Wigi defends TNA on Maithripala

Northern Province Chief Minister C V Wigneswaran has defended the decision taken by the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) to back common opposition Presidential candidate Maithripala Sirisena at the Presidential election.

He said that while it is not important whether the decision is right or wrong even those who say it was a wrong decision have not come out openly and asked others to vote for President Mahinda Rajapaksa. “At the outset I must say that the TNA as a coalition party has made a decision to support the common candidate Maithripala Sirisena. It is not important whether their decision is right or wrong. Even those who say it was a wrong decision have not come out openly and asked others to vote for Mahinda. Of course I do not refer to the nondescripts who fawn upon Mahinda. Why I refer to this fact is because we Tamils, have been fractured and disunited, which has helped successive groups of politicians to take advantage of and decimate us. In these trying times, we must remain united. Not voting as the TNA has urged would portray us as a divided group with no political power. We have to show that we are a power to be reckoned with; that parties that come to power in the South need us to build coalitions. Voting in numbers will give us that respect and political bargaining power,” he said. Wigneswaran noted that very cogent arguments have been made by several informed groups and even two of his own councilors asking Tamils to vote according to their conscience and in opposition to the TNA call to vote for the Common Candidate. “Noteworthy is that no one is asking you to vote for the incumbent President contesting for an anti-democratic third term. In fact, my friends at the Tamil Civil Society Forum have in their recent public announcement stated that the current regime is ferociously implementing a programme aimed at destroying the collective existence of the Tamil people,” he added. Wigneswaran said that in those circumstances it is obvious that Tamils should vote against the incumbent to ensure the survival of the Tamils as an ancient and culturally cohesive group and boycotting the election, spoiling the vote or voting for a lesser candidate may not be the way to go. “People have also voiced the concern that voting for the Common Candidate is a vote for the JHU, which is opposed to sharing of power with the Tamil speaking peoples. From a legal and moral perspective voting for a candidate who stands for multiple issues does not mean that you are supportive of all the issues of that candidate. This applies with stronger force when a person is supported by a diverse group with diverse interests. No one can claim that a vote for Maithripala Sirisena is a vote for the JHU. I see this as an opportunity to engage with members of the JHU who are committed to democracy and make them understand our problems,” he added. Wigneswaran urged Tamils to vote for Maithripala Sirisena contesting under the Swan symbol and not let the undemocratic measures that the government will most likely take, discourage them.