Claiming that nothing progressive has taken place with regard to the issues faced by the Tamil community and estate workers under the leadership of President Ranil Wickremesinghe, Opposition Parliamentarian and Tamil Progressive Alliance Leader Mano Ganesan said that the former should “walk the talk” concerning the same.
Speaking to The Daily Morning, Ganesan said that the President has been making various statements from time to time that he would take steps to resolve the issues faced by the Tamil community and estate workers. “Wickremesinghe has been talking a lot to local and foreign media about this matter. He even said that he would resolve the Tamil national issue by Independence Day (4 February). Nothing progressive has been done. So, I tell him to walk the talk without merely making statements.” He also said that the Wickremesinghe led Government had not paid attention to the issues faced by the estate workers, particularly in the upcountry areas. “There are many underprivileged and undernourished families among the estate workers. Various surveys have proven it. We have requested the Government to ensure that such families are included in the social security beneficiaries’ lists, but it is not happening. This is very unfortunate. Can the Government not understand that there is no way for them to survive?,” he queried.
President Wickremesinghe had been pledging to resolve the issues faced by the Tamil community, particularly in the North and the East, and the estate sector workers. The frequent issues that they face include the detention of certain individuals under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act, the occupation of their lands by the military forces and the non-implementation of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. The President also had several rounds of discussions with Tamil MPs regarding the resolution of such issues.