ITAK, DTNA mount joint protest against PTA

The Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kadchi (ITAK) and the Democratic Tamil National Alliance (DTNA) have joined forces to protest against the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). This joint initiative came about after a meeting between the two parliamentary blocs at the residence of Suresh Premachandran, a prominent leader of the Eelam People’s Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRLF). ITAK General Secretary, M.A. Sumanthiran, was among the participants in this gathering.

The primary aim of this protest is to garner public support and to explore opportunities for collaboration within local government bodies. The pair also deliberated on the upcoming Northern Provincial Council elections, the political climate in the southern region of the island, and strategies to enhance the political rights and welfare of the Tamil people.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake took office with the intention to abolish the PTA, yet his administration has introduced a replacement bill in Parliament that the United Nations Human Rights office argues perpetuates the shortcomings of the original law. Sumanthiran emphasized that there should be no concessions regarding the total repeal of the PTA, asserting that the new legislation should not be considered a replacement for the old one.

Currently, the PTA remains in effect and is actively enforced. Recently, a former Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) member, who had been deported from India, was apprehended upon his arrival at the Bandaranaike International Airport. The decision by ITAK and DTNA to embark on this joint protest underscores their determination to confront the ongoing challenges surrounding the PTA and to push for the rights of the Tamil community.