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Tamil Lawmaker to Lead Opposition in Sri Lanka Tamil Lawmaker to Lead Opposition in Sri Lanka
(35 minutes later)
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — An ethnic Tamil lawmaker was officially selected to lead the opposition in Sri Lanka’s Parliament on Thursday, becoming the first member of the island nation’s largest minority to hold the post in more than three decades.COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — An ethnic Tamil lawmaker was officially selected to lead the opposition in Sri Lanka’s Parliament on Thursday, becoming the first member of the island nation’s largest minority to hold the post in more than three decades.
The speaker of Parliament, Karu Jayasuriya, recognized the 82-year-old Rajavarothiam Sampanthan of the Tamil National Alliance as leader of the opposition during a legislative session.The speaker of Parliament, Karu Jayasuriya, recognized the 82-year-old Rajavarothiam Sampanthan of the Tamil National Alliance as leader of the opposition during a legislative session.
Mr. Sampanthan’s party emerged as the largest opposition group after parliamentary elections last month, with 16 seats in the 225-member chamber. President Maithripala Sirisena’s United People’s Freedom Alliance won 95 seats, but formed a coalition with Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s government after the vote on Aug. 17. Mr. Sampanthan’s party emerged as the largest opposition group after parliamentary elections last month, with 16 seats in the 225-member chamber. President Maithripala Sirisena’s United People’s Freedom Alliance won 95 seats, but it formed a coalition with Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s government after the vote on Aug. 17.
Addressing the unicameral legislature as only the second Tamil opposition leader since Sri Lanka attained independence from Britain in 1948, Mr. Sampanthan pledged to work with other parties to provide an effective counterweight to the current government.Addressing the unicameral legislature as only the second Tamil opposition leader since Sri Lanka attained independence from Britain in 1948, Mr. Sampanthan pledged to work with other parties to provide an effective counterweight to the current government.
“We will oppose the government on all issues where it is necessary. We will support the government in all issues where such support is justified,” he said. “We will be loyal to this country and the people of this country.”“We will oppose the government on all issues where it is necessary. We will support the government in all issues where such support is justified,” he said. “We will be loyal to this country and the people of this country.”
Analysts said that his appointment marked significant progress in the efforts at reconciliation between the Tamils and Sri Lanka’s majority Sinhalese population after a bloody 26-year civil war ended in 2009. Analysts said that his appointment signaled significant progress in the efforts at reconciliation between the Tamils and Sri Lanka’s majority Sinhalese population after a bloody 26-year civil war ended in 2009.
“It sends a powerful message,” said Gehan Gunatilleke, research director at the think tank Verité Research in Colombo, the Sri Lankan capital. “Ethnic relations have improved notably since the 8th of January,” he said, referring to the date of the election this year in which the former president Mahinda Rajapaksa, known for brutally crushing the Tamil rebellion, was defeated. “It sends a powerful message,” said Gehan Gunatilleke, research director at the think tank Verité Research in Colombo, the Sri Lankan capital.
“Ethnic relations have improved notably since Jan. 8,” he said, referring to the date of the election this year in which Mahinda Rajapaksa, the former president known for brutally crushing the Tamil rebellion, was defeated.
The Tamil National Alliance, a coalition of moderate Tamil parties, has taken up the cause of equal rights for the minority since the civil war ended. Mr. Gunatilleke said that Mr. Sampanthan’s appointment would bring the Tamil National Alliance into the political mainstream, encouraging its members to view issues through a broader, national lens.The Tamil National Alliance, a coalition of moderate Tamil parties, has taken up the cause of equal rights for the minority since the civil war ended. Mr. Gunatilleke said that Mr. Sampanthan’s appointment would bring the Tamil National Alliance into the political mainstream, encouraging its members to view issues through a broader, national lens.
But Sinhalese-dominated opposition parties will have to work with Mr. Sampanthan’s party, a task that could prove difficult given Sri Lanka’s history of ethnic conflict. Mr. Rajapaksa is from a hard-line faction of the United People’s Freedom Alliance that rejects the unity government and has declared itself to be in the opposition. The faction opposes the Tamil National Alliance’s calls for greater devolution of power to the north and east of the country, where most Tamils live, and for an international investigation of allegations of war crimes during the final stages of the war. But Sinhalese-dominated opposition parties will have to work with Mr. Sampanthan’s party, a task that could prove difficult given Sri Lanka’s history of ethnic conflict.
Mr. Rajapaksa is from a hard-line faction of the United People’s Freedom Alliance that rejects the unity government and has declared itself to be in the opposition. The faction opposes the Tamil National Alliance’s calls for greater devolution of power to the north and east of the country, where most Tamils live, and for an international investigation of allegations of war crimes during the final stages of the war.
“The greatest opposition to Mr. Sampanthan will come from within the opposition ranks,” Mr. Gunatilleke said.“The greatest opposition to Mr. Sampanthan will come from within the opposition ranks,” Mr. Gunatilleke said.