R. Sampanthan was elected as the TNA’s Parliamentary Group Leader at the Tamil National Alliance Parliamentary Group convened yesterday (1st Sep 2015).
Issuing a statement the TNA said; It was also decided that Hon. Sampanthan should be appointed as the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament. On this basis, TNA MP Hon. Selvam Adaikalanathan accepted appointment to the post of Deputy Chairman of Committees.”
The following appointments were also made at the meeting yesterday;
Party whip – Dharmalingam Siddharthan, MP
Secretary, Parliamentary Group – Sivagnanam Sritharan, MP
TNA spokesman – M. A. Sumanthiran, MP
On Sunday the TNA said; “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.”
Shamil / September 2, 2015
Congratulations.
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Jim softy / September 2, 2015
Go and see how Tamils present in front of Sinhala Politicians and infront of sudda colonial masters, Not even that, that amerindian biswal.
If Tamils become the opposition, they use all the perks in that system to promote Tribaliam.
So, only the stupid and brain dead politicians would let them become the opposition.
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Maveeran / September 3, 2015
Not even close to the way Sinha-lames presented their back sides to the Portugese and and the British colonial masters. Sinhalese were begging it from the English so that they can get land powers. Shameless Sinha-lames. Jim software y another punk who wants to be a white man.
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Off The Wall / September 2, 2015
These TNA buggers are fooling the Tamil people by staging a storm in a teacup.
“…a reluctance to recognize the democratically elected representatives of the Tamil People of the North and East…”
Sampanthan himself is the donkey who stood up in the parliament and proclaimed to the world the LTTE is the sole representative of the Tamil people.
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Sigma / September 2, 2015
Didn’t you know he had a gun pointed at his head then?
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Off The Wall / September 2, 2015
Then he should have done the honourable thing and retired from politics instead of kowtowing to the Fascist Prabakaran and aiding and abetting him in enslaving the Tamils in order to retain his parliamentary seat. Remember, without any protest whatsoever Sampanthan carried out Prabakaran’s edict in 2005 and prevented the Tamil people from exercising their democratic right of voting in the presidential elections.
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Native Vedda / September 3, 2015
Off The Wall
“Then he should have done the honourable thing and retired from politics instead of kowtowing to the Fascist Prabakaran and aiding and abetting him in enslaving the Tamils in order to retain his parliamentary seat”
It is better to live and fight another day than to die defending the undefendable.
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Maveeran / September 3, 2015
Who then were the Sinhala government represented the tamils for the last 30 or so years.? Stfu offthewall fag.
Still the Tamils believe that LTTE are their saviours and have a lot of respect for them. Srilanka Army was good for nothing. Those buggers joined the Srilanka Army for easy money , and what they did was rape and killed women and children.
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Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / September 2, 2015
I cannot discern the rhyme or reason behind this claim/demand?
Why not be part of the government and the cabinet, learn and influence it?
Why be outsiders?
Is the possibility of being a member of the Constitutional Council by virtue of being the Leader of the Opposition, influencing this decisions?
However, the CC as presently designed permits MPs to be nominated to it. Why does the TNA stake a claim to this?
Dr.RN
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proudman / September 2, 2015
It is a. dream like eelam. This is SINHALA budhist country, NO important political position can be had by a tamil. So accept the realities and keep quiet.
Mahinda or his nominee will be the opposition leader. .
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Tamil from the north / September 2, 2015
@proudman, you are the very same reason the Tamil cause will flourish. Fat chance you will have a Buddhist land, keep dreaming racist. Don’t like it, then bugger off to Orissa. It must feel good to dream, so it is ok for you to dream. Don’t even think this will ever become reality.
This country belongs to all peace loving people…………Sinhala, Tamil, Burghers, Malays, etc. So don’t like it, there is a boat which leaves to India everyday from the north, I heard the ticket is cheap. Beggars like you can take that boat to India and travel inland to Orissa maybe on a cart. Bloody joker, keep dreaming of your Buddhist homeland.
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Native Vedda / September 2, 2015
Tamil from the north east west south Pakistan
“there is a boat which leaves to India everyday from the north, I heard the ticket is cheap. Beggars like you can take that boat to India”
If I may, I can build a raft in no time. How soon do you need it?
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Tamil from the north / September 3, 2015
@NV, right now.
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Native Vedda / September 3, 2015
Tamil from the north east west south Pakistan
There is a condition attached to my offer. I will build it only if you promise to take Dayan, Weerawansa, Vasu, KASmaalam, Nalin de Silva, Uthaya Ganapathipillai, Sivajilingam, Suresh Premachandran, Karuna, Pillayan, KP, MR, Basil, Gota, Nuisance, sach, Jimsofty, …. …. … … Mervyn, Duminda, Somass-kantha, Sarath de Silva, on your maiden voyage.
