak on national issues as well.
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Dr. Rajasingham Narendran / August 30, 2015
Disappointment ! Why?
What has the EPDP or its politics got to do with me?
Does the freedom of expression permitted by CT , with much laxity, permit commentators using pseudonyms to make unsubstatiable allegations and insinuations to malign individuals who opt to write I their real names?
CT should apply its comments policy much more stringently, to weed out comments that are defamatory and downright filth ( the P-word used by Vasudeva Nanayakara in Parliament was used by Kali in one of her comments a few days back!) ,
Dr.RN
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Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / August 30, 2015
Agnostic,
Do you seriously believe what politicians say at the hustings? The TNA has been also given a mandate to lead. The post-election realities dictate that respond to circumstances, in the interest of the Tamils and this country. Should the Tamils continue to be on the margins of national politics, if active engagement will serve their interests even to a small extent?
Many wrongs have been corrected by the Maithri-Ranil government. Uthayan is reporting today that the Omanthai check point has been dismantled. Should this positive trend be appreciated and encouraged? I feel strongly that every opportunity that comes our way as a people should be taken advantage, if it will even marginally benefit a war-battered people, who have to regain much lost ground
The mandate for the TNA was to provide a dynamic leadership and this had nothing to do with its wishy washy manifesto.
Dr,RN
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Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / August 30, 2015
Correction:
Agnos,
Dr.RN
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Agnos / August 30, 2015
Dr.RN,
“Do you seriously believe what politicians say at the hustings?”
Well, the people can and often do hold politicians to their words. In the US, he senior Bush couldn’t win his second term in 1992 because he had said, “Read my lips: no.new.taxes,” and then raised the taxes anyway, rationalizing that “post-election realities demand it.”
If you look at the preferential votes, it was a mixed bag, with Sridharan getting the highest, and Senathirajah and Sumanthiran coming second and third. It means there is still considerable demand for justice for war crimes and more devolution of powers, while the overall trend is toward moderation. The TNA cannot ignore that fact.
Sampanthan has recently praised Sirisena for giving back some of the HSZ lands to the people. In that spirit, the TNA can continue to work with MS-RW-CBK toward a political solution and reconciliation, but it cannot be done by ignoring war crimes, or compromising on certain minimal demands on devolution. If the TNA becomes part of the cabinet, which has many members of the UPFA and JHU under whose watch the war crimes happened, then it will be impossible for them to demand justice; they will in essence become part of an exercise in whitewashing crimes and suppressing justice, angering a critical section of their support base.
Moreover, it seems RW/MS combo is in no hurry to invite the TNA into the cabinet for fear of angering the large Sinhalese nationalist base of MR. So your assumption that the TNA can sign an MOU is moot. I think TNA’s wait and see approach for the next few months is correct.
This whole “national government” business, involving the UPFA while the MR faction is still part of it, is a travesty. The only way it will make sense is for the MR faction to separate from the SLFP and form their own party; then others who support MS/CBK should stay as the original SLFP and become part of the national government with UNP, under a MOU. If and when that happens, then the TNA can also consider signing its own MOU.
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Kumar R. / August 31, 2015
Hi Agnos,
Rajasingham amply exposed his political astuteness when for five years after the war he relentlessly argued that (a) Tamils should all be grateful to MR regime for completing 75% of what he promised the Tamils, (b) the Diaspora should promptly cease criticizing MR’s regime in the international arena, and instead, (c) fund MR very generously, redirecting their family remittances to their kith and kin as the money was only spoiling the Tamils living in comfort in the North under MR/Douglas’s governance!
Even quite recently Rajasingham opined that the relative sparseness of mobilized police in the North is a principal reason for the growing drug and crime menace, implying that the state should increase police and army presence in the North.
What a morbid, if not tragic vision of reality occupies Rajasingham’s mind – not surprising though, given that he also argued that the Vet school helped him gain super-human mind reading capabilities not available to the rest of us, the lesser mortals!
His frequent vacuous comments of recent are mere attempts at distancing himself from his own indefencible past, with high-sounding grand standing, often patronizing and even self-indulgent rants (e.g. give me water as first priority – for my El Dorado of dates and cactus!)
