"Elections in the NE a referendum on TNA policies" -Sampanthan

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 21 November 2001, 20:13 GMT]
Mr.R.Sampanthan, Secretary General of the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF), Wednesday appealed to the Tamil people to consider the forthcoming general election in the Northeast province as a referendum in support of the policy of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) that any future peace negotiations should be held with the Liberation Tigers only and no parallel talks should be held with any other Tamil groups.

Mr.Sampanthan, chief candidate of the Tamil National Alliance candidate contesting the Trincomalee district, is on a three day electioneering in Tamil villages, which are under the control of the State armed forces in Mutur, south of Trincomalee town, since Tuesday.

Last week, he visited several Tamil villages in the Mutur south area, which are controlled by the Liberation Tigers. Several TNA candidates also accompanied Mr.Sampanthan in the election campaign.

"The TNA has put forward several demands to the government in power such as lifting the ban imposed on Liberation Tigers in Sri Lanka and enabling them to participate in peace talks through international third party mediation as the sole representative of the Tamil people freely without any constraints. Secondly, the government should talk to the LTTE only, and no parallel talks should be held with any other Tamil groups when negotiating with them. A vote for the TULF symbol 'Rising Sun' would be considered as a 'Yes' vote for this policy of the TNA. Therefore, the Tamil people should consider the forthcoming general election as a referendum and vote for the TNA," Mr.Sampanthan said.

He addressed election meetings at Muttur Navaratnam Hall, Alimsenai, Iruthayanagar, Pattithidal, Palaththadichchenai, Munnampoddiveddai, and Narayanapuram onTuesday. On Wednesday, meetings were held at Manalchchenai, Peruveli, Mallikaitheivu and Kanguveli.