The Democratic Tamil National Alliance (DTNA) has called for swift action from the Sri Lankan government to address the long-standing issues of the Tamil nation and ensures its autonomy within a united North-East.
Suresh Premachandran, media spokesperson for the DTNA, urged the government to establish a constitution that guarantees autonomy for Tamils in the North-East. He also emphasized the urgent need to hold local government elections with full powers vested in elected bodies.
Premachandran made these remarks during a press conference following the DTNA’s executive committee meeting held in Kovilkulam, Vavuniya. The meeting focused on strengthening the DTNA at the village level and strategizing for upcoming local government elections.
During the meeting, the DTNA resolved that all five constituent parties would contest the upcoming local government elections. Premachandran also highlighted plans to collaborate with other Tamil nationalist parties in the North and East, aiming to form a unified electoral front. The DTNA said it intends to hold a conference in Vavuniya in February to consolidate its political strategies.
Premachandran underscored the DTNA’s commitment to creating a new political culture and ensuring that the political future of Tamil people is addressed appropriately. "We have the need and responsibility to create a new political culture," he said, emphasizing the alliance's firm stance on resolving Tamil national and ethnic issues.
Premachandran expressed scepticism about whether the new Sri Lankan government, despite its promises of change and reform, is willing to address the national and ethnic problems that have plagued the island for several decades. He criticized the delay in holding provincial council elections, which have not been conducted for seven years, and called for both local and provincial council elections to take place without further postponement.
He also emphasized that the government must fully devolve the powers enshrined in the Sri Lankan constitution to the provinces. “Only if this government takes those steps quickly will there be an environment where the Tamil people can have faith in it,” Premachandran stated.
Premachandran stressed that the Tamil people need a constitution that guarantees their right to live with complete autonomy in a united North-East. He urged the government to appoint a committee to draft a new constitution, which must include provisions to address the aspirations of the Tamil people and resolve the national ethnic problem.
“The government should not just solve the issues of the Sinhalese people but also the national and ethnic problem of the Tamil people who have been displaced and marginalized,” he said. Premachandran warned that delays in constitutional reform would only exacerbate governance shortcomings and deepen mistrust among the Tamil population.
He reiterated the DTNA’s commitment to working with all Tamil national parties to present a united front and submit their proposals to the constitutional committee.
“The Tamil people have waited for 75 years. It is time for the government to act decisively and create a constitution that ensures justice, equality, and autonomy for our people,” he said.