TNA threatens to quit constitution process if terms not met

“We have a mandate from the people for a federal constitution with the merger of North and East to resolve the national question. Discussions are underway with the government on how best to come to an agreement. We cannot accept the 13th Amendment as a comprehensive power sharing mechanism,” said senior Tamil National Alliance (TNA) member Dharmalingam Siddharthan. 

“If the government abandons the idea of finding a solution for the national question, we won’t be part of the Constitution making process and would be compelled to leave,” Siddharthan was quoted as saying by Sunday Times. The report said the TNA had been pressing for power sharing arrangements in the new Constitution. 

President Maithripala Sirisena addressing a gathering in Galle on Saturday ruled out a federal solution. Referring to what he termed ‘misinformation’ carried out in the media by political opponents, Sirisena said, “My government will never agree to grant federalism in this country.”