Sri Lankan Tamil parties unite through joint framework

An agreement was reached among representatives of Tamil-speaking political parties who met recently to establish a common platform to discuss shared concerns, exchange views, and seek consensus on issues affecting their communities.

While recognising that each party retains the freedom to maintain and advocate its own position on matters of policy and politics, participants agreed that the platform would serve as a mechanism to identify areas of common interest and pursue collective advocacy where possible.

The meeting reached consensus on three key issues.

One issue being on the new Constitution, the representatives emphasised that the government had committed, through its election manifesto, to introduce a new Constitution. The parties agreed to make a united call for the fulfilment of this promise and stressed that any new Constitution should provide the maximum possible devolution of powers within a framework that ensures justice, equality, and meaningful power-sharing.

Secondly, the meeting noted that the government indicated that Provincial Council elections would be conducted within one year. Concern over continued delays and collectively called for the elections to be held without any further postponement was discussed.

Thirdly, all parties to the agreement were concerned on land issues affecting all communities. The participants acknowledged that serious land-related issues continue to affect all three communities across the country. They agreed that these longstanding concerns must be addressed satisfactorily, fairly, and through meaningful engagement with affected communities to ensure durable and equitable solutions.

The representatives reaffirmed their commitment to continued dialogue through this platform and expressed hope that a common approach on these issues would contribute to reconciliation, democratic governance, and the protection of the rights of all communities in Sri Lanka.