Sri Lanka's Tamils drops demand for separate state

• Print
• Email

Updated March 16, 2010 11:51:41

In Sri Lanka, the political party closest to the defeated Tamil Tiger rebels has dropped its demand for a separate state. The Tamil National Alliance or TNA was generally seen as a proxy for the now-defeated Tamil Tiger separatists. But 10 months after the rebels' defeat, the TNA is changing its outlook saying it wants power-sharing with a federal structure. The TNA's also called for two Tamil majority provinces to be merged back into one with significant devolution of powers on issues like land and taxes.

Presenter: David Chen
Speakers: Dr Pakiasothy Saravanamuttu, Executive Director, Sri Lanka's Centre for Policy Alternatives; Dr Sam Pari, Australian Tamil Congress

• Listen:
• Windows Media

• Gitmo undermines the US rights message in Asia: Amnesty
• 'Second Chance' for Bangkok slums
• Rudd praises Indonesian cooperation on asylum seekers
• India's PM decries national shame of malnutrition
• Debate over Australia's easing of sanctions against Burma
• Japan agrees to release anti-whaling activists
• Anwar Ibrahim to go after democratic reforms
• PNG leader rejects calls for resignation