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NIRMALA.n / August 31, 2015
Kumar R
You are my soul, heart and my blood. Your fiddle word to words matches with my earth provoking thoughts about Dr Rajasingham Narendran. You have pitched the spins against him so beautifully. Keep it up.
You are me and I am you in the crusade against Dr Narendran. Let us continue with our bombastic responses without any remorse until this man is silenced.
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Native Vedda / August 31, 2015
NIRMALAm
Only recently you attempted to serenade MR and his goons. Now you seem to have have developed crush on Kumar R.
Next month are you going to be in love with Dr.Rajasingham Narendran?
Why do you fall in love with older men?
You must be an aimless serial flirt who needs help. There are good agony aunts who can help you with your sexual fantasises, recommend treatment, mental as well as physical.
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NIRMALA n / August 31, 2015
Native Vedda
You are a very intelligent man. But your judgment about Kumar R is wrong.[Edited out]
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Native Vedda / September 1, 2015
NIRMALAM
“You are a very intelligent man.”
Sorry I have to disagree with you. I am bit thick.
“[Edited out]”
Thanks for your immense contribution.
/
Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / August 31, 2015
I cannot be silenced easily by below the belt tactics. Only death or incapacitation can do so.
Dr,RN
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Kumar R. / August 31, 2015
Rajasingham,
[Edited out]
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Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / August 31, 2015
Dear Agnos,
Thanks. I was in Jaffna during the campaign and my impression was that most people were determined to vote for the TNA and did not pay much attention to their manifesto. The people acceded wisely by voting out Suresh Premachandran.
There was also much angst against the NPC and CWV, From what I gather now, there is much soul-searching within the TNA about CWV and some of his ministers. The coming weeks will unveil the results.
Dr.RN
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Ajith / August 29, 2015
If both UNP & SLFP join together to form a national government, then whichever party that have more numbers in parliament should form the opposition. TNA in its manifesto clearly said that it is demanding separation and it will work for a political solution based on united framework. As an opposition to this government the TNA has a role to represent national interest as well as the interest of other communities as well. The so called national political parties failed to represent minorities and always had an anti minority policies. TNA has already said that it will support all measures for good governance and its contribution towards good governance is much more than any other political party. The immediate responsibility of the national government should be constitutional changes where it should include the solution to the national problem. The national government should agree on a framework first and then negotiate with TNA in a united voice.
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kp / August 29, 2015
I’m intrigued to see where this goes if this DOES happen. Will the ITAK simply do the easier thing and bay at the moon about a set of policies that have not changed over the past 30 years, or will they do more? Do they actually have the political maturity, wisdom and will to debate on national issues, not just tamil ones? This issue of trust isn’t all one sided as this article tries to paint it- yes, My3 and ranil have for long seemed to be more inclusive, with the unp in particular seeming to want to give the tamil people and parties equal footing, but can the ITAK and the tamil politicians reciprocate by actually being a national opposition? If the unp dangles federalism to be given at some future date in front of sampanthan and Co., could the latter even stand up to the unp as an actual opposition?
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Shamil / August 29, 2015
If Maithree and Ranil are doing an actual good governance they should allow ITAK for the opposition.
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Leelawathie / August 29, 2015
That has nothingto do with good governance but just a consensus on the need of the hour.
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sensible citizen / August 29, 2015
It is wrong to ask for special treatment for a group when the nation is moving forward as one Srilanka with equality for all citizens. Special consideration can only backfire when we manipulate the democratic system to accommodate pressure tactics. Having said that it is also wrong for a parliamentary group to make public statements and make efforts to prevent a minority party from becoming the opposition. If the major party that is not part of government after a general election is ITAK it should become the opposition. All politicians ask for power but it is the system that should decide the outcome.
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Supun Jayawardhane / August 29, 2015
Perhaps, this could give the world an impression, that today srilanka under MY3-Ranil combination would no space allowed extremists to go on racial agendas against minority folks in thecountry. That is what Tamils and us all srilankens should feel having faced a brutal war for the last 30 years. There were times in srilanka that a tamil opp leader worked as an oppo leader of the parliement.
