Tamil parties to protest Trinco colonisation

[TamilNet, Sunday, 28 March 1999, 18:10 GMT]
The TULF, PLOTE, EPDP, TELO and the EPRLF resolved this evening in Colombo to ask the Sri Lankan government to stop colonisation of Sinhalese in Trincomalee and to evict the Sinhala settlers.

The five Tamil parties met around 7 a.m. at a hotel in downtown Colombo to discuss the developing situation.

The TULF was represented by R.Raviraj, the EPDP by its leader Douglas Devanada MP, its Jaffna organiser 'Jegan' and A.Rasamanickam, the EPRLF by its leader Suresh Premachandran and 'Wilson', the PLOTE by D.Sidharthan MP and the TELO by its leader A.Adaikkalanaathan (Selvam) MP and advisor N. SriKantha.

Other cadres and members of these parties were also present.

After more than two hours of deliberation the parties resolved to ask the government to let the Tamils displaced from Waligamam north due to the war resettle in their home areas.

The parties had observed in this regard that the Sri Lankan President had only suspended the acquisition of lands for the expansion of the Palaly SLA base complex but had not cancelled it.

This still posed a problem to the resettlement of Tamils who were displaced from their homes around Palaly the parties said.

It was resolved that the parties will oppose the take over of lands belonging to Tamils in Waligamam north politcally and legally.

The five Tamil parties decided to ask the government to expedite the inquiry into the alleged mass graves at Chemmani and to invite international human rights groups that have taken an interest in the matter to witness the exhumation process.

It was resolved that the government should be urged to immediately resume the supply of food to those parts of the Wanni which are not under the SLA's control.

The five Tamil parties, however, did not take up the issue of the dissolution of the local government bodies in the Vavuniya district and the eastern province at the meeting this evening.

The parties will meet again to continue the dialogue, said one of the Tamil politicians who organised today's meeting.