The offer is off if you can’t herd them to the shores.
In case if you want to send your mother in law too, she will get priority booking.
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Tamil from the north / September 4, 2015
NV, please let me know once ready. Absolutely I will take these racists scum to their homeland.
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Tamil from the north / September 4, 2015
NV, can I please take Vibushana as well? please please please…………pleeeeeaaaaase
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Native Vedda / September 4, 2015
Tamil from the north
“NV, can I please take Vibushana as well? please please please…………pleeeeeaaaaase”
Not at all, KASmaalam, HLD Mahindapala, Vibhushna and few others live happily abroad. You need to drag them to the shores of this island and then put them on the raft.
Drop your mother in law if you are planning to take Vibhushna with you. Both can’t travel together.
Let me have the final list.
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Eusense / September 3, 2015
TFN,
Have you read this Proudman’s other posts elsewhere?
He is one of you; from the north! Possibly trying to spread hatred.
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Tamil from the north / September 4, 2015
@Eusense the Goddamn Nuisance, can you quote me one thing I said in the past that has incited any racial hatred? Once you come around with one comment I made that has promoted communalism, then I will copy and paste at least five comments you have written that promote communalism.
But you can find endless comments of mine which thrash racists like you every corner of the street. So go ahead punk, I will meet you back here tomorrow, ok???
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Native Vedda / September 2, 2015
proudman
“This is SINHALA budhist country”
Since when?
“NO important political position can be had by a tamil.”
I agree, on the condition that no important political position can be had by a Sinhala/Buddhists.
“So accept the realities and keep quiet.”
Agreed, let my people govern the island.
“Mahinda or his nominee will be the opposition leader. .”
Agreed, he can be opposition leader in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Kannada, Andhra, Bihar, Pulau Tokong Iyu or Pulau Iyu Besar (Indonesia).
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Maveeran / September 3, 2015
Proud man, can you please tell me why you feel proud? Nothing proud to be a Sinha-lame buddhist. 8-D
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Vibhushana / September 2, 2015
The entire premise for “Tamil cause” is parity of status with Sinhala people.
Its not a grievance based on some symbolic thing. Its actual sharing of political power.
So in practice this entails Sinhala people getting 50% representation in central govt. Either that or the country is divided in 2 where Sinhala people gets control of 50% of the land and its resources. This is the 60 year Tamil struggle in a nutshell.
If one takes the GDP of the island as one large Pie, 80% of the production is done by the Sinhala people. So its ridiculous to ask them to only control 50% of the Pie when it comes to the consumption side of things. One has to be either weak in maths or economics not to see the disparity.
This grievance was run past the British when they were in control. They did not agree. The grievance was then taken to all kinds of International players. None seem to think its kosher.
It was then in 1972 when the fate was sealed in a unitary republican constitution the Tamils declared war of secession on Ceylon. The 60 year palava with the greivence still remain burdening everyone.
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Naga / September 2, 2015
TNA’s argument for the position of Opposition Leader is very logical.
If UNP,the party that emerged at the general election held on 17th August as the party with the largest number of MPs joins hands with UPFA to form a a coalition government, then TNA by virtue of the fact that it came third with 16 seats should logically become the official opposition and its leader should be made the Opposition Leader. SLFP did not contest the election under its own symbol and those MPs from that party got elected not as SLFP MPs but as UPFA MPs. Even if it is granted that the coalition government is between UNP and SLFP, that leaves the number of the remaining UPFA MPs less than that of the TNA. Thus, whatever way one looks at the peculiar situation created by this UNP-SLFP coalition government, one should accept that TNA leader should be entitled to be made the Leader of Opposition because TNA is the third largest party in the SL Parliament as it is constituted now.
Under the Westminster style of Parliamentary democracy, a party cannot be a governing party as well an opposition party. Under the two party system Sri Lanka had since 1956, we had seen the UNP or the SLFP (or coalitions led by these two parties)forming the government while the other sitting as the main opposition. The main opposition party has always been seen as the government in waiting.
I continue to call this government as a coalition and not as a national government because a national government denotes a government fomed with the participation of all the parties. That is not the case now with only only UNP and SLFP joining the government.
Unfortunately for Sri Lanka, dictator Maithri wants to name the Opposition Leader.This should not be his business.