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Leelagemalli / September 1, 2015
Actually, TNA together with JVP is a good opposition to protect this nation.
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Mallaiyuran / August 29, 2015
Mr.Sampanthan,
A.Amirthalingam, TULF general secretary was impeached from opposition leadership and beaten up by the Sinhala Intellectual army in Jaffa. Mr. Sampanthan if you have the parliamentary procedures implemented at the start, latter with the 176 MPs on the government, how do you want to have guaranteed that what happened Amirthalingam will not happen to you, in due cause?
JR changed the constitution to make sure that neither party, that is UNP or SLFP will fall much behind, by illegally altering the constitution. You did not oppose 19th amendment, which will allow the PM and EP constantly shift the power within them to balance whatever the action the Tamils take. This is where they came with the idea of they being the government and the opposition party.
Old King gave up the power to New King only to keep the Tamils’ effort of bring an international inquiry in check. You are waiting to hear what the Manmohan Singh’s words that is “if we tell Lanake is not listening, what can we do for that?” from Secretary Kerry’s mouth. My question how do you think that is going to help Tamils?
So instead of putting efforts to get the opposition leadership and loose it to 176 MPs falsely accused impeachment, why don’t you straight away talk about the International Inquiry. Do you think they are going to give you a chance to talk about Tamils’ problem through opposition leadership? that is a day time dream!
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dcn / August 29, 2015
ITAK contested the elections conducted in a democratic manner and won 16 seats in the p as eluent and they are the 3rd biggest force in the parliament. So why d er price them of the Opposition Leader’s post since the first two parties are join I no together ares a national government
If we are to move forward with good governance, there should not be any discrimination.
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Joseph De Vazz / August 29, 2015
TNA should abstain taking the Opposition Leaders post. Amirthalingam once was the Leader of the Opposition and the Sinhalese took the revenge on the Tamils and there was a blood bath in 1977 with JR’s Blessings. TNA should support the JVP leader Anura Kumra Dissanayake to be the Opposition Leader and Sampanthan should quite Politics.
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justice / August 29, 2015
By prevailing parliamentary tradition in Britain, Canada and other democracies in commonwealth and outside, ITAK leader must be the leader of the opposition.
If the Maithree/Ranil regime wants ITAK to be a part of government – which will never happen – ITAK should be offered at least two portfolios.
Such appointments will be opposed by all singhala-buddhist MPs.
This is the political reality today.
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Vetmahadeva / August 29, 2015
Let the TNA reach the mettle of National politics,
Though through influence of Opposition Chair
Let the TNA feel the pulse out side North&East
Though not through day dreaming of Premier of…..
Let them prove their mettle for Nationalism – unlike
Though air-born,last time around for the day dream of..
Let the TNA prove their resolve for Sri Lanka on the floor
Though if do allow TNA to Opposition Leadership!
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eusense / August 29, 2015
Why don’t this itak join the majority group and get some genuine service to the Tamils?
I see nothing but self enrichment here!
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Snowden Edward Asange / August 30, 2015
why don’t Your masters give what is rightly belonging to the Opposition party..? Now its a well known fact that the UNP and the UPFA(not just the SLFP)will join hands to form a jumbo cabinet, which technically means ITAK will be the legitimate opposition.. will this be re3corginized by the Sinhala Majority cabinet ? I don’t think so… the world is watching…. we may claim to have a yaha palanaya? but does it actually happen in deed? nada…. Seems the Tamil,Muslim and other citizens will always be treated as 2nd class citizens…
SHAME on Ranil and MS if this trend is not nipped in the bud…and we can gladly expect for the uprising of groups claiming injustice is done…which may turn into an ugly war…where there is oppression and suppression…..comes an uprising…sad…..coz we wasted almost 30 long years and have not learned our bitter lessons…
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eusense / August 30, 2015
Snow,
Which way do you think Tamils can get most of what ever they want? Being in the opposition or with the majority? Don’t you get that these Tamil politician’s main objective is not to serve the Tamils but to enrich them selves? You need to look for new blood in Tamil politics. These old carrier politicians have misled the Tamils at every turn. My personal dislike for this group stem from their support to the ltte terrorist.
