Six political parties representing Sri Lanka’s Tamil-speaking communities have joined forces to urge the Government to fulfil key pledges made in its Election manifesto, including the introduction of a new Constitution, conducting the long-delayed Provincial Council (PC) Elections and resolving longstanding land issues affecting minority communities.
Representatives of the All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC), Ceylon Workers’ Congress (CWC), Democratic Tamil National Alliance (DTNA), Illankai Tamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK), Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), and Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) announced the joint initiative at a media briefing held in Colombo yesterday (13).
Speaking at the briefing, ITAK President’s Counsel M.A. Sumanthiran said the National People’s Power (NPP) Government had failed to fulfil two key promises made in its Election manifesto nearly two years after assuming office.
“The Government promised the people a new Constitution,” Sumanthiran said, stressing that it should provide the maximum possible devolution of powers within a framework that ensures justice, equality, and meaningful power-sharing.
He also recalled that the Government had pledged in 2024 to conduct PC Elections within one year of being elected, but said the polls had still not been held nearly two years later.
“Measures should be taken to hold the long-delayed PC Elections without a further loss of time,” he said.
Sumanthiran also called for the resolution of longstanding land issues affecting minority communities, including concerns in the Northern and Eastern Provinces and among plantation communities.
He said people in these areas continued to face land-related challenges arising from military occupation, the declaration of certain areas as archaeological sites, and unresolved ownership issues affecting plantation communities.
“These longstanding concerns must be addressed satisfactorily, fairly and through meaningful engagement with the affected communities to ensure durable and equitable solutions,” he said.
Sumanthiran said the Tamil and Muslim political parties represented on the platform had agreed to work together to address land-related disputes affecting Tamil-speaking communities wherever such issues arose.
He said the parties had reached consensus on four key areas, including the enactment of a new Constitution, conducting PC Elections, resolving land-related issues affecting all communities, and addressing minority concerns through dialogue.
He added that the parties would make a joint appeal to the Government to ensure regional representation in governance and move forward with the Elections process.
Sumanthiran said the parties had also reaffirmed their commitment to continue discussions through the common platform to promote reconciliation, democratic governance, and the protection of the rights of all communities.
Meanwhile, representing the CWC, Jeevan Thondaman said Tamil-speaking communities continued to face shortcomings in areas including budgetary allocations, public services and other matters.
He said the parties had come together with the aim of addressing these longstanding issues and securing permanent solutions rather than temporary measures introduced from time to time.