Sumanthiran reports no progress in talks with Ranil

Talks between the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and President Ranil Wickremesinghe ended inconclusively, TNA spokesman, Parliamentarian M.A. Sumanthiran, said.

Sumanthiran said the issues concerning the disappearances of Tamils, lands taken over by the state, in Tamil areas, and the release of Tamil political prisoners, had figured during the talks, which made no progress.

TNA members met President Wickremesinghe, on Tuesday, as part of his declared resolve to secure an agreement on the broad contours of a settlement, by Independence Day, on February 4.

“We discussed all problems but no progress to report today,” MP Sumanthiran said.

The MP added that despite several assurances, the government was yet to take any action, with regard to solving the issues, faced by the Tamil community, presented by the party.

He said that although discussions had been held on the issues of missing persons, political prisoners and the release of lands, and the procedures through which each of these issues may be resolved, the matter still stands at the same place where it was before the said discussion.

The TNA parliamentarian stated that during the meeting, the party representatives had also provided solutions to achieve a successful separation of powers issue pursuant to the constitution, however, these, too, did not receive a proper response.

“They said that they would get back to us, within a week, on the matter. We have decided that if they get back to us within a week, we would hold another meeting. Although we previously decided to meet again in around four days, however, due to the current conditions, there will be no meeting over the next few days”, he said.