Lanka's main Tamil party demands greater devolution of power in north

Colombo: Sri Lanka’s main Tamil party TNA will start a non-violent struggle from January to seek full implementation of the 1987 Indo-Sri Lanka Accord to achieve maximum devolution of power in northern areas. [caption id=“attachment_658902” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Image for representation only. AFP[/caption] The parent party of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kadchi, passed a resolution to this effect during its national convention held over the weekend in the northern town of Vavuniya. Among the 15 resolutions passed, was an action plan to commence a non-violent struggle from January next year to press for the demand of full devolution of powers as envisaged under the 13A amendment that came about as a result of the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord signed in 1987. TNA will also appeal to all progressive forces in the international community, including India, to come forward and support their struggle. Accusing the Sri Lankan government of trying to obliterate ethnic, religious and cultural identities of the Tamil people, the resolution states, “We appeal to India and the international community to take urgent steps to halt these genocidal actions of the government.” On the international investigation into alleged war crimes in Lanka, the resolution urges the Tamil people to place evidence before the inquiry. The TNA was formed in early 2004 as a loose coalition of moderate Tamil parties and they control the northern provincial council after its landslide win in last year’s first ever provincial poll in the Tamil-dominated north. PTI