Tamil National People's Front vows to oppose Sri Lanka's unitary constitution

by admin
Oct 29, 2024

Tamil National People's Front (TNPF) leader Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam declared that his party is prepared to stand firm against Sri Lanka’s unitary constitution as he emphasized their commitment to addressing long-standing grievances and challenges facing Tamils in the North-East.

Speaking at a recent Vanni district meeting at the Mannar Municipal Council Hall, Ponnambalam underscored the unaddressed struggles of the Tamil people, who continue to protest against issues such as the disappearance of loved ones, detention of political prisoners, and land grabs. He criticized other political parties, including the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and National People’s Power (NPP) coalition, for their lack of involvement in these protests, questioning their commitment to Tamil concerns.

“Our people have been protesting daily in the North East. Have these JVP or so-called National People’s Power parties participated in even one of these protests? Our people are leading protests against the forcible grabbing of privately owned lands. Have any of these parties shown up?” he asked.

“The political system of Sri Lanka has failed our people three times, and every attempt has been rejected by the Tamil people,” he added, referring to various Sri Lankan constitutions. “If the people continue to reject the constitution, it signifies a fundamental ethnic problem that needs to be addressed,” he stated.

Ponnambalam noted that since 2012, the United Nations Human Rights Council has continuously called for a solution to the Tamil people’s grievances. He emphasized the need for a constitution that genuinely respects and acknowledges the rights of the Tamil nation, warning that failure to address these issues could attract significant international scrutiny.

“If we ignore this, the Tamil people will reject any proposal that offers no real solution. This, in turn, perpetuates the ethnic conflict and invites unwanted international pressure. The current unitary political system was introduced to shift attention from this issue, aiming to show the world that the Tamil people supposedly support this structure,” he said.

Ponnambalam stressed that the TNPF has the resolve to reject the unitary constitution, as it fails to address the Tamil community's needs. “If we need to reject the unitary constitution, the Tamil National People's Front is prepared to take that stand. We have to ensure the ethnic issue is recognized and addressed on the national stage,” he said.

Calling for voter support, Ponnambalam called on the people of the North-East to secure at least ten seats in Parliament for the TNPF, including two seats in the Vanni district.

"We must gain these seats to continue our struggle for justice and representation. The cycle symbol represents our resilience and dedication."

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