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Ranmal de Mel / September 2, 2015
There seems to be some confusion here. There is ample evidence to suggest that not all of the elected MPs who contested as UPFA and especially those with allegiance to the SLFP will support the misnamed national government.The Rajapakse -father and son have clearly stated that they will be part of the opposition. There are certain to be others. Party identity apart the number so opposed to the national government will eventually be the key as to whether the TNA is indeed the largest opposition group.
For eg. if 20 SLFP members decide they will oppose the ‘national government’ a member among them will be the ‘leader of the opposition’ -of course they may well call themselves by another name and even loose their membership of the SLFP.The JVP too is in the opposition -on a selective basis it seems.
Will have to wait and see which way the cookie crumbles.
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Ken Dharmapala / September 2, 2015
Isn’t the TNA still playing communal politics?
SLFP and the UNP are political parties that try to be non-communal at least by not naming themselves by communal identities. Yet, most Tamils and many Muslims still wish to be represented via unashamedly communally labelled political parties. Added to this is TNA’s shallow claim to represent the entire political opposition in the country, when they polled only a small fraction of the votes obtained by the opposition.
Whilst the UNP and SLFP have a lot to do to entice Tamils to join their ranks, TNA would do well to change their name to a non-communal one and embrace Sinhalese and Tamils into their party. It is only if we dilute our communal identities that we can rise up as a united people where ethnicity, language, religion, and whatever other man-made labels are discarded.
The world is changing. Nature, exploited beyond its capacity to repair itself, is raging like a wounded wild boar. The climate is changing, sea-levels are rising, glaziers are melting, unprecedented droughts are causing severe water shortages, and there is global warming. None of these calamities respect man defined boundaries. What point is there, then, for us Sri Lankans to squabble over “traditional land”, language, devolution, etc?
We should give up our communal differences and unite to tackle the future in this globalized world.
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Eelam Tamil patriot / September 2, 2015
Tamil National alliance should demand an international investigation into allegations that supreme leader of World wide Tamils Velupillai prabhakaran, was sodomized with a hot iron rod.
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Native Vedda / September 2, 2015
Eelam Tamil patriot
Since you call yourself a patriot, whom are you trying to hide from? What sins are you trying bury in your patriotism?
“Tamil National alliance should demand an international investigation into allegations that supreme leader of World wide Tamils Velupillai prabhakaran, was sodomized with a hot iron rod.”
Sexual abuse of men and women are not new to the Sri Lankan armed forces. The act of violation naturally comes to them.
However could you tell us what prompted you to make special reference to VP’s bum his bum alone, where there are many thousand similar cases?
Either you are a Sinhala/Buddhist bigot who is deriving sadistic pleasure out of what you have written or simply a clueless Tamil nutter.
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Tamil from the north / September 2, 2015
@Eelam Tamil patriot – common I am a Tamil but VP is not widely accepted as a supreme leader as you claim. He is/was not my leader and will never be my leader in the future. The bloody scoundrel is dead and leave him dead. Where are you getting this idea this maniac is/was a supreme leader of the Tamils? Is this one of those dreams like some of the Sinhala racists have of MR? My friends from Jaffna town will echo what I have said here, we Jaffna Tamils want peace and leave it be. Let the people in SL have peace for a change. They have all gone through hell for the last 35 years in the hands of racist governments, terrorist groups, JVP and the dreaded low life IPKF bastards.
This murderer has murdered more intelligent Tamils than the racist scum amongst the Sinhalese. Who is there to speak for us? Yes, VP was sodomized by Maj. Gen Jagath Dias and his crew before dropping an axe to his head. He was also taken to Anuradhapura. On orders of Karuna, Gota told Dias to take him back to Nandikadal and kill him there. So, what is new here? This is all old information. You need to ask why and how VP got caught or did he surrender? Why didn’t he commit suicide when he instructed all his cadres to do so. This scoundrel is the worst coward I have ever seen, send all ground fighters to die for his dream to the battle field, and when his time came he surrendered. What the heck was he thinking? Weren’t the lives of those poor ground fighters matter? How many of these were small kids who were forcibly recruited by this scoundrel? We Tamils should be ashamed at what happened there. People like you always feel pity for VP but not a drop of tear was shed for those poor ground fighters who went forward on the command of VP and his high command.
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Nic / September 3, 2015
I do not know from where you get this story that he was sodomized! Have you heard a well know English saying “Those who live by the sword die by the sword”? Here is another – “What you sow is what you reap”!!
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Tamil from the north / September 4, 2015
@Nic, did I disagree with you on the folks who live by the sword die by the sword issue. Only exception is VP is a bloody coward who lived by the sword, which he never carried on himself, but attached those swords to forcibly recruited kids and men.