By the way, can you list the reasons why you say Tamils are treated as 2nd class citizens? What laws have the government enacted that treat Tamils differently than Sinhalese? When you make such alligations you should be able to substanciate them!
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justice / August 30, 2015
eusense,
Do you seriously think that ITAK will be offered portfolios to do “genuine service” – if they join the government?
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Eusense / August 31, 2015
Justice,
It all depend on the attitude of itak. Portfolios needed to be earned not demanded or just handed over. They need to show they are worthy of it. If these parties keep antagonizing and aggressively trying to put forward their separatist agendas, bringing up unsubstantiated discriminatory scenarios towards Tamils etc. no way they are going to get anything. As you may have observed, now the western world has taken a 180 degree turn on their attitude towards the new SL gov. and the Tamils. What ever the support Tamils got from the west earlier was not due to their love for the Tamils but for regime change in SL to punish stubborn MR. The west has accomplished that now.
The smart option for the Tamil parties would be to join the gov. and work towards enhancing the life of all Sri Lankans including the Tamils.
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Tamil from the north / August 31, 2015
Eternal Nuisance, We saw the majority providing all kinds of service to the Tamils in the form of communal riots in 57/58, 1977 and 1983. Buggers like will keep talking in the ethnic lines and promote hatred. Ah, the day will come when this country will annihilate human waste like you on both sides of the ethnic divide for the good of decent people.
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Nirmalan / August 31, 2015
The truth hurts doesn’t it?
All the sucking upto the west wasted.
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Tamil from the north / September 1, 2015
@Nirmalan, it appears your comment was thrown at me. For your information, we do not have to suck up to the west as we are the west now. In the west we do not live as SLankans, we live as fellow Canadians (in my case). We are first class citizens in Canada.
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Eusense / September 1, 2015
So, you are not a “Tamil from the north” but a “Tamil from the west”!! Though you don’t live in SL you are an expert on Tamils of Sri Lanka! This is why the real Tamils of SL has no peace. Leave them alone for god’s sake.
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Tamil from the north / September 1, 2015
Hey Eternal Nuisance, I was once a proud Tamil from the north who was uprooted by racist policies of racists amongst the Sinhalese and all terrorist outfits amongst the Tamils, which fought them. I am not a Tamil who has ever promoted hatred in SL unlike a disgusting racist like you. This country belongs to all who lives there. We ran as we could not fight back as we were out numbered. Yes, I am in Canada and bloody proud of it. Douche bags like you made sure we minorities did not get a square inch (NOT SEPARATE STATE, understand what I have written here before assuming things) we rightfully owned. We lived on one of the main roads in Jaffna, taunted by the endless army convoys which passed by our home everyday and had to hear racist slurs were being thrown at us (‘para demela’ and few other choice words, I did not even know what that meant until I asked my parents what it meant as they spoke Sinhala), shots were fired into our home when we were sleeping in the nights for reasons unknown, students arrested in uniform and many disappeared without a trace, many of my friends were murdered by your racist thugs in army uniforms, countless women were raped at gun point by the very same hoodlums in army uniform, Colombo bound buses were stopped in the jungles and the Tamils were pulled out and shot by the very same thugs in uniforms (it stopped when the LTTE carried out similar attacks on innocent Sinhalese who were travelling on the very same buses), riots after riots carried out where thousands of Tamils were slaughtered and their properties were burnt to the ground, standardization of education between the majority and the minorities, Tamils removed from senior positions and Sinhalese installed in those positions, the list goes on forever which I have decided to halt here. If you can read and understand English then you would have understood my message. There was not a single instance I have promoted hatred back in SL, but justice needs to prevail. Your heroes the thieves and murderers have to be brought to justice. Don’t drag the bloody LTTE in here as your hero said in 2009 the LTTE is all gone and nothing to worry anymore. What are you scared of now? Face justice or deal with the consequences later. SL belongs to everyone who lives there. NO Tamil Ealam but all will have equal rights. Nuisance, if you cannot understand what I have written here, maybe ask one of your heroes to translate. This is the very same heroes, who installed ex-LTTE members in the cabinet and ran a mafia style government. Karuna amman, who murdered 600 surrendered poor policemen was granted a ministerial post. If I was the president for this heinous crime, Karuna would have been thrown in jail or capital punishment would have been issued and carried out with immediate effect. Shame on you disgusting racist.
