TNA mandated to address livelihood problems

by P. Krishnaswamy

The Northerners have given a mandate to the TNA to run the Provincial Council so that their livelihood problems can be addressed and not to promote their political ideologies, Senior Minister for Human Resources Dew Gunasekera told the Sunday Observer.

They had suffered untold hardships for over three decades till the war against terrorism ended and peace was restored four years ago.

The TNA leaders should understand that although the Government had spent billions of rupees to develop the terrorism-torn region aiming at long-term prosperity, the people had given a mandate to the TNA for their cultural, language and day-to-day issues to be addressed and not promote their international agenda, he said.

Polls to the Northern PC were held in a peaceful atmosphere under President Mahinda Rajapaksa after ending the three-decade terrorist menace, unlike the first PC polls to the North-East PC under the then President Ranasinghe Premadasa who was not willing to devolve the designated powers to the PC, Gunasekera said. TNA leaders should make it a point to discuss any issues with the Government that they feel would impede the administration of the PC instead of seeking support from people and organisations overseas which is detrimental to national interests, he said.

TNA leaders should adopt a policy of compromise and consensus and work within the unitary framework of the Constitution and within the jurisdiction of the powers vested with the PCs, irrespective of what happens in Geneva or other international fora.

Land powers come under the President and the Central Government, as the Supreme Court has ruled, and the lands belong to the State.