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Afzal / September 2, 2015
In my opinion also MP Mr. Sampanthan should be appointed as the Opposition Leader, better than giving to a MARA stooge who will dance to the tune of MARA which will make parliament proceedings a mockery.
Rather it should be someone who will make objective decisions based on the best interest of the country. Besides if we cant trust elected members from minority parties to be given important positions how can we work towards reconciliation ?
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Native Vedda / September 2, 2015
Sam
Tamils have mostly been in opposition through out post independence period.
They are the natural party of opposition.
Accordingly you must stake claim to your natural habitat (opposition) and being probably the oldest of all old codgers in parliament you have an added advantage over others.
Wish you good luck young man.
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K.A Sumanasekera / September 2, 2015
Something must be not right..
What happened to Sambandan”s MOU with Batalanada Ranil which was signed before the Election and presented to even Tiger Surendran in front of the British UNP in London?.
With Ranil’s bosom buddy Solheim as the witness…
Is Sira’s National government only for the Anglicans, Christian Elite, Sinhala Elite and the Wahabis?…
Sambandan’s Vellala mates gave Ranil at least 15 to 20 seats in the East . West , Colombo andf Hill Country.to make the UNP’s 106 .
Add the Vellala TNA’s 16 seats and it is a 122 seat Government.
That is a whopping 27 seat majority,
Ranil’s mate Cameron would pull the Poms out from the EU with that sort of majority.
Has Ranil lost his Balls or Has Sira put him on a leash?.
If not for Vellalas relentless anti Rajapakasa Campaign both local and mainly in the West, Sira wouldn’t have been the President.
If the UNP held its ground with the TNA and allowed a UNP and Rajapakasa direct dual, Ranil would have even got the the Gold.
But greedy Ranil couldn’t resist the temptation of sleeping in the Temple Trees with his Missus.
But Ranil probably didn’t think that Sira would screw him to the extent that poor Sambandan now has to sit in the Opposition.
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PARAGON / September 2, 2015
By appointing Siththatan of PLOT and Adiakalanathan ofTELO to some position in parliament Sampanthan and Sumanthiran have neturalsised the ambition of Suresh of EPRLF plan create a separate group in TNA.if they can find one more place to Sivasakthianadan of EPRLF the political future of Suresh will be RIP very soon.
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Lanka Watch / September 2, 2015
The Tamils are wondering why TNA stakes a claim for the position of
opposition leader. They probably think that they will be in a position
of strength to fight the govt. but sadly it is not so. This position once accepted, TNA becomes the opponents of the current govt. and it is easier for the Govt.,having a 2/3 majority to side line TNA. Tamils are under the notion that Tamil problem was discussed silently, with CBK, who was assigned to do this task, at length during the period, we had the interim Govt.and now, only a continuation of final talks after the election to finalise the deal for the Tamils but things look different with TNA claiming the opposition leader’s position. If TNA did not have prior talks with the interim Govt., then the question will arise as to what they were doing during the said period when a friendly and moderate govt. was in power.
TNA should have joined hands with UNP, accepted a few cabinet positions
and could have solved the Tamil problem, one by one at cabinet level,
after all PM Ranil and Prez Sirisena are obliged to help the Tamils to solve the problem as a priority issue,as it is Tamils who brought these
two to power by over turning a dictatorial regime by casting all their
votes to the current Govt.
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Saman / September 2, 2015
Sumanasekara….you are idiot.
You are people who created conflict in our peaceful country.
You are people who implant and grow racism in our younger generation.
Mr. Sambanthan is better than uneducated Welgama and Mahinda Rajapaksa
No more room for racism in our country now……Mr Maithreepala Sirisena swept out that mentality.
Unfortunately Mahinda and his henchmen tried to provoke it …..but fortunately wise people decided to vote against that rasism.
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Tamil from the north / September 2, 2015
Have you all noticed, anytime there is a Tamil issue being spoken the following racists will pop their ugly heads;
Vibushana
KA Sumanasekera
Jim Softy
Eusense
Off the wall
Proudman
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Peace Lover / September 2, 2015
Yes indeed they are imbeciles who are insecure and feel very weak within themselves so they behave like this mate!
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Off The Wall / September 2, 2015
Tamil from Northern Hell
Thank you so much for putting me in the exalted company of such eminent, world-renowned writers as Vibushana, KA Sumanasekera, Jim Softy, Eusense and Proudman. My only regret is that you left out Shakespeare and Native Vedda.