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Plato. / August 29, 2015
The TNA would be rather unwise to clamour for the post of opposition leader.The TNA statement justifying the claim is fine only on paper.This is not the time to talk Jurisprudence.The first priority of the TNA is to sort out the problems in the war-ravaged North-East,which can only be achieved by consensus politics and not by confrontational politics.
MaRa has now crept into Parliament;He will bide his time to pounce on the racist card.The TNA should avoid walking into the Jurassic Park.
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Peace Lover / August 29, 2015
Where is our good friend K A Sumanaskera these days,hoep he wakes up from his slumber when he sees his idol and heros pic that is Sambandan
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Tamil from the north / September 2, 2015
@PL, don’t rush on it. Anything to do with Tamils, Dr. Kandiah Arasaratnam Sumanasekeram will be lurking in the background to pounce with his great stupidity. Please scroll down a bit and you will find this shinning star. He has eternal stupidity in his arsenal. He will attack once ready.
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proudman / August 29, 2015
What a tamil as the leader of the opposition in our parliament?
Never in your life.
This a Sinhala Budhizt country
You can dream as much as you like.
But don’t think in terms of high office such as leader of opposition.
It will be our Wimal in the absence ofTHE GREAT MAHINDA.
All we want of you is to provide comfort girls to our boys in uniform in the north and east, thats why we have tolarated Douglas et al.
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eusense / August 30, 2015
Proud,
You should not be that proud of what you write. A Tamil should be able to be the opposition leader. Some of the criteria should be the person have worked towards the benefit of all citizens of the country, havent taken part in any anti-sri lankan activities etc.
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Tamil from the north / August 31, 2015
Eternal NUISANCE, what a dimwit wingnut are you? Anti-Sri Lankan activities? hahahaha. All these days it was Anti-Rajapaksa activities. When one criticizes the corrupt ruler does not make that person unpatriotic. This is so simply for any half witted person to understand. Oh wait, you on the other hand is a vacuum head and a down right racist. So we can pardon you. You have more Sinhalese who are against MaRa than the Tamils. Idiot!!!
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NMAS / August 30, 2015
sampathan and his coronies are pushy cats. They do not have the guts to put the statement out on this tone. It looks that someone in UNP or SLFP told him put this statement out.. In other words he is got blessing of Colombo on this. Vera in mind MR is actively working on for opposition post behind the close doors.
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Billa / August 30, 2015
Lankan politics just sucks, absolutely not worth commenting !
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Psycho / August 30, 2015
Why fuss ? Whichever party that can muster support “in the opposition” should be the leader of opposition.
Ruling party (UNP, SLFP pro and any other)has no mandate to decide on who will be leader of opposition. They have a mandate to rule and not to dictate how to oppose.
Are we trying to be a bloody racist.
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Off The Wall / August 30, 2015
Sampanthan
I’m sure you realize the primary duty of the leader of the opposition is to oppose any attempt to subvert the constitution, or to undermine the sovereignty of the country or to threaten the unitary structure of the Sri Lankan state. In any such event can you assure us, the citizens of Sri Lanka, that you, as the leader of the opposition, will be steadfast in your commitment to uphold the constitution? Will you take all measures at your disposal as the leader of the opposition to thwart any attempt to sabotage the country? Or will you act like your whacko chief minister and actually try to abuse your position in order to destabilize the country? If you cannot truthfully say you will uphold the constitution and be loyal to Sri Lanka, please sir, do the honourable thing and stay away from the job.
