President Maithripala Sirisena’s double standards on the Tamil issue was evident today when the President’s Media Division (PMD) revised a press release on Deepavali celebrations held at the President’s House.
In the first version of the press release sent by the PMD today, President Sirisena was quoted saying his strong determination to resolve the issues faced by the Tamils in the North and the development of the region remained the same.
The statement also said that Sirisena acted with great responsibility with regard to the issues faced by the people in the North and that he decided to change the Prime Minister due to the latter’s failure to find solutions to their ongoing problems.
Furthermore, President Sirisena had stated that 90 percent of the land held by the security forces in the North had already been released and instructions have already been given out to release the lands belonging to temples, churches and places of worship in the North.
The Maithri-Mahinda faction had previously announced that they would consider the release of Tamil political prisoners in the North in an attempt to get the support of the Tamil National Alliance to legitimise their government.
However, the second press release, sent again after about ten minutes with the title ‘Deepavali Celebration – Edited News’, had conveniently omitted Sirisena’s remarks about the release of lands, Tamil political prisoners, development in the Northern province and the current political situation.
The second press release only highlighted President Sirisena’s remarks on Deepavali and that of national unity.
Sources within the media division said that the two press releases sent minutes apart clearly indicates President Sirisena’s double standards with regard to the Tamil issue.
However, the sudden removal of issues like the release of lands and political prisoners from the second press release, which were included in the first press release, intimates whether the reversal of such pledges to the Tamil community was scrapped due to the TNA’s rejection and non-recognition of the Maithri-Mahinda government.
Link to story on the first press release:
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