Tamil parties in quandary over fate of their memorandum

The tweet in Tamil from Democratic People's Front ( DPF) leader Mano Ganesan went almost unnoticed, when President Gotabaya Rajapaksa ended delivering his policy statement in Parliament last Tuesday morning.

He had turned to colleague Tamil National Alliance (TNA) leader Rajavarothayam Sampanthan, and declared that he found him a disappointed person. The news spread to the Tamil diaspora worldwide and soon questions loomed why. It only took a few more minutes for Mr Sampanthan to explain.

He was heard telling Finance Minister, Basil Rajapaksa when President Rajapaksa ended making the policy statement that the TNA would not take part in the customary tea party that was the next item on the agenda. The words, according to one parliamentarian who heard it, were in Sinhala and were somewhat incohesive. What was clear was that he did not wish to make those remarks to President Rajapaksa himself by attending the tea party since it would be distasteful. That was how the TNA kept away.

Within minutes of Mano Ganesan's tweet and TNA leader Sampanthan's assertions, the story became public. The TNA, like all other Tamil political parties, were expecting a pledge from President Rajapaksa, in his statement, to announce details that an ethnic reconciliation programme would be embarked upon by his government. It was to focus on further implementation of provisions of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. This was hinted at in a front page report in the Sunday Times last week.

On Tuesday leaders of Tamil political parties were at India House, the official residence of the Indian High Commissioner in Sri Lanka. There, they handed over the text of a memorandum dated December 29 to the HC Gopal Baglay, which a leader of a Tamil party said, were 'non controversial' matters over which "there was already consensus."

The initiative, which diplomatic sources said was endorsed by New Delhi had its origins in the role played by Tamil Eelam Liberation

Organiser ( TELO), Selvam Adaikalanathan. He was in India late last year. That set off a flurry of activity over a joint memorandum. In his policy statement President Rajapaksa, though it was widely expected, did not make reference to any political solution but only to the Experts Committee appointed by him to draft a new Constitution. He opined that reconciliation between communities could be achieved through economic development.

The issue surfaced at the regular media briefing that followed the Cabinet meeting this week. Here is what two official spokespersons of the government had to say:

Minister of Plantation Ramesh Pathirana; “We have fully implemented the 13th Amendment, as we all know representatives have been already elected several times. Actually, when the war came to an end then President Mahinda Rajapaksa conducted elections in both northern and eastern provinces. There is no concern about it as it is implemented. I am not aware about the letter that the northern politicians handed over to the Indian high commission. as for the agreement implementing the 13th amendment.

Minister of Energy Udaya Gammanpila; “If our Tamil parties have any concern or worry about the implementation of the 13th Amendment, they should have conveyed their concerns to our President instead of the Indian Prime Minister. We are a sovereign country and not a part of the Indian Union. Therefore, if our Tamil brothers have any issue regarding the implementation of the 13th Amendment, they should consult our elected government instead of outsiders.”

Even if co- spokesperson Minister Gammanpila's remarks do not represent the official view of the government, it does raise questions. The assertions were made at an official event and rules out any formal government commitment officially to an ethnic reconciliation programme. Tamil political parties are now not sure about the fate of their memorandum. Those who signed the document are R. Sampanthan, Maavi Senathirajah, C . V. Wi g n e sw a r a n , A . Adaikalanathan, Dharmalingam Siddharthan, K. Premachandran and K. Sri Kantha. None of the Muslim or Upcountry parties were signatories to the paper.

Government sources believe the prospects of a meeting between President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Tamil political parties is most likely any time now.