Tamil National Alliance asks Tamils to vote for federal solution

COLOMBO: The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has issued its election manifesto for the next month's parliamentary election, seeking a mandate to press for a federal solution to the ethnic question.

"We have outlined what sort of a solution will be acceptable to us and we have asked for Tamil people's endorsement of it," senior TNA leader MA Sumanthiran said in Jaffna yesterday after the five Tamil party alliance launched its manifesto.

"We have said in the manifesto that nothing short of maximum power devolution based on a federal structure will be the answer," Sumanthiran stressed.

Asked how the TNA would negotiate with the government that will be formed after August 17 election, Sumanthiran said they had not taken a decision to support any party.

"We will start talks with the government based on our fundamental conditions," he said.

"...our right to determine our destiny to ensure self government in the Tamil speaking north east of the country within a united and undivided Sri Lanka," the TNA manifesto stresses as its outright goal.

"The Tamil people are entitled to the right to self determination in keeping with UN international covenants on civil and political rights," it says.

As matters of immediate concern for the Tamil people, the TNA lists the need for demilitarization of the north and east to the pre-1983, exploration of truth with regard to the thousands that have disappeared, facilitate the return of over 100,000 refugees currently in South India, a comprehensive programme to develop the former war affected areas among other things.

The TNA has filed nominations to contest all five north and eastern districts which elects 29 MPs out of the 225 member assembly.

Jaffna with 529,239 has the highest number of voters in the five districts.