UPFA budget has no relief for Tamils - TNA

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 November 2004, 10:37 GMT]
''The maiden budget of the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government has failed to address any remedy for the immediate humanitarian needs of the war-torn people of the northeast province who have suffered immensely for the past two decades of the war,'' said Mr.Joseph Pararajasingham, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) national list parliamentarian speaking on the budget debate in the parliament Wednesday.

He further said Finance Minister has not taken any steps to balance the economically deprived northeast region with the rest of the country.

''The Finance Minister admits the reality that peace is imperative for the economic development of Sri Lanka. Then why is the government delaying the commencement of peace talks with the Liberation Tigers? '' asked Mr Pararajasingham.

He said: ''Ultimately peace, stability and the fulfilment of political aspirations of the Tamil people in the northeast that will matter most. Tamil people continue to strongly support the peaceful resolution of the Tamil question.

''Interim administration is not a new phenomenon. Indian government proposed interim administration following the signing of Indo-Sri Lankan agreement in 1987, providing LTTE with a dominant participatory role. At that time Indian military establishment assessed the ground situation and urged New Delhi to give prominence to the LTTE demands as it was only strong force that mattered most on the ground,'' said the MP.

He cautioned that the Tamil people would consider the budget as war-oriented it the Sri Lanka government does not come out with a statement in the House to clear the alarm created amongst the Tamil people on ambiguous position of the UPFA on the peace process.