Local elections will highlight Upcountry Tamils' unity- Chandrasekaran

[TamilNet, Friday, 10 February 2006, 01:40 GMT]
"In the forthcoming local elections, Hillcountry Tamils should unite to initiate a joint action program to increase their representation, and create the foundation for strengthening the political power and unity of Sri Lanka's Tamil people." said Thamilchelvan, leader of LTTE political wing, during the discussions he had with the Leader of Upcountry Peoples Front (UPF), Periyasamy Chandrasekaran, at the LTTE Peace Secretariat in Kilinochchi Wednesday morning, a media release from the UPF said.

UPF is fully prepared and ready to use the local elections to infuse new strategic thinking among Hillcountry Tamils, and to demonstrate their political rights and unity to the outside world, Chandrasekaran responded, the release added.

The leaders discussed the options available to the Upcountry political parties to present a united political formation that is sensitive to the regional politics of the upcountry, the release said. Chandrasekaran said that he regards the local election as an indirect challenge and that he is in the process of arranging a meeting with Leader of Ceylon Workers Congress, Arumugam Thondaman, on effective ways to prepare the Upcountry Tamils to meet the challenge.

Thamilchelvan has assured the UPF leader the LTTE's willingness to express full support to the political efforts in this matter, the release added. Mr Chandrasekaran said that he is planning to have discussions with the Tamil National Alliance leaders to promote mutual understanding and to promote

Members of UPF, K Sivakanthan, MR S.K. Gandhi, S Balachandran and S Ajitkumar also accompanied Chandrasekaran to the meeting with Thamilchelvan, the release said.