By
Shamindra Ferdinando
General Secretary of the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) V. Anandasangaree yesterday urged the Tamil electorate to vote for incumbent President Mahinda Rajapaksa or Opposition candidate Maithripala Sirisena at the January 8, 2015 presidential election, regardless of the instructions given by the Tamil National Alliance (TNA).
Political veteran Anandasangaree emphasised that every Tamil speaking voter should decide after carefully examining the ground situation without being swayed by the TNA again. “Examine various proposals put forwarded by rival camps that can benefit the country and different ethnic communities.”
Former Kilinochchi District MP Anandasangaree was responding to a query raised by The Island in the wake of President Rajapaksa campaigning in one-time LTTE strongholds in Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu on Thursday (Dec 18).
Anandasangaree said that those living in the Tamil majority Northern Province or other areas, particularly in the Eastern Province shouldn’t under any circumstance allow the past to repeat, where the TNA decided on their behalf at the crucial presidential poll.
Responding to a query, Anandasangaree, said that the TNA had caused irreparable damage to the community by taking controversial decisions at presidential polls in Nov 2005 and January 2010. Had the TNA allowed people to decide on their own, post-war situation would have been different, the former MP said, adding that the TNA had lost its credibility the day it recognised the LTTE as the sole representatives of Tamil speaking people during Chandrika Banadaranaike Kumaratunga’s presidency.
Having squandered its right to represent the community, the TNA on behalf of the LTTE had directed Tamils to boycott the presidential poll on Nov 17, 2005, Anandasangaree said. According to him the order had been issued on Nov. 10, 2005 in Kilinochchi following consultations between the TNA and the LTTE.
Anandasangaree said that the TNA had, by throwing its weight behind war winning General Sarath Fonseka against the incumbent president at the last presidential election in January 2010, placed the community in an embarrassing situation. On both occasions, Tamils had slavishly followed the TNA. General Fonseka wouldn’t have polled so many votes, if not for the TNA intervention, the former MP said.
The TULF chief alleged that the TNA was now making a desperate bid to deceive the electorate by pretending to be consulting members of its parliamentary group as well as members of Provincial Councils and Local Government Authorities. Regardless of the stand of the majority of elected and nominated members, finally one or two persons would decide on behalf of the community, Anandasangaree explained.
The TNA comprises the Illankai Thamil Arasu Kadchi (ITAK), TULF and former Indian trained terrorist groups turned political parties, TELO, PLOTE and EPRLF. The grouping has 13 members in parliament in addition to members in the Eastern Provincial Council and overwhelming control in the Northern Provincial Council.
Anandasangaree insisted that he wasn’t taking sides at the presidential campaign. He regretted that the government had ignored his contribution as a Tamil to defeat the LTTE’s murderous ideology, he said, reminding the government that he had been high on the LTTE hit list, Anandasangaree said that the government didn’t even bother to make at least a passing reference to him during President Rajapaksa campaign tour of the Northern Province.
Anandasangaree said instead of manipulating the decision making process, the TNA should involve capable people who could make positive contribution towards the grouping and the community. Anandasangaree alleged that the ITAK had taken its place in the TNA by removing the TULF. “This was done for ITAK’s benefit and to pave the way for it to secure favours from pro-LTTE Tamil Diaspora. The bottom line is that the TNA wants to continue as the LTTE front organisation. Unfortunately, the TNA has succeeded in creating an impression that all Tamils are LTTE supporters. The Tamils are in a dilemma. The situation can deteriorate further if the TNA succeeds in taking Tamil speaking people for a ride again.”
Responding to a query, Anandasangaree stressed that those who had been living in areas under the LTTE control had suffered immensely during the conflict. In spite of propaganda carried out by the TNA and other interested parties, including some Western powers, the sufferings experienced by people of all communities during the war couldn’t be compared with post-war situation, he said.
Courtesy:The Island