Namal criticises TNA

Opposition MP Namal Rajapaksa today criticised the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) for failing to fulfil the aspirations of the Sri Lankan Tamil community in the north, warning that the weak northern economy would lead to social unrest in the area.

In a statement, Namal said that within the past four years, the TNA had only been bowing to the whims and fancies of the UNF government and had been working for their own individual gains.

Many of the TNA MPs had even failed to visit the common man in the north to address their issues, Namal alleged.

"I am saying this while I’m in the north, not just for election campaigning, but also to continue listening to the troubles of the public here and help them in whatever way possible. In fact, it is shocking to see that the TNA, despite being seated in parliament, have failed to work for the Tamils, especially in the north and have been working hand in glove with the UNP since 2015 only for their own gain," he said.

"This was evident when a group of people protested against TNA members, when the party held their central committee meeting last Sunday in Vavuniya. Protesters said the TNA had failed, with this government, to trace their loved ones who went missing during the war and when the TNA leaders attempted to leave the area without meeting these Tamil people, they were trying to attack. Later these same TNA members said these group of protestors had no 'missing people' which makes us question, then why the TNA keeps claiming there were several missing people in the north to which the Rajapaksas have to be blamed for," Namal said.

Namal, who recently had a series of tours to the north and met with the people in the area further said that the Jaffna International Airport, which was "haphazardly and very hurriedly declared open by the UNP last month", and the Killinochci sports complex which has been "ill-maintained since its opening," exposes the disrespect that the UNP and TNA have for the Tamil people.

"The airport is not of international standards and comes to a halt every time it rains due to the runway being flooded and it’s posing a grave threat to any airline. The Killinochchi Sports Complex has a swimming pool filled with moss and has not been maintained for the children to use", he alleged.

"It is disappointing that despite having great economic potential, the north has remained as one of the most underdeveloped provinces under the UNP, whose ministers were busy covering up the bond scam, misleading the public with exaggerated FDIs and sorting the power struggles within them."

"Today, the TNA has once again pledged its support to NDP presidential candidate Sajith Premadasa despite publicly declaring in 2017, that the Sri Lankan Tamil people were losing its patience with the UNP government. Obviously patience was running thin when ministers such as Mr Sajith Premadasa virtually did nothing to assist the people of the north despite being the Minister of Housing for 4 years."

"In fact, today the TNA declaring its support to Mr Premadasa is questionable as to whether there has been a financial transaction involved as they seem to have clearly ignored the fact that Mr. Premadasa is the son of Ranasingha Premadasa who was the prime minister at the time of the JVP insurgency when Sri Lankan Tamils were tortured and killed, and who was later blamed for not taking any action to prevent the clashes."

"The TNA, being the so-called voice of the Tamil party seems to have forgotten all that they stand for."

"What is even more shocking is that TNA MPs such as M.A Sumanthiran, after declaring their support to Mr Premadasa openly admitted that their decision was made based on who should be defeated and who should not win. Not for any other reason. Mr. Sumanthiran's justification is nothing but absurd exposing their cunning ways in which they mislead the Tamil people by falsely assuring them they would work for their betterment but instead make decisions based on their personal egos."

"It is high time the TNA stop their false pretence of caring for the Tamils because they are far from that. Sri Lankan citizens in whole have no future under the UNP or parties such as the TNA who have their personal agendas to work for and show no patriotism towards the nation," Namal said.