Sri Lanka- Ponnambalam tells Parliament Tamil Nation must be recognised

2020-08-21 06:19:45

(MENAFN- Colombo Gazette) Leader of the Tamil National Peoples' Front (TNPF) Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam told Parliament today that the Tamil Nation must be recognised.

Speaking during the debate on the Government's policy statement presented to Parliament yesterday by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa , Ponnambalam said that the mandate given by the Tamils in the North and East at the last Parliamentary election was for Tamil rights to be recognised.

"Tamil rights means that our identity has to be recognised. That there are two Nations that exist in this country," he said.

He said that Tamils must have equal rights and equal status and constitutional amendments must be made recognising the right to self determination.

"This was unanimously expressed in the last election in the North and the East," he said.

Ponnambalam said that the mandate given by the Tamils cannot be violated.

He also demanded accountability for alleged crimes committed during the war.

Ponnambalam said that no country can hide behind the concept of sovereignty and avoid ensuring accountability. (Colombo Gazette)

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