2ND LEAD (Adds full TNA statement)

TNA, New Delhi, harp on LLRC implementation

[TamilNet, Monday, 15 October 2012, 11:23 GMT]
The TNA parliamentary delegation that visited New Delhi last week thanked the Government of India for its consistent interaction with the SL President in bringing about reconciliation and political solution through implementation of LLRC recommendations. The complaints of the TNA were confined to the lack of progress in the implementation of ‘constructive’ recommendations of the LLRC and lack of commitment on the part of Colombo in evolving an acceptable political solution. The TNA earlier rejected the LLRC recommendations but was later made to harp on them for non-descript solutions. The TNA has also refused attending Rajapaksa’s all party process for solution, without guarantees. But last month, the genocide-accused President on a Buddhist visit to India told TNA that the matter would be pursued after his return from India.

The TNA delegation met New Delhi’s Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, Minister for External Affairs, Mr S M Krishna, the Leader of the Opposition Ms Sushma Swaraj, the National Security Advisor Mr Shiv Shanker Menon, the Secretary of External Affairs Mr Ranjan Mathai, the Joint Secretary Mr Shringla and other officials.

The meetings took place between 10th and 13th of October.

The TNA delegation led by its leader Mr R. Sampanthan, included parliamentarians Mr S. Senathirajah, Mr K. Premachandran, Mr A. Adaikalanathan, Mr A. Vinayagamoorthi, Mr Pon Selvarajah and Mr M. A. Sumanthiran.

The thrust of LLRC recommendations aims at the annihilation of the nation of Eezham Tamils. Once it is implemented in full, both the TNA and New Delhi will be relieved from the trouble of discussing any ‘acceptable’ political solution, and at the completion of the India-partnered structural genocide, there won’t be any burden on New Delhi to ensure “equality, dignity, justice and self-respect,” for Tamils in the island, commented new generation Tamil political activists in the island.

Full text of the statement by the TNA follows:

Statement

A Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Parliamentary delegation led by its leader R. Sampanthan and comprising, S Senathirajah, K Premachandran, A Adaikalanathan, A Vinayagamoorthi, Pon Selvarajah and M A Sumanthiran visited New Delhi on the invitation of the Ministry of External Affairs between the 10th and 13th of October 2012. During the visit the delegation met with the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, the Minister for External Affairs Shri S M Krishna, the Leader of the Opposition Shrimati Sushma Swaraj, the National Security Advisor Shri Shiv Shanker Menon, the Secretary of External Affairs Shri Ranjan Mathai, the Joint Secretary Shri Shringla and other officials.

The TNA delegation conveyed to the Prime Minister its sincere thanks on behlaf of the Tamil People in Sri Lanka for the substantial multi-faceted assistance being provided by the Government of India to enable the Tamil People to recommence life and rebuild their future.

The TNA also thanked the Prime Minister for the consistent interaction by the Govnment of India with the President and the Government of Sri Lanka to bring about reconciliation between the Peoples in Sri Lanka through the effective implementation of the recommendations of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission(LLRC) and the evolution of an acceptable political solution to the national issue.

The TNA however intimated its grave concerns over the lack of progress by the Sri Lankan Government in the effective implementation of the constructive recommendations of the LLRC and the lack of a genuine commitment on the part of the Government of Sri Lanka to the evolution of an acceptable political solution.

The TNA also observed that without meaningful action with regard to the above issues, the Tamil People in Sri Lanka cannot secure a future marked by equality, dignity, justice and self-respect.

The TNA urged the need for urgent action to redress this situation. The discussions were free and frank, and the Prime Minister and the others reassured the TNA delegation that India was firmly committed to and would contribute its best efforts to ensure that the Tamil People in Sri Lanka secured a future marked by equality, dignity, justice and self-respect.

Chronology: