Parliamentary debate sought on allegations against TNA MPs

[TamilNet, Friday, 11 July 2003, 10:36 GMT]
Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentary group leader Mr.R.Sampanthan Friday wrote to the Speaker of the Sri Lanka Parliament seeking a parliamentary debate on allegations against TNA MPs by some opposition parliamentarians, political sources said. The allegations include TNA members provide training to members of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

The full text of the letter sent by Mr.Sampanthan follows:

"I hereby give written notice of the following motion relating to a matter of public importance which I seek your leave to raise, at the conclusion of questions on this day.

"Certain statements made inside and outside Parliament have cast very serious imputations on Members of Parliament of the Tamil National Alliance, of giving shelter to and permitting the use of weapons supplied by government for purposes of personal security, to provide training to members of the LTTE. It has also been alleged that drivers or other staff of Parliamentarians of the Tamil National Alliance were likely to carry out attacks on Members of parliament of the Peoples Alliance around parliamentary complex or along the road leading to parliament. This latter statement has been made in the context of a warning issued to Peoples Alliance Parliamentarians of a threat on the lives of key Peoples’ Alliance members of parliament by the LTTE.

"These statements cast serious aspersions on the members of parliament of the Tamil National Alliance, and accuse the members of parliament of the Tamil National Alliance of criminal conduct.

"Having consulted all the Members of Parliament of the Tamil National Alliance, I wish to lodge and record our contemptuous rejection of these palpably false and malicious statements.

"It is well known that the policies of the Tamil National Alliance, both inside and outside parliament are completely in accord with the mandate received from the Tamil people resident in the North East at the last general elections held in December, 2001. The vast majority of Tamil Members of Parliament from the North East are from the Tamil National Alliance.

"It is also well known, that particularly after the signing of the ceasefire agreement between the Government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE on 22nd February, 2002, and the commencement of the peace process, the Tamil National Alliance has endeavored at all times to further the peace process. The Tamil National Alliance is firmly committed to the resolution of the Northeast conflict through a peaceful solution negotiated political solution.

"It is preposterous to suggest that members of Parliament of the Tamil National Alliance, comprising of four registered democratic political parties, are seeking to make a contribution to the widely known military prowess of the LTTE. The Tamil National Alliance on the other hand is publicly working with the LTTE to further the peace process. I wish to categorically state that there is nothing clandestine in the relationship between the Tamil National Alliance and the LTTE.

"The statements I have referred to above are attributable to either a misguided determination to thwart the peace process or prevent the present government from succeeding in the peace process.

"Attempts to tarnish the members of parliament of the Tamil National Alliance is yet another shortsighted step, to disrupt the peace process.

"If there is any credible information against any member of parliament of the Tamil National Alliance, we would welcome his identity being revealed, and whatever action deemed necessary being taken."