Sarath Fonseka’s stand on relations with Tamils, Muslims should be made public – Mano Ganeshan

[TamilNet, Saturday, 24 October 2009, 18:32 GMT]
“The persons who try to bring in former Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Commander, Sarath Fonseka as a prospective presidential candidate should first publicize his stand on his relations with the Tamils and Muslims of the country,” Mano Gnaeshan, Colombo district parliamentarian and the leader of Democratic Peoples’ Front (DPF) told media in Colombo after a discussion held with Ranil Wickremasinghe, the leader of the opposition and United National Party Friday evening, sources in Colombo said.. “We will not write ‘blank cheques’ in favour of any major political party candidate in the Presidential election,” he said. “We do not have any personal hard feelings either towards President Mahinda Rajapakse or Sarath Fonseka; whatever difference of opinion that exists is purely political,” he further said.

“We will make known our stand at the right time should Presidential election takes place; DPF will join the United National Alliance (UNA) and the official event regarding this will take place in the parliamentary complex at the end of October,” Maho Ganeshan informed.

“The time has come for the political parties representing Tamils and Muslims in the North, East and South, apart from various alliances, to create political principles anew in keeping with the new political situation in the country,” he said.

“A Tamil or Muslim or even a Sinhala Christian cannot become the President of Sri Lanka or its prime minister. Therefore the Tamil speaking people should use their votes with caution,” Mano Ganeshan said.

“There are no signs of priority being given to find a political solution in the light of the reasons why armed struggle was instigated; the significance given to eradicate swine fever or the Presidential System is not given to solving the national ethnic issue,” he pointed out.

“We had made known our party’s stand categorically regarding Sarath Fonseka being proposed as Presidential candidate; as we expected this has created significant exchange of opinion between Sinhalese political parties in the country,” Mano Ganeshan said.

“The major political parties should announce their candidates for the posts of President and Prime Minister after giving the answers related to our basic rights,” he stressed.