Will TNA be Part of the Solution?

By Thomas Johnpulle

(May 03, London, Sri Lanka Guardian) For the first time, the multicultural East has taken over the mostly mono-ethnic North in terms of the number of registered voters. The North has 988,000 voters and the East has 996,000 voters. This dramatically changes conventional approaches to problems in the North-East. The new reality makes it imperative to look at North-East problems from a secular point of view, not a communal point of view. People in the North-East have burning problems that must be resolved at least now. These problems have reached a desperate stage. Resolving these was put-off for almost 30 years giving the war excuse. That excuse cannot be relied upon any longer. Sadly even a year after war’s end more than a hundred thousand people from the North-East are still displaced. It took less time to resettle a larger number of tsunami displaced people.

Those seeking political solutions within the framework of regional devolution must appreciate the fact that Tamil problems in the North-East cannot be carved out separately. Not only Tamils, others too have problems in the North-East. Muslims refuse to be part of Tamil demands as can be very clearly seen from election results. There are two ways out of this quagmire. One way is to forget about race completely and resolve the problems of North-East. The other way is to address Tamil peoples’ grievances without reference to North-East. Given the multiethnic nature of today’s North-East, it is not practical to follow any other course of action.

TNA’s Paltry 28 Percent is No Mandate

Out of this desperation, some may argue to talk to anyone with the intent of finding a lasting solution. This is a political pitfall and must be avoided. There is no sense in saying the government must talk to the TNA (Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kadchi) considering the scant power of stewardship people placed on the TNA to represent them. The following table summarises the total North-East performance at the 2010 General Election.


TNA only managed to win 28% of North-East votes. Ruling UPFA, its allies and the main opposition UNP managed to win over two thirds (66%) of the vote in the entire North-East. The TNA doesn’t have a sufficient mandate from the North-East voters to adequately represent their interests.

This fact becomes even more convincing when the total mandate is considered. Only 46% of registered voters in the North-East voted. Leaving out 4% rejected votes, total votes by parties account for only 42% of registered voters. TNA votes percentage of total registered voters is a mere 12%. UPFA, its allies and UNP received double of that (27%) of all voters in the North-East.

If the national Tamil voter percentage is taken it is even more convincing. There are 2.3 million Tamil voters in the country. TNA only managed to win 10% of it! This means even on a national basis, TNA has no real mandate to represent Tamils on crucial matters. Talking to TNA as Tamil representatives mean forgetting about 90% Tamil voters’ interests.

Government should negotiate mainly with politicians of the UPFA and UNP from the North-East with or without the TNA. If TNA joins the party well and good since that will represent 100% of voters but even without it, the UPFA-UNP group represents two-thirds of voters.

The very high number of seats is irrelevant as it does not reflect the peoples’ verdict.

Impossible Stand

Lack of a clear mandate is just one problem affecting the TNA. It’s impossible stand on Tamil-Only Aspirations make it unfeasible even to encase them in a solution in the multiethnic North-East. Essentially the North-East needs a solution that is right by the Tamils, Muslims and Sinhalas. It should also be consistent with national security concerns. Fracturing the country that is united at the moment to satisfy communal demands is the worst thing that can be done which would reverse the military victory. Instead a secular, inclusive solution within the Sri Lankan value system and cosmopolitanism must be advanced.

TNA’s inability to come to table to discuss such a solution means it will be out of the negotiation process. Nothing meaningful can be negotiated with the TNA as long as it cannot agree to a solution within the framework of secularism, inclusiveness, the Sri Lankan value system and cosmopolitanism.

Such a solution is critically important because following the war’s end, people will move around the island nation at a grander scale than temporary visitors go to the north on pilgrimage. People of all races will settle down in the North-East not to mention permanent army and navy bases. Such a setting demands a cosmopolitan solution not a communalist solution.

Tamil National Alliance – the Last Communal Party?

The last parliament had a number of communal parties representing just one community with the party name carrying the race credentials. However, the JHU and SLMC withered into major parties, which is a very encouraging development. Still the TNA remains unchanged. Today it is absolutely impossible to create a ‘Tamil Kingdom’ in the North-East of the country. Times have changed and so have the demographics. It is the TNA that has been neglected by change. It’s ideology it now outdated.

TNA must admit the changes that have taken place in the North-East if it is to remain a force to reckon with in the North-East. It should shed communal demands an adopt peoples’ demands if it is to survive. TNA performed very well in the North but failed in the East. If the pro-government TMVP contested with the UPFA, TNA would have lost Batticaloa as well.

For the first time, the East has taken over the North in terms of the number of registered voters. The North has an inflated voters register with 988,000 voters and the East has 996,000 voters. The North is unfortunately less multicultural due to LTTE acts of savagery but the larger East is multicultural. When the Jaffna voters register is updated, this difference will become even more contrasting. This hints to the bleak future of the TNA if it continues to follow a communal ideology. Negotiating with such a political party as the main negotiator is not futuristic either. TNA may be a party to negotiations, but certainly not the main party.