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Mainstream
Tamil party struggling in search of itself
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Anandasangaree
loses faith in Tamil National Alliance
President of the TULF, V. Anandasangaree has strongly criticised
the move to revive the Federal party (Illankai Thamil Arasu
Kachchi) saying that it was surprising to hear about the revival
of the party and declared that he had lost faith in the Tamil
National Alliance (TNA).
Mr. Anandasangaree who is currently overseas told the BBC
Tamil service that the Federal party which is to be revived
had not functioned since 1972.
“There
are allegations that I am out of the country to avoid the
members, but that is not correct. I am only taking part in
the important foreign trips and always have been taking part
in party meetings”, he said. However I have lost faith
in the TNA and that is the reason I am not taking part in
the TNA meetings.
The LTTE
had not invited me for their meetings, and therefore there
is no need to go behind them. 'I cannot admit to claims that
there is a split in the TULF. This is mostly imagination.
There are also no disputes between the party leadership and
the members', he said.
‘“Before
we had the Central Committee meeting in July there was a rumour
that I was going to be ousted, but this proved to be false.
As far as I am concerned we need India's help and that is
the only neighbouring country which would help us in any emergency”. |
By
Chris Kamalendran
Mavai Senathiraja, who plays the dual roles of General Secretary
of the Thamil Arasu Kachchi (TAK) and Joint Treasurer of the Tamil
United Liberation Front (TULF) is spearheading the campaign to 'democratically'
isolate the one time moderate TULF from its leader V. Anandasangari
who has been repeatedly refusing to follow the instructions given
by the LTTE.
Mr. Senathiraja,
in an interview with The Sunday Times said the main reason to reactivate
the TAK was that members of the TULF believe that the leadership
was not acting in accordance with the mandate given by the people
at the last general elections.
He accused
Mr. Anandasangaree for failing to conduct the party's convention
and says that this is one of the main reasons to revive the TAK
which has been non-functional since 1972. Mr. Senathiraja is denying
allegations that he planned to revive the TAK on the instructions
of the LTTE.
Following are excerpts of the interview:
Why
have you suddenly decided to revive the Thamil Arasu Kachchi party
which has not been active since 1972?
A: Three democratic political parties joined together in
forming the TULF. These were the Federal Party, All Ceylon Tamil
Congress and Ceylon Workers Congress. Before 1977 the CWC broke
away. The TULF started off with the 1977 elections. Since the 1977
elections ACTC led by Kumar Ponnambalam contested separately though
some members of the ACTC remained in the TULF.
Is it
because the LTTE wanted to get rid of the TULF leadership that they
have instructed you to revive the Federal Party?
A: This is not true. I totally reject that.
But,
why has your decision to reactivate the party been so sudden?
A: The longstanding members of the Federal Party have had
several meetings during the past two years. As the General Secretary
of the party lots of members have been asking me to have the party
convention. The people have been writing to the TULF leadership
regarding various issues and are insisting that I convene the party
for a convention.
The Federal
party is one of the constituent parties of the TULF. One faction
of the ACTC remained with the TULF while some others led by Kumar
Ponnambalam broke away. During the time of the drafting of the constitution
a section of the ACTC remained with the TULF. The ACTC carried out
organisational activities on its own. Our party supporters asked
me why the federal party is unable to have a party convention and
maintain its own identity when even the ACTC has its convention.
The Federal party is now in the process of having consultations
to organise the convention like any other political party.
Don't
you think the TULF will be weakened by doing this?
A: Once we strengthen the Federal Party it will be more
like a gift sent to the TULF, because it would be the main constituent
party of the TULF. The Federal party members feel that as a political
party they will use their influence to guide the TULF on the correct
path. The TULF has not had its convention for the past 20 years.
Why
hasn't the TULF had a convention for the past 20 years?
A: That of course is the responsibility of the leader and
the secretary.
But,
why hasn't the party membership insisted in having the convention
?
A: For the last two years we have been agitating from within
the pary for the holding of the convention. Members of the Committee
and members of the Federal party have demanded that the convention
be held. We even submitted a motion in this regard.
When
and where was the last Federal Party convention held?
A: It was held in Mannar back in 1993. As the General Secreary
of the Federal Party I have been asked to have the convention. For
the last two years there has been a sense of increased agitation
within the TULF for the holding of its convention but as that has
failed the members of the Federal Party have begun calling for the
convention. They feel that the TULF has not been functioning properly.
Being
a senior member of the TULF haven't you insisted on having the TULF
convention ?
A: It is particularly Mr. Anandasangaree who does not want
to have the meeting. The Federal party members have the right to
agitate to have the convention.
Soon
after the election you maintained a successful relationship with
the LTTE, but later there were divisions within the TULF and it
has been toeing a different line. Apparently the LTTE has not been
happy about that?
A:
At this point I do not want to say anything about Mr. Anandasangaree.
We want to compel the TULF to have the convention and not deviate
from the mandate given to the TULF at the last elections which was,
to work for the interests of the Tamil people.
Mr.
Anandasangaree in an interview to the BBC Tamil service had said
that he had also lost confidnece in the TNA.
A: That is the real position. We feel that as the leader
he should be in a position to have the convention and get the support
of other parties to maintain the unity of the Tamil people in order
to achieve our goal. This is the biggest problem we have. The people
want the TULF to rectify this and work for the unity of the Tamils.
Who,
the LTTE ?
A: All the political parties. They (LTTE) have an understanding
with the TULF. We are not the political party of the LTTE, but we
have a mandate from the people to accept the LTTE as the sole representatives
of the Tamils. In the same way the people in the south supported
Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe who undertook to go for peace talks.
It was when the TULF leadership deviated from the original position
that the inner struggle started.
TNA
had been identified as a pro-LTTE group, but after some TULF members
refused to toe the LTTE line you decided to revive the Federal party.
Is that the position ?
A: At the General election the people had given the mandate
for the TNA to give prominence to the LTTE and have a dialogue with
the government. But during the time of the talks some members of
the TULF tried to sabotage the peace process.
Then we called the party to hold the convention and resolve the
crisis and also to strengthen the unity among the Tamils. But some
people are not interested in having the convention.
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