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Tamil from the north / September 3, 2015
@Off the wall, you are quite welcome. If NV is really a Veddah, then the claim to this beautiful country is rightfully his. Sinhala racists and Tamil racists can hold hands and swim to India and once you all get there kiss and say good bye to each other. The Tamil racists can go to Kerala and Sinhala racists can go to Orissa.
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Native Vedda / September 3, 2015
Tamil from the north
“If NV is really a Veddah,”
What do you think? Am I a stupid Tamil/Sinhalese?
“then the claim to this beautiful country is rightfully his.”!
Thanks.
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Native Vedda / September 3, 2015
Off The Wall
“My only regret is that you left out Shakespeare and Native Vedda.”
You have many things to regret, for example your birth, thoughts, words and actions.
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Tamil from the north / September 4, 2015
@Off the wall – you called me ‘Tamil from Hell’.
My reply: thanks a million. I am deeply obliged to you and happily accept that wonderful title. I am more than happy to be a Tamil from Hell to racists like you. Thanks again. Do you have any other names for me that I am not aware of? Please state them soon. LOVE IT!!!!
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Sellam / September 2, 2015
Yes according to parliamentary practise and convention, the opposition leadership has to go automatically to the leader of the TNA. It is a fact. The TNA TRIO understands very well that the Sinhala government is not willing to accede to that convention and be in good governance. These TNA members are fooling the Tamil masses like the government as they know too well that the Sinhala leaders will not accede to power distribution to the provinces, the government forces will not be removed from the North and there is going to be Sinhala settlement in the North as it had happened in the East. There will be no International investigation but a domestic investigation which will be swept under the carpet. There will be no release for the political prisoners. The three stooges are playing underhand tactics with the Tamil people. If they cannot solve the Tamil problem by next year as promised to the Tamil people, they will be hung by the neck at the next elections .
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Mora / September 3, 2015
“If they cannot solve the Tamil problem by next year as promised to the Tamil people, they will be hung by the neck at the next elections . “
There is no better solution than the way it is.
Jaffna Tamils in the US were boasting `we will have a Sudan style solution¬ and that they have established diplomatic relations.
But please check out the position of South Sudan- No peace, And all oil flows to Ethiopia under the direction of CIA.
You folk arn’t Europeans to get what you want but former European subjects on the European leash. For islanders Independence is another festival- swami kubudu while few enjoy the export earnings that flow mainly with the goodwill of the Europeans.
See life in Cuba in the real.
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Native Vedda / September 2, 2015
Peace Lover
This is what Uthaya Ganapathipillai said about TNA/Sam
Udaya Gammanpila MP
Offering the post of Leader of the Opposition to the TNA is an ulterior motive of establishing the coalition government of the UNP and the SLFP. It has been confirmed by the statement issued by the media spokesman of the SLFP Dilan Perera.
The Leader Of the Opposition is considered as the Prime Minister in waiting. Hence, when he visits a country, it is customary to have an Audience with the Prime Minister. Similarly, when a foreign Prime Minister visits Sri Lanka, he definitely meets the Leader of the Opposition as well.
This is a golden opportunity for the TNA to amplify their campaign for war crime probe, genocide claim and federal solution. It may be pertinent to mention here that former TULF leader A. Amirthalingam used and abused his office as the Leader of the Opposition to propagate the concept of Tamil Eelam.
In the light of above, we have determined to defeat the TNA’s attempt to secure this vital office. Although the SLFP has joined the UNP government, the UPFA, the largest party in the opposition has not done so. Since the UPFA has more than 16 parliamentarians of the TNA, we can rightfully claim the office of the Leader of the Opposition.
Hilariously, the SLFP has assigned and empowered the President to appoint the Leader of the Opposition. He will be the only President in the world who selects both ministers and the Leader of the Opposition. Hence we urge President, in the name of Good Governance, to allow the opposition members to select their leader.
dailynews.lk/?q=features/opposition-
leader-question-inevitable#sthash.x7dpvW07.dpuf
Peace Lover
How about Douglas Deva for opposition leader with the support of TNA and JVP? What would Uthaya Ganapathipillai say about another Demela becoming the opposition leader?
Isn’t Uthaya Ganapathipillai an Australian?
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stephen / September 3, 2015
As tamils they deserve equal treatment. if H E the president appoints Mr sambandan as the opposition Leader it will be great. irrespective of where they are coming from ,all the sri Lankans should be treated a like.
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Rumy / September 3, 2015
Not bad with less than 600,000 votes to be the opposition leader. Still talking that Tamils are not given equal opportunities. I wonder what they mean by that.
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