Demonstrations to continue or not depends on government’s move

Staging demonstrations like “Ezhuga Thamizh” or being abstained from such move to raise voice for rights depends on the Sri Lanka government’s move, said TNA Wanni district MP Sivasakthi Ananthan.

Addressing in parliament during the debate on “Lands (Special Provisions) Bill” on Thursday (Oct 6) he said controversial statements had been issued by various parties with regard to the recent demonstration held in Jaffna led by Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran.

He said the demonstration was misunderstandingly criticized as racist move and against the Sinhalese people. The demonstration was conducted to voice and claim for the fundamental rights of Tamil people who have been neglected for decades.

He requested not to see such remonstrations as racist move but to look at the request made by those of victimized by the majority.

He called on the government to solve the problems of the Tamil people, otherwise it cannot stop such demonstrations in future.

 Tamil National Alliance Leader R. Sampanthan  stated that most of the matters attributed to Northern Province Chief Minister Wigneswaran had not been stated by him. He made this observation in the House responding to the charges made by MEP Leader Dinesh Gunawardena against Chief Minsiter Wigneswaran. Sampanthan went on that there are many issues that the people in the North are being tormented with for a long period. Some of them have to be addressed soon.

However, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, who responded to recent statements made by Northern Province Chief Minister C V Wigneswaran, on Friday (Oct 7) suggested that Parliament should get on with the task of preparing a new Constitution no matter what the Chief Minister or anyone says about it.

“It is the constitutional assembly and the steering committee which decides on the constitution and not the chief minister. There may be some who would oppose the proposals of the steering committee report and some who would welcome it. Therefore let’s get on with our duty,” Mr Wickremesinghe said in response to a question raised by Joint opposition group Leader Dinesh Gunawardene.

Meanwhile, participating in the debate on the Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Bill and Law Commission (Amendment) Bill on 9 October, Parliamentarian Sumanthiran has cautioned that any law that replaces the Prevention of Terrorism Act with its draconian provisions is despicable. As of information available, the new Counter-terrorism law which will replace the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) has retained draconian and objectionable provisions in the PTA.

He said that if the PTA was going to come back with another name, that would have repercussions on the government when the legislation comes out. Serious concerns have been raised in this regard.