President Anura Meets with the ITAK
20-Nov-2025.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has assured members of the ITAK that steps toward delivering a political solution through the new Constitution will commence in early January.
The ITAK representatives expressed dissatisfaction during the meeting with the President yesterday, stating that the government has not yet fulfilled the election pledge given in the manifesto regarding a political solution for the Tamils.
ITAK Deputy Leader C.V.K. Sivagnanam and General Secretary M.A. Sumanthiran had written to the President in September requesting time for a meeting to discuss the matter.
Based on this request, a meeting was held at 1:00 p.m. on November 19 at the Presidential Secretariat. Present were Presidential Secretary Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumaranayake and, representing the TNA, Deputy Leader C.V.K. Sivagnanam, General Secretary M.A. Sumanthiran, Parliamentary Group Leader S. Sritharan, MPs P. Sathiyalingam, R. Sanakiyan, G. Srinesan, K.S. Kugathasan, E. Sreenath, K. Kodeeswaran, and T. Ravikaran.
The meeting, which lasted about ninety minutes, focused primarily on the issue of a political solution for the Tamil people.
Referring to the election manifesto of the National People's Power, Sumanthiran pointed out that although promises were made regarding a political settlement, no steps had yet been taken to implement them, expressing strong dissatisfaction.
He also recalled that during previous constitutional reform attempts, the JVP-led Steering Committee had accepted 14 out of 16 proposed principles on power sharing, highlighting the need to resume work based on those principles.
Sritharan noted that former Presidents J.R. Jayewardene and Mahinda Rajapaksa both had the opportunity to deliver a solution but did not do so. He stressed that the current President, who commands a two-thirds majority, must utilise this opportunity to deliver a meaningful political settlement.
In response, the President assured that attention will be given to the matter and that steps toward implementation would begin in January.
Sumanthiran then noted that the manifesto also promised to conduct pending elections within this year. In response, the President stated that by conducting the local government elections, 50 percent of that promise had already been fulfilled.
However, concern was expressed that Provincial Council elections had still not been held. The ITAK representatives also raised issues concerning the full implementation of the 13th Amendment, including land and police powers.
Responding, the President noted that questions remained about the appropriate method for conducting Provincial Council elections and that reforms to the preferential voting system also needed examination. Nevertheless, he assured that steps would be taken to hold Provincial Council elections as soon as possible.
The meeting also discussed the fisheries issue. When the problem in Mullaitivu was raised, the President assured he would visit Mullaitivu to investigate it. Issues such as the release of illegally acquired lands, justice for families of the forcibly disappeared, and ensuring accountability were also highlighted. Additionally, each MP briefed the President on problems in their respective districts.
