COLOMBO: Sri Lanka's minority Tamils could become victims of the current political turmoil in the country, the main Tamil party's leader told foreign diplomats here on Tuesday.
"We told them if the current state of affairs continues there could be serious consequences," R Sampanthan said as 14 of the Tamil National Alliance's 16 parliamentarians attended the meeting with Colombo-based diplomats.
The TNA said it stands solidly behind ousted premier Ranil Wickremesinghe who still claims he is the lawful prime minister.
Last month, President Maithripala Sirisena in a controversial action sacked Wickremesinghe and replaced him with ex-president Mahinda Rajapaksa as premier, plunging the island nation into political chaos.
Wickremesinghe has demanded a floor test to prove his majority.
Sirisena's party did not cooperate with parliamentary Speaker Karu Jayasuriya to hold the floor test.
TNA has said Sirisena's October 26 sacking of Wickremesinghe and his November 9 decision to dissolve Parliament to hold a snap election were both illegal actions.
The TNA supported the legal action on Sirisena's move as the Supreme Court issued an interim order annulling Sirisena's gazette which dissolved Parliament.
The case is to be heard early next month.
Monday's Parliament session was conducted peacefully even though the House was later adjourned till November 23, 10 minutes after its opening.
Last week, Sri Lanka's Parliament witnessed unprecedented violence as lawmakers threw furniture and chilli powder at each other after Rajapaksa lost a no-trust vote.
The political imbroglio has created much uncertainty with work in state institutions being hampered.
Sirisena last week urged top bureaucrats to carry on as usual.
Wickremesinghe's United National Party has warned officials that carrying out "illegal orders" from an "illegal" government could spell trouble for them.