Disarray has once again surfaced within the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK) over the endorsement of a presidential candidate. A five-member subcommittee appointed by ITAK’s Central Working Committee has unanimously decided to back Sajith Premadasa, issuing an official statement to that effect. However, MP S. Sritharan, a key figure in ITAK’s Central Committee, has openly declared that he does not support Premadasa.
The party held meeting yesterday (16) morning in Vavuniya, where the Central Committee reached a final agreement. ITAK leader Mavai Senathirajah, who had previously supported incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe, confirmed the party’s backing of Premadasa.
In the ITAK committee’s statement, the five leaders called upon the Tamil people to vote for Premadasa, with MP M.A. Sumanthiran delivering a passionate speech yesterday in Jaffna, outlining why Premadasa deserves their backing. They emphasised that voters from the North and East would play a decisive role in this election and urged Tamils across Sri Lanka to ensure their votes count as stakeholders in selecting the next president.
However, MP Sritharan reiterated that he does not endorse the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) candidate or any other, including Ranil Wickremesinghe or Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
MP Sritharan recently travelled to the United Kingdom to raise funds for the Tamil common Presidential Candidate, P. Ariyanethiran. As such, it is evident that Sritharan would not back Sajith Premadasa. Sritharan stated that he favours a common candidate representing the Tamils, as Tamil aspirations and rights are the primary concerns for the people of the North and East.
Regarding a political settlement and economic upliftment for the North and East, Sritharan stressed that these issues are critical to the Tamil community.
The ITAK statement by Sumanthiran and the others noted that the SJB manifesto includes constitutional reforms, such as the enactment of the 13th Amendment, though ITAK has expressed concerns about the prominence given to Buddhism in the Constitution. ITAK maintains that resolving the ethnic issue and addressing Tamil aspirations, including a federal system, are essential proposals they have reiterated to all three leading presidential candidates.
Once the Presidential Election concludes, priority must be given to a new Constitution that addresses and resolves the Tamil political issue. It is vital that Tamil-speaking people – including Tamils, Upcountry Tamils, and Tamil-speaking Muslims are considered and united in this process. ITAK has consistently emphasised that the 13th Amendment cannot be regarded as the final solution to the Tamil national problem.
However, since the 13th Amendment was introduced into the Constitution with India’s intervention, it must be implemented as promised, according to ITAK’s statement.
Sritharan mentioned that during the initial round of discussions with ITAK’s Central Committee, he had submitted a written request that no decisions be taken regarding Premadasa’s candidacy until he returned. He then left for the UK after lodging his concerns.
“I told them (ITAK) to wait until I returned. Meetings could be held, but no decision should be made. ITAK’s General Secretary, Sathyalingam, assured me of this,” said MP Sritharan. “I even met the current ITAK leader, Mavai Senathirajah, who also agreed that no decision would be made on which candidate to support. However, despite these assurances, in August, a central committee of six members was formed, and they too, did not make a decision. But, suddenly, a decision was taken to support Sajith Premadasa. On whose authority was this rushed decision made? I have made it clear that this decision is neither final nor clear, and thus, I reject it.”
“We want to back someone who genuinely cares about the Tamils and their aspirations. My stance over the past three months has been to support a common candidate, one who reflects the wishes and concerns of the Tamil people. Even today, at the meeting, I emphasised this point. I told the Central Committee to endorse my statement that I do not align with the five members supporting Premadasa,” Sritharan continued. “Not only have I not endorsed Premadasa, but I have also not endorsed Ranil Wickremesinghe or Anura Kumara Dissanayake. I have consistently supported the idea of a common candidate and no one else,” he added.