Tamil National Alliance Member of Parliament Sampanthan today wrote to the Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa on appointing a non-Tamil speaking District Secretary to Jaffna, in which he says the appointment as ‘undemocratic.’
“As you are aware more than 95 % of the population in Jaffna is Tamil Speaking. All 10 Members of Parliament are Tamil Speaking and is the same with other institutions,” Sampanthan wrote.
He further said that posting a Non Tamil speaking public Official as District Secretary and Government Agent to Jaffna District will seem inappropriate and that it would also be undemocratic.
“Interaction by the public with the senior most district official both verbally and in writing will be more effective if the official is Tamil speaking. Moreover, when the government is contemplating the enactment of a new constitution, restructuring powers of governance enabling the maximum possible devolution in the area of historical habitation of the Tamil speaking people in the North East,” Sampanthan said.
He said that such a step will be counter-productive and not welcomed by the people. “In these circumstances, I have to earnestly request you to kindly review any such proposal and post to the Jaffna District as District Secretary / Government Agent a senior competent Tamil speaking public official,” he said.
