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Western Province passes resolution opposing Tamil call for federalism

Sri Lanka's Sinhala dominated Western Provincial Council on Thursday passed a resolution opposing the previous resolution passed by the Tamil dominated Northern Provincial Council calling for a federal solution to the decades long ethnic conflict.

Stating that a federal solution which granted political autonomy to Tamils was "constitutionally and legally incorrect", the Western Province councillor, Nishantha Sri Warnasinghe was quoted by the First Post as stating the NPC's resolution was "an attempt to create two separate federal governments in the island based on language and ethnicity".

"We urge the President and the Prime Minister to reject the demand for federalism at a time the whole country has geared to achieve reconciliation with the Tamils," Mr Warnasinghe, who is also a member of the JHU, added.

The chief minister of the northern province has reiterated that the call for federalism is intended to unite, not divide the country.

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