Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) stated it was opposed to federalism, in response to the manifesto released by the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) this week.

JVP Propaganda Secretary and Member of Parliament Vijitha Herath told a local news paper that the JVP was against federalism. Whilst accepting that “the grievances of the Tamil people should be redressed,” Herath reiterated that “federalism is not that solution”.

He also spoke out against the merging of the Northern and Eastern provinces, as outlined by the Indo-Lanka accord, which saw the 13th amendment of the Sri Lankan constitution signed. 

“It is the JVP that went before the courts and got an order to demerge the two provinces that had been arbitrarily merged after the Indo-Lanka Accord,” Herath said.  “These two provinces should function separately,” he added.

His comments come after the release of an election manifesto by the TNA, which called for constitutional changes that accept the Tamil people's entitlement to their right to self-determination under the United Nations International Covenants on Civil political rights and Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICCPR).

"It seems that the TNA’s motive is to increase its votes,” stressed the JVP secretary, stating that it would lead to “disharmony and bloodshed."

The 13th amendment, which calls for devolution of land and police powers to provincial councils, has been rejected as a starting point for a solution to the ethnic conflict by all Tamil political actors including the Tamil National People’s Front, the Tamil National Alliance and the Chief Minister of the Northern Province.

(With inputs from Tamil Guardian)