Jaffna people grieved by the advertisement of Diaspora activists

Jaffna people had expressed their dissatisfaction and grief regarding an election advertisement in more than one news paper, with the photographs of some Diaspora activists, quoting them as saying that, electing Sumanthiran is a historical duty of Tamil people.

The photographs of sixteen persons including, Prof. Joseph Chandrakanthan, Fr. Emmanuel,  S.Sivathasan,T.Rajeswaran, Prof. Cheran and Suren Surenthiran were published yesterday (14.08.2015) in Uthayan, Valampuri and Thinakural  and they had quoted as saying, “ We request that you vote to TNA in the election to be held on 17.08.2015.”  and “ we request you that, it is your historic duty to elect Sumanthiran, who is well versed in Law, politics  and proficient in Tamil, English and Sinhala  languages and is efficient.”

The Jaffna people who had expressed several opinions, had also  expressed their dissatisfaction and grief.

Tamil Diaspora society collectively is being a grand support to the people of the home land. It entails that they act with  impartiality and neutrality. While pointing out that, above all, it is not proper to support a particular candidate  of a particular party, individually, raised questions regarding on what basis they have said it a historical duty to elect Sumanthiran.

When in 1956, the Sri Lankan Government passed a Sinhala Only law and insisted that the Tamil Employees must gain proficiency in Sinhala, several persons resigned their jobs in protest against the insistence of the Sri Lankan Government. And they are living among us even now. In this context we are perturbed over the Diaspora activists saying that we should elect Sumanthiran just because he is proficient in Sinhala, they had said in expressing their concern.

A retired Professor of the University of Jaffna who wished to keep anonymity expressed his sorrow, saying  that,  in a context, where the kins of the homeland had placed such an enormous affection and honour on the the Diaspora kins, these kinds of irresponsible acts of a few will cast hate on the Diaspora Society collectively.