Statement issued by East Lanka Front For Democracy

The Decision given by the Supreme Court has recognized the democratic right of the Eastern People of multi ethnic communities.

According to the Indo- Srilanka Peace Accord enforced in 1987 both Northern and Eastern provinces were merged administrative wise. This amalgamation was established through a special Gazette proclamation issued by the then Executive President Junior Richard Jayawardhana. The need of the amalgamation was insisted then on the basis of the unanimous demand made by the armed movements operated in the North and Eastern provinces and by the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF). The strength which was established by the propaganda stating that the North and Eastern provinces are the traditional home land of the Tamils created an impact in Tamil Nadu and as a result of this India stood forward and contributed to establish this amalgamation.

For the Government of Sri Lanka this amalgamation was a necessity at that time, to make the Tamil youths, give up terrorism which was spread among them. Meantime the Government also agreed to the merger on the basis of the expectation that the majority Tamil and Muslim people who live in the East would also be in support of this amalgamation. Several sub clauses were incorporated in the agreement to ensure that their expectation should not be contradictory to the political aspirations of the citizens of the Eastern province and it should not be disregarding their democratic rights. Following are the sub clauses:

It is remarkable that the amalgamation between the both provinces was limited as a temporary arrangement only for one year.

· After one year; only the referendum that will be held among the people who live in the East , to decide whether or not the merger to continue.

· After one year if the situation does not permit to hold referendum, again the President can renew this temporary amalgamation through special Gazette announcement once in every year.

Accordingly this temporary amalgamation has been renewed since 1987 up to now by the President. This amalgamation between the provinces has been imposed on the Eastern Province people by the top authorities without getting the approval of the Eastern People. That’s why relevant security arrangements have been incorporated in the sub-clauses in order to assure the political rights of the people who live there, in the passing of time. The reason for this is that there is no political situation to hold a referendum and to know the wish of the Eastern people regarding the amalgamation. In the continuous years too the abnormal situation prevailed in the country has refused the opportunity to the Eastern people to reveal their democratic rights. Here we’d like to point out that because of this, the self-determining right of the Eastern People has been neglected for nearly 18 years by all sides and also it cannot be declined that the East Lanka People had been forced to live by surrendering their future to the Jaffna domineering political leadership. In this context our demand is that the People of the East should be provided with their fundamental rights which were snatched by ambiguity of law.

From the time our Front has expressed its firm stance that freedom should be given to Tamils, Muslims, Sinhalese and Burghers who live in the East to decide their political destiny jointly by themselves.

In this context , we reckon that the decision given by the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka is an important one, ruling that the amalgamation of North and Easter , imposed on the people who live in the East Lanka , is unlawful.

Accordingly we, the East Lanka Front for Democracy wholeheartedly welcome this decision given by the Srilanka Justice as it ensures the democratic rights of the multinational people who live in the East.

East Lanka Front for Democracy

17-10-2006
E-Mail - kilakku@hotmail.com