President Calls for All Parties to Unit

By Kannan Padhmanabhan

(October, 31, Los Angeles, Sri Lanka Guardian) President Mahinda Rajapakse has called for all political parties to unite and support the Government of Sri Lanka in its "War against Terror". The President on the other hand has given little support to Tamil political parties that are part of the democratic mainstream other than the EPDP and CWC, namely PLOTE, TULF, EROS, EPRLF (P), and the TMVP.

The Government of Sri Lanka has failed to back these political parties and give them the support they need. All of these parties are opposed to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). President Mahinda Rajapakse made several promises to representatives of these parties and none of them have been honoured. Minister Douglas Devananda of the EPDP and Minister A. Thondaman of the CWC have been the only ones getting the financial support and security arrangements for all its party members.

When a representative of the Eelam Revolutionary Organisation (EROS) was refused to comment and simply stated that "the Government of Sri Lanka is giving EROS all the support required and if other political parties need support, or assistance they should come forward and address their concerns with the President", he stated.

The EPDP is reluctant to allow any other Tamil political party to get as much support and assistance from the Government of Sri Lanka as they do. The EPDP is partly responsible for influencing the Government of Sri Lanka in withdrawing some of its support towards the TMVP otherwise known as the Karuna Faction. All Minister Douglas Devananda seems interested in is his “political clout and power” and not the needs and aspirations of the Tamil speaking community of Sri Lanka. He is nothing more than a “puppet” of the Government of Sri Lanka.

It would be very difficult for any political party to support the Governments "War on Terror" if they offer little or no support to the Tamil political parties. What President Mahinda Rajapakse ought to really do is put words into action by inviting all representatives of these political parties and giving them all the support needed. This is the only way the democratic Tamil political parties will be united and be in a position to support the Government of Sri Lanka.