Wednesday, September 29, 2004

TNA to Mahanayakes by Franklin R. Satyapalan

Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MPs are scheduled to meet the Mahanayakes of the Malwatte and Asgiriya chapters on October 11 in Kandy to brief them on the political situation as well as the stalemate in the peace process, party spokesman Suresh Premachandran MP, said yesterday.

Meanwhile, the leader of the LTTE’s political wing S. P. Thamilchelvan awaited the agenda from the Mahanayake Thero of the Malwatte chapter Ven. Tibbatuwawe Sri Sumangala Thera for a much awaited discussion to be held shortly in Kilinochchi, the leader of the UPF Periathambi Chandrasekaran MP said.

TNA convenor Premachandran said that Parliamentary group leader R. Sampanthan was scheduled to lead a delegation of TNA MPs on October 11 to meet the two Mahanayakes, Ven. Thibbatuwawe Sri Sumangala Thero from the Malwatte chapter and the Ven. Udugama Sri Buddharakkitha Thero from the Asgiriya chapter.

The Tamil people want their MPs to meet the Mahanayakes to discuss the present political situation in the country, the aspirations of Tamil people and urge them to bring pressure on the government to recommence peace talks with the LTTE on the basis of the ISGA," he said.

They would also explain how the LTTE has been urging the government since November 2003 that it’s always ready to start peace talks on the basis of the ISGA, which was essential to carry out Rehabilitation, Resettlement, Reconstruction and Development of a war-ravaged North-East and a return to normalcy before discussing the final solution.

The TNA MPs will also brief the Mahanayakes on the inconsistency in the governments stand on the peace process due to its main coalition partner, the JVP opposing the ISGA as a basis for the resumption of talks, he said.