COLOMBO: Without explicitly naming any political party or leader, the UK-based Global Tamil Forum (GTF), has clearly indicated its support for President Maithripala Sirisena, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and opposition to former President Mahinda Rajapaksa in the run up to the crucial August 17 Sri Lankan parliamentary elections.
In a statement highlighting the vital issues at stake for all Sri Lankans, the GTF said on Saturday that it “strongly” urges the Tamil people and all Lankans to do their “historic duty” by voting for parties and candidates with the main objective of consolidating the “progressive changes and gains” made during the “recent” past.
“The presidential election of the 8th January 2015 was a turning point in the recent political history of Sri Lanka where the voters overwhelmingly rejected the undemocratic, corrupt, intolerant and violent political culture practiced at that time,” the GTF said.
“These changes were recognised and welcomed across the major capitals of the world, and it is the duty of all responsible Sri Lankan citizens to ensure that these tenuous beginnings are consolidated without giving any chance for their reversal,” it added.
TNA’s Role
Casting its lot with the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), the GTF said that the TNA has earned the recognition and respect of the Tamils, the representatives of other communities in Sri Lanka and the key international players including India, by carefully and consistently articulating the concerns, grievances and aspirations of the Tamil people and through their several, overwhelming election victories in the recent past.
“GTF works closely with TNA as the elected representatives of our people, and our partnership has been crucial in some of the diplomatic initiatives and achievements made in our adopted countries as well as at international institutions such as the UN Human Rights Council,” the statement said.