Insight By Sunil Kumar For Lanka Web

Dec. 15th. 2020

While it seems far fetched  that Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Leader, Member of Parliament R. Sampanthan has informed a group of journalists in the Northern Province, according to a media report, that since his Party was not affiliated to the proscribed terror group, the LTTE, no one could either intimidate or ban them locally. -This seems  somewhat far fetched as it was a well known fact that at the time of the internal armed insurrection of the Tamil Tigers the TNS were openly supportive of the LTTE and had no qualms about maintaining their support, at times quite arrogantly, which they deny today.

This was why many law abiding citizens were somewhat. surprised that the TNA were permitted to run for office and eventually  entered parliament.They have always been suspected of their agenda towards resurrecting the LTTE through their surreptitious actions and rhetoric and today when they deny this it seems unacceptable as they could still pose a threat to National Security.

The TNA Leader made these remarks in response to comments by Minister, Retired Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekera, who had called for the proscription of the former’s Party with valid reason given their track record and past actions relative to their support of the LTTE.The Minister quite obviously knew his facts and why he made these comment with justification.

MP Sampanthan added, his Party having entered the democratic political mainstream had not only elected people’s representatives to Parliament but also had elected members to the NPC and other local political bodies.But this argument holds no water as being elected  to Parliament by the wrong people for all the wrong reasons has been a distinct possibility where they should have been prevented from contesting in the first place once again citing their past track record which they now attempt to sweep under the carpet.

Sampanthan has stated that quote ,”the TNA had also built relations with several nations overseas and stressed no one has the right to proscribe such a political party” end quote. As for this statement it is a matter of conjecture as the so called supporters are mostly sympathizers from Tamil Nadu and the global Tamil diaspora who have not given up hope of eventually resurrecting the LTTE. where there is evidence of this even within Sri Lanka today through certain actions carefully monitored by the Government in predominantly Tamil areas.

It is also noteworthy that the Governmant of India has also called for the continuation of the ban on the LTTE as  terror group. Case in Point !