Election verdict should legitimize ISGA demand - Sampanthan

[TamilNet, Friday, 12 March 2004, 15:12 GMT]
The verdict of the Tamils in the forthcoming general election should legitimize the demand of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam for an Interim Self Governing Authority (ISGA) for the northeast province. All tamil speaking people must support the Tamil National Alliance to capture maximum number of parliamentary seats," said Tamil National Alliance (TNA) leader, Mr.R.Sampanthan, addressing an election meeting in Division No 10 in the Trincomalee town held Thursday evening.

All seven candidates of the TNA contesting the Trincomalee district participated in the meeting.

Mr.Sampanthan further said that LTTE as a last resort following several rounds of peace talks, submitted its ISGA proposal to the Sri lanka government. Three days after LTTE submitted its ISGA, Ms.Kumaratunge took over three key ministries and later dissolved the parliament.

The dissolution of parliament came at a time when the LTTE was waiting for dates to recommence peace talks on the basis of the ISGA. Dissolution of parliament would not have taken place if the LTTE did not submit its ISGA proposal, said Mr.Sampanthan.

During the six rounds of peace talks several structures were established to reconstruct and rehabilitate the war ravaged northeast and to resettle the internally displaced on their lands and houses. But the Sri Lanka government was not prepared to vest powers with the structures, Mr.Sampanthan said.

Tamils should not forget that no government would come forward to find a fair and reasonable solution to the Tamil national question if not for the military strength of the LTTE, said Mr.Sampanthan.

TNA candidates Messrs K.Thurairetnasingham, S.Gowri Muhunthan, A.H.Sahul Hameed, K.Ragunathan, S.Shanmuganathan and V.Vigneswaran also spoke.