Leader of the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), Ven. Omalpe Sobitha Thero, today slammed the insufficient response from the country’s responsible leaders regarding the resolution adopted at the Northern Provincial Council for a federal solution, which he termed as a “grave situation”. 

He stated that while the Western Provincial Council had adopted a resolution against the NPC resolution the rest of the Provincial Council in Sri Lanka have shown no similar “backbone.” 

The Venerable Thero stated that not only other Provincial Councils, even the Central Government should give its reactions to the said resolution.

He charged that this “separatist idea” is not coming from within the Tamil people and that it is the need of the leaders of Tamil political parties who are pursuing their own ”narrow political goals.”

The JHU leader claimed that the Tamil people do not have any “special issue” in this country. The Tamil people also feel the same “hunger” as the people in the South and have the same employment issue, he said. 

JHU Spokesman Western Provincial Councillor Nishantha Sri Warnasinghe, addressing the same press briefing, charged that while they are being labeled “racists” for speaking up regarding this matter no one is calling the NPC Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran a “traitor.”

“Certain individuals have once again started to label us as racists for their own cheap popularity and narrow political benefits.” 

“None of them have come forward to denounce or oppose the resolution. This has become a fashion. Nobody is saying that those attempting to divide the country are traitors. Nobody is calling the Chief Minister of the North Wigneswaran a traitor,” he said.