"Ignore Sri Lankan elections," says Students Association in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Thursday, 27 October 2005, 14:33 GMT]
In an appeal to the Tamil people, the Students’ Association of Higher Educational Institutions, Jaffna District, has warned Tamil voters not to be "hoodwinked" by promises of the Sri Lankan Presidential candidates. The organisation has argued that a Tamil vote would imply that the Tamils still trust the Sinhala leaders to resolve the Tamil conflict. In an appeal issued Thursday evening from Jaffna, the Students Association asked Tamils to be wary of the election promises the candidates are making from their election propaganda platforms.

Although there are thirteen candidates contesting, the real contest is between Mahinda Rajapakse and Ranil Wickremasinghe, the candidates of the two major Sinhala political groups, the Jaffna students pointed out.

"Encouraged by his extremist and nationalist supporters, Rajapakse has openly stated he would never compromise on the Unitary State, never acknowledge the existence of the traditional homeland of the Tamils and never execute the Tsunami rehabilitation plan, revealing his chauvinist stand," the Students’ appeal explains.

On the other hand, the Tamil students’ body warns against the "slimy moves" of Ranil Wickremasinghe, who immediately after signing the Cease-fire Agreement three years ago, had exclaimed that with the Agreement he had prevented the LTTE from taking up arms, prevented deaths of "Sinhala soldiers" in battle field and laid an "international network to have the LTTE ostracised."