By C.Y.P. RAM, UNP COLOMBO DISTRICT ORGANISER AND FORMER MEMBER WESTERN PROVINCIAL COUNCIL Courtesy Ceylon Today

Party leaders and Parliamentarians who represent the minority Tamil and Muslim communities have failed in their duty, which is to achieve the aspirations of the community they represent.

Plans to form a Tamil and Muslim conference by them is not going to serve the purpose of achieving the intended rights of the minority Tamil speaking community of our nation.

 The persons who had identified themselves as leaders of Tamil parties and the representatives of minority Tamil speaking community have been with the ruling party supporting it throughout for the last four and half years. They had all the opportunity to bargain with the ruling party and submit their proposals regarding the new Constitution, which they have failed to do so. But after wasting all these years, they are now talking about forming a conference to solve the aspirations of the Tamil community which seems to be a joke.

Today the masses are highly knowledgeable and groomed with their basic education and they are aware of what is happening in this country.

 Therefore, they cannot be fooled anymore and the representatives who represent the minority communities should be honest to their voters and if not they will have to face the consequences at the future elections. For many years they have been joining hands with the Government in power to promote and strengthen their political parties and also promote their personal needs and not the needs of the people, which the masses are aware of. 

All the parties, including the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), Sri Lanka Muslim Congress, Estate Workers Congress, Tamil  Progressive Alliance (TPA) had been supporting the present Government even at times when they were under pressure to overcome the No Confidence Motions, put forward by the Oppositions. While these representative were supporting the Government during bad times, they had enough opportunities to bargain with the Government to fulfil the demands of the minority communities in which they have failed.

 In a press statement, Tamil Progressive Alliance Leader Mano Ganesan has said that The United National Party and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party are the main reasons for stopping the making of this Constitution. His statement is not acceptable, and he cannot put the blame on the UNP alone and he should realise that he is also part of this Government. He has also stressed in his statement that TNA leader R. Sampanthan also had made a statement in this regard to the Government asking it to fulfil the promises given to the international community in regard and resume the formulation of the Constitution. These are only announcements made to please the innocent Minority Tamil speaking community.

Without accepting their lapses and setbacks, Tamil Progressive Alliance leader Mano Ganesan should not blame the UNP alone for these impediments. The leadership of TNA also should take the blame for not making use the opportunities they had to demand for the rights of the minority community. 

TNA only enjoyed all positions and perks and ultimately they could not even safeguard their opposition leadership as well, which is very sad and discouraging. Now it is too late and it has been the same story all the time and these representatives ultimately have failed to contribute productively taking into consideration the rights and needs of the community they represent.

 I am sure the masses will decide intelligently to elect the right leaders in the future to represent them and these politicians will have to pay for what they have done.

By C.Y.P. RAM, UNP COLOMBO DISTRICT ORGANISER AND FORMER MEMBER WESTERN PROVINCIAL COUNCIL