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Last Updated : 2024-03-29 15:14:00
Launching the much-hyped political campaign Eluga Thamil (Tamil Spring) by his Tamil People’s Council (TPC) on Saturday, Chief Minister of the Northern Province C.V. Wigneswaran said that the campaign was neither against Sinhalese nor Buddhism nor the government nor the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK), but it was a campaign to press for solutions to the problems faced by the Tamil people.
Speaking to a large gathering at the Jaffna Mutraveli ground following a procession that marched from the Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil and the Jaffna University Mr. Wigneswaran explained the objectives of the Eluga Thamil campaign.
"The campaign has three objectives, one is achieving a political solution for the problems faced by the people living in the North and the East, secondly stressing the need to merge the Northern and the Eastern Provinces and the third to bring about a stop to the Sinhalese colonisation and building of Buddhist temples in the North and the East,” he said.
All shops in Jaffna had been closed and the public transport had been stopped in support of the campaign on Saturday.
Wigneswaran stated that he demanded the construction of Buddhist temples be stopped not because he was opposed to Buddhism, but it makes a great impact on the culture of the Tamil people living in the region.
"It is only through a federal system of governance that peace and prosperity in the country could be reached. That is the reason for our demand for a federal system with Police, land and finance powers being devolved to us. This has to be accepted by the international community. Without doing these, it is no point talking about good governance or Constitution making," the former Supreme Court judge said.
He questioned as to what the reason was for the delay in releasing the political prisoners, while posing another question as to what steps the government had taken so far in respect of war crimes.
"Why do you settle Sinhalese in this area? What is the solution for the land problem faced by the northern people?" he queried.
Mr. Wigneswaran observed that the only way for the Tamils and the Sinhalese could live together peacefully was establishing a proper system of governance in the north and the east, respecting the rights of the people living in those two provinces.
PLOTE leader D. Siddharthan, Tamil People’s National Front Leader Gagendrakumar Ponnambalam and EPRLF leader Suresh Premachandran also participated at the event.
However, none of the leaders of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) or the ITAK were present. (Romesh Madushanka)
Chandana Sunday, 25 September 2016 05:31 PM
You are right. Your beard is not against your face.
Truth be Heard Sunday, 25 September 2016 05:46 PM
Are you joking Mr.Wig?????Just look at the placards that people were holding in the rally..
Bandu Sunday, 25 September 2016 05:53 PM
What is wrong in erecting Buddhist statues in North and East. Aren't there any Tamils who are Buddhists. Aren't there any Hindu kovils in other part of the country. What is wrong in settling Sinhalese in north and east, aren't there Tamils in other part of the country. You are misleading the Tamil community for the sake of gaining votes. This is what all the Tamil politicians did in the past. Ultimately there will be a clash between the communities again. Please do not do this for the sake of gaining votes for your personal gain.
Ravi Sunday, 25 September 2016 06:07 PM
Sir, What you say is correct. But sinhalese people will not understand. They always take it as communal. See what Minister Ruwan has said in today. They need communal-ism to survive.
Leo Sunday, 25 September 2016 06:13 PM
The protest March is mainly to merge the North and the East under one electorate so that the TNA governing potion would be larger. All the solution talk of the Tamil people is nonsense. Another pover greedy politicean using the grievances of the Tamil people to fulfill his personal agenda. via DM Android App
Dave Sunday, 25 September 2016 06:33 PM
What is the right CV has to talk about Sinhalese colonisation in Sri Lanka? Where else Sinhalese has the right to colonise apart from our own motherland?Authorities must act now to stop CV who is igniting communalism among Tamils in North
Ganesh Monday, 26 September 2016 02:27 PM
Colonization has been opposed because it is with an agenda to change the demography and the cultural heritage of Tamils by the governments since 1956 . However Sinhala individual who as a citizen can settle in any part like Tamils in ihe other provinces due to their needs not with hegemonic attitude. Let us first understand this
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