TNA wants UNP to release political prisoners | Daily News

TNA wants UNP to release political prisoners

Ranil says he does not have the power to do so

The high-ups of the United National Party (UNP) and the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) categorically denied last morning signing any secret, private or political agreement between them at Temple Trees necessitating the full implementation of the 13 Amendment, releasing ex-LTTE cadres from prisons, or withdrawing Army from the North.

TNA MP Charles Nirmalanathan yesterday said they had but discussed their problems with UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe.

“We discussed particularly releasing our people’s lands from military occupation, freeing those political prisoners held in government custody, and being vested with more governing powers to the Northern and Eastern Provinces,” Nirmalanathan said.

“We never signed any agreement with the UNP,” he said.

Nirmalanathan said Wickremesinghe told them that he does not have powers to release political prisoners, but the President has.

The TNA member said, “the President had not acceded to our request for releasing the political prisoners for the past three and half years.”

Asked whether the TNA had pressed conditions on the UNP to extend its support to the current political scenario, he replied in negation stating that they did not present such an agenda.

Asked how was it on the political side of things in terms of the Constitution that had been prepared at the Parliamentary Select Committee level, Nirmalanathan said those provisions had been drafted by a Committee of Constitutional experts.

“We told UNP that the Constitutional provisions related to devolution power to the Tamil people, which was prepared by Parliamentary Select Committee and the Constitutional experts had to be implemented to address the problems of the Tamil people,” he said.

Wickremesinghe had reportedly told the TNA MPs that devolution of power had to take place within an undivided country.

“It was complete falsehood to say that we agreed upon any terms that will lead to any division of the country, there was no such document,” he said.

United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) MP S, B, Disanayaka said on Tuesday that the UNP as it stands today is dictated by the TNA.

“TNA MP Sumanthiran is dictating terms on the UNP,” he said.

“The TNA has offered its support to the UNP because Wickremesinghe had agreed to their terms,” he said, “he will agree with anything and anyone to stay in political power.”


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