Minority parties to form common platform

Colombo, July 13 (Daily Mirror) - A number of Tamil-speaking political parties representing the Tamil and Muslim communities in Sri Lanka have decided to form a common platform to address issues faced by the two communities, it was announced today.

The All Ceylon Makkal Congress, Ceylon Workers' Congress, Democratic Tamil National Alliance, Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi, Sri Lanka Muslim Congress and the Tamil Progressive Alliance announced their decision to form the platform during a joint media conference.

Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) leader Rauff Hakeem said the platform is not a communal-minded political alliance. 

"We are not anti-government or pro-opposition, but our effort is to find solutions to common issues faced by the Tamil-speaking communities in Sri Lanka," he said.

The Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) leader also expressed similar sentiments and said the collective will strive to resolve land issues affecting the Malayaham (up-country Tamil) community and ensure that the Government treats all communities equally as Sri Lankans.

"The collective will come to a common position on issues wherever possible, but the parties will be allowed to maintain their own positions if there is no agreement."

The Acting General Secretary of the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK) said the collective will primarily strive for a new Constitution with maximum devolution of powers, the resolution of land issues and addressing majoritarianism.

"We will also lobby for the holding of Provincial Council elections, as pledged by the National People's Power (NPP) in its manifesto," the ITAK said.

It was also highlighted that the collective will not be an electoral alliance.

"What we are trying to achieve is the long-standing demand for a common voice for minority parties," M.A. Sumanthiran said.

Asked about initiating a dialogue with other parties such as the All Ceylon Tamil Congress (ACTC) led by Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam, the Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP) led by former MP Douglas Devananda and independent MP Ramanathan Archchuna, Sumanthiran said there is a possibility of such a dialogue in the future.