Devananda commends TNA's latest stance

by Ananth PALAKIDNAR

Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development Minister and Convenor of the Tamil Forum, Douglas Devananda commended the Tamil National Alliance's latest

stance on supporting the Government's peace building efforts. The TNA leader and Trincomalee district Parliamentarian R. Sambanthan felicitated President Mahinda Rajapaksa on his second term in office assuring the party's support in resolving the Tamil political issues.

Sambanthan in his message to President Rajapaksa said that his party was prepared to support the government's sincere efforts in dealing with Tamil issues and development in the North and the East.

Minister Douglas Devananda commenting on the TNA stance told the Sunday Observer that the party's willingness to cooperate with the government in finding solutions to Tamil political issues was commendable. However, if they had taken this stance some time ago several issues with regard to the political aspirations of Tamils would have been settled by now.

"President Mahinda Rajapaksa in his inaugural address on Friday reiterated his commitment towards solving the Tamil issue. He also elaborated on development activities in the North and the East. Therefore, the TNA should seize this opportunity to serve its people well in the North and the East along with other Tamil political parties," Devananda said.

Devananda said that he being the Convenor of the Tamil Forum which comprised Tamil parties such as the TULF, DPLF and EPRLF (Naba) along with certain Tamil academics looked forward to join hands with President Rajapaksa's government in its peace-building efforts. Hence the TNA should also cooperate with other Tamil parties in settling the outstanding issues.

Jaffna district Parliamentarian and TNA spokesperson Suresh Premachandran told the Sunday Observer that the TNA was ready to support the sincere efforts put forward by the government to settle the Tamil question. "We have reiterated our stance to the President along with our felicitations on his second term in office," Premachandran said.