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Native Vedda / August 31, 2015
Off The Wall
“Or will you act like your whacko chief minister and actually try to abuse your position in order to destabilize the country? “
I take it that you agree that all forms of destabilisation of this island since 1948 and abuse of positions originated from
C V Vigneswaran’s wackiness, including
disfranchisement of hard working people in 1948
unilateral decision to impose Sinhala only language policy
Riots against minorities since 1915
two illegal constitution of 1972 and 1978
decisions to grand US a foothold on this island in early 1980s
Terrorism in 1971 & between 1987 and 1991.
I would agree that you are another stupid Sinhala speaking Demela.
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Senthil / August 30, 2015
What ever politicians talk, we should not take the face value. If sampanthar or Sumanthiran tell or do something, there will be something behind it which they can’t reveal to ordinary people- if they talk truth, then they are not good politicians. Sampanthar & co know politics and survived in srilanka but LTTE doesn’t know politics and perished – they should have hold on to India all the time. Now Dian says internal investigation imposed by US is dangerous. He may be thinking that Tamils will believe him and press for the internal investigation and pour sand on their own head. He definitely misunderstood Tamils. But politicians like Sumanthran or Sampanthar can read his article correctly. We should not trust any article by Dian. Tamils lost interest on his articles long time ago.
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Jayraj / August 30, 2015
How can the TNA lead an opposition and at the same time talk about reconciliation and domestic war crimes investigation. First question is, the TNA betrayed the tamil people. Now they say , their for a domestic investigation. Before the elections, the TNA wanted a international investigation.
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n.ethir / August 30, 2015
Why ITAK/TNA want to be leader of the Opposition is hard to fathom. I don’t see how such a position will help solve the Political problem. Why does Sambanthan want to commit a folly unless it is for personal and party pride.
Or worse it may give the members and their leaders to get favours done for themselves, their friends and relatives and to their commercial donors. People did not vote them in for that.
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K.A Sumanasekera / August 31, 2015
How silly is Mr Sambandan..
I mean after all his and his Illanakai Thamilians hard work as the real Opposition.
Which not only brought down Rajapaksas but also destroyed the once powerful Sinhala people’s party the SLFP.
Which the the Batalanada Ranil couldn’t do for two decades.
Shouldn’t Mr Sambandan be a senior minister for his service to the Elite , Anglican and Vellala Party the UNP?.
I thought Ranil will make Mr Sambandan the Special Minister for the North East with powers for Police and Land and only reporting to the PM.
And you don’t need a Referendum or even a 2/3 majority to make Mr Sambandan retire as the only Tamil Leader who did something positive for his people in the NE.
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Burt / August 31, 2015
Sampanthan is right and his argument has merits. I would suggest if My3 makes SLFP part of the Govt and Opposition giving the opposition leader position to UPFA then Sampanthan has no other alternative than challenging it in court, While protesting in parliament without disruption. They could all come to parliament with a black armband to show their displeasure.
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RipVan W / August 31, 2015
Want to be Leader of the ….n!!
Running after empty status or what?
Will the ITAK ever become serious workers for the people who elect them instead of bleating about the peoples’ confidence in them and doing zulch else?
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Jim softy / August 31, 2015
One time Tamils became the opposition. It took thirty years to over come what they did as the opposition.
This article is also to fool Tamils reading this.
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Ajith / August 31, 2015
Buddhist Sinhalese became the government rulers in 1948 and still you couldn’t come out of brutality,bloodshed and massgraves.
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Sellam / September 1, 2015
Why all this HaHo , I do not understand . Why does Mr.Sambanthan wants the office of the Opposition Leadership. Is he thinking of the income or prestige. He will get more than Rs.100,000 Monthly income along with other benefits as leader of the opposition. He is not going to do anything substancial for the Tamils. Then again there is already a split in the TNA . The three constituent parties of the TNA have jointly voiced for an International investigation into the crimes committed against humanity during the war and whereas the ITAK has not said anything about the investigation . These idiots are fooling the Tamils all along. MrSambanthan is not going to get the leadership of the opposition. All the TNA MPs both elected and nominated should resign. That is the voice of the Tamils now.
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