The Tamil National Alliance (TNA), one of the few main political parties which attended the meeting summoned by Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa at Temple Trees today said that its decision to attend was to clearly indicate that the Party is prepared to extend its co-operation to the resolution of issues in a reasonable and acceptable manner in the interests of the Country and all its People but emphasized that this was not a substitute to reconvening of Parliament.
The statement signed by the four constituent parties of the TNA was handed over to the Prime Minister at today’s meeting.
“We wish to emphasize that the meeting summoned by you is not and cannot be a substitute for convening the Parliament. We are of the firm view that the Parliament must be convened as stated in our joint statement to deal with several constitutional and legal issues that have arisen, which Parliament alone can deal with,” the TNA said in the statement.
It said the country and the people are in a situation of grave crisis due to several factors including the coronavirus pandemic which has been gradually escalating and much more needs to be done to eradicate it completely from the country.
“There is a legitimate fear amongst the people that it could further escalate with grave consequences and the Country’s united efforts are needed in this regard,” the TNA said.
The statement was signed by Leader, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Sampanthan, Leader, Ilankai Thamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK) Mavai Senathirajah, Leader Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization (TELO) Selvam Adaikkalanathan and Leader, People’s Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE) Dharmalingham Siddathan.