In the Absence of a New Constitution There Will Be a Recurrence of Violence- Sampanthan

TNA Leader and Opposition Leader R. Sampanthan had told the UK Minister of State for Asia and the Pacific  Mark Field that there would be a recurrence of violence, if Sri Lanka failed to frame a new constitution, said the TNA Leader cum Opposition Leader R. Sampanthan when he met the visiting UK Minister of State for Asia and the Pacific  Mark Field.

Detailing the current political situation to the visiting Minister, Sampanthan said the Tamil National Alliance genuinely participated in the processes of framing a new Constitution. Sampanthan had also said from 1957 onwards various attempts made to recognize the pluralism in this country had failed. Power sharing discussion has been there for over 30 years since 1957.But  only in 1987 with the involvement of Indian Government for the very first time a power sharing arrangement was recognized in the constitution of this country Sampanthan said. “From that time, on wards steps were taken by every successive Government to address the National issue and evolve a final solution” he added”.

The TNA leader stressed the need for the Northern and the Eastern provinces to function as one province given the fact that the two provinces represent largely Tamil speaking communities. Majority Sinhala community need not be afraid of the merger of these two provinces,as there will be a constitutional protection preventing any move towards separation. The power sharing arrangements will be worked out within a United, Undivided and Indivisible Sri Lanka, he explained to the UK Minister.

Majority Sinhala community need not be afraid of the merger of these two provinces as there will be a constitutional protection preventing any move towards separation. The power-sharing arrangements will be worked out within a United, Undivided and Indivisible Sri Lanka,he explained to the UK Minister.The Minister assured the TNA Leader of the constructive engagement of the UK government and wished the TNA leader all success for all his efforts in framing a new Constitution.  Along with Minister Mark Field the United Kingdom ambassador to Sri LankaJames Dauris and other High Commission officials were present at the meeting.