The Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) leader Mano Ganesan has proposed to Tamil party leaders about the need for the establishment of a Tamil MPs Caucus in the Parliament of Sri Lanka. Ganesan has written to ITAK president Mavai Senathirasa, TELO chief Selvam Adaikalanathan MP, DPLF leader D. Sidhdharthan MP and TMK secretary C.V.Wigneswaran MP. Ganesan said that his colleagues in TPA Palani Thigambaram MP and V. Radhakrishnan MP are in favor of such a forum.
Ganesan welcomed the efforts of the government and international development partners in addressing the current economic crisis and subsequent revival of the economy.
But the national question, the root cause should also obtain equal attention. TPA Leader further said that he has three reasons behind this exercise.
One, express the collective desire of the Tamil people to settle down within undivided Sri Lanka sharing wealth and power as co-stakeholders of national sovereignty as Sri Lankans.
Two, commence collective dialogue with all the national political parties and also reach out to the Sinhala community leaders and organizations, beyond politicians.
Three, collectively request the international community and development partners of Sri Lanka to use their good offices with GoSL to insist upon the later to stand by the respective international commitments.
Ganesan also said he doesn’t see the proposed Caucus should engage in discussing political solutions of the Tamil-speaking people. “It is too technical”, Ganesan said. “That should be the responsibilities of respective political parties with the mandate of the respective people”.
He said there are basic variations between the political aspirations of the Tamils of the north and east, the Hill Country Tamils and Muslims. The caucus should only prepare the ground for such talks.
Ganesan said he foresees the Tamil MPs caucus not be a mono-ethnic apparatus. Progressive-minded Sinhala MPs also can be invited to take part as observers and associates of the Caucus.
However, he said all depends on the responses he anticipates from Tamil parties. If there is no such positivity forthcoming, he will not proceed.