Ending months-long internal conflict:

TNA to stand united

by P. Krishnaswamy

Just days before Parliament begins the long heralded constitutional reform process, Tamil political leaders seem close to resolving an imminent split in the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) after some tense internal negotiations last week. TNA leader and veteran Tamil politician R. Sampanthan on Friday met with rebellious Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran and reportedly won agreement for an united approach to anticipated negotiations with the Government on the ethnic issue.

But later reports indicate that full political unity among Tamil leaders may yet be distant with the newly formed ‘Tamil People’s Council’ independently set up by Wigneswaran and allies set to meet for the second time today. Political sources indicated that the new Council’s meeting was not with the endorsement of the TNA’s top leadership.

TNA sources told the Sunday Observer that last week’s meeting with Wigneswaran laid the foundation for full unity within the TNA but that “some matters needed ironing out”. Further talks between the various leadership factions within the Alliance are expected this week.

Friday’s critical talks were held at a private residence in Colombo between TNA Leader Sampanthan and the controversial Chief Minister. Political observers for months have predicted an imminent split, suggesting the possibility of Wigneswaran going his separate way, amidst speculation that the NPC Chief Minister was to form his own political entity. This was further fuelled when Wigneswaran openly rejected a call to canvass for the TNA during the August 2015 Parliamentary Elections.

Friday’s talks were aimed at ironing out any differences where several critical issues were discussed at length, with both finally agreeing to focus on the welfare of Tamils, when taking future party decisions. Speaking to the Sunday Observer , R. Sampanthan said, ‘talks were cordial and will be continued.”

The Tamil People’s Council is a forum of political and non-political actors headed by Wigneswaran and was inaugurated in Jaffna last week ‘to address the Tamil question and monitor the implementation of the United Nations Human Rights Council’s (UNHRC) resolution’.

Sampanthan further said: “There is a mandate given to the TNA at successive elections and the party does not expect the mandate to be disturbed in any way by a person who has been elected by the same people as a nominee of the TNA and candidate of the Ilankai Thamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK) and who also is a party to that same mandate,” he said.

Sampanthan further said that while recognizing the right of everyone to express their views freely, “We do not know how this body is going to function in the future,” adding: We are actively engaged in fulfilling the mandate given to us by our people. We will watch further developments.”