Secretary General of the Democratic Peoples Front (DPF) Dr. Kumar Guruparan said that it seems the USA and its Ambassador designate to Sri Lanka, have put pressure on the government, to hold elections to the Northern Provincial Council.
He said that India was also pressuring the government to hold elections, but the government was taking it as a challenge and not going to hold an election in the near future.
Dr. Guruparan said that theoe sentiments, though not coming from the Presidential Secretariat, came from Minister of Mass Media and Information Keheliya Rambukwella, who had commented that the government was not scared of pressure being brought upon it by USA and India.
Ministers like Wimal Weerawansa and Champika Ranawake, who are partners of the UPFA government, says that because of the pressure from USA and India the government cannot hold elections, Guruparan said.
He said that it will ultimately deprive the democratic rights of the Northern Province people to have a Council in which they will enjoy devolved powers. He further said that the government must give priority to the democratic rights of the Northern, who are also Sri Lankan citizens and conduct elections.
By Lal Gunesekera
http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=54369
