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Tamil MPs ask Colombo to begin talks with LTTE

By V. S. Sambandan

COLOMBO, APRIL 8. In a show of political unity, all 20 MPs from the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), have urged the Sri Lankan Government to start talks with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) as the "sole and authentic representatives'' of the Tamils.

A statement signed by the MPs, including five from two eastern districts, Batticaloa and Amparai, where the LTTE is run by the former military commander, V. Muralitharan (`Col.' Karuna), wanted the negotiations to be held "for setting up an Interim Self-Governing Authority (ISGA) for the North-East'' on the basis of the LTTE's proposal.

In addition to four political parties which form the TNA — the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Katchi, the All Ceylon Tamil Congress, the Tamil Eelam Liberation Organisation and the a wing of the Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front — several LTTE nominees, who were named before the LTTE's split on March 3, also contested the election on the TNA ticket. An equal number of MPs — 10 each from members of the four political parties and the LTTE's nominees — have been elected to Parliament. In addition to the 20 MPs, the TNA won two national list MPs based on the total votes secured, taking the final figure to 22. The names of the two national list MPs are be announced shortly.

The five MPs from the two eastern districts, who were named by `Col.' Karuna to contest the polls, have also signed the statement, which was issued after a meeting held in Colombo.

According to reports, these five MPs have been asked by `Col.' Karuna to talk on issues relating to the economic development of the two districts in Parliament. With Parliament yet to convene and the MPs yet to take oaths, media reports here suggested that these five MPs would function independently.

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