Sri Lankan Tamil party puts conditions to join unity government

Sri Lanka's main minority Tamil political party Monday said they will consider joining a national unity government in Sri Lanka only if Tamil issues are addressed.

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has been consistently calling for a political solution following the end of a 30-year war between Tamil Tiger rebels and the Sri Lankan military in May 2009.

Previous governments had failed to finalise a political solution and the new government led by President Maithripala Sirisena, which came into power last month, is now considering forming a national unity government following parliamentary polls scheduled to be held after April.

"If the government invites us, we will first have to reach an agreement on various issues, including the human rights concerns. Only if the government can reach a solution in the Tamil issue, will we consider joining the proposed national government," TNA Spokesperson, Suresh Premachandran told Xinhua news agency.

President Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe had last month arrived at an understanding to form a national unity government soon after the parliamentary polls in April.

President Sirisena said there would be a national government at least for the next five years as this would create a new political culture in Sri Lanka.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe had also publicly announced last week that the entire Sri Lankan parliament would be included in the new government after the April elections and maintained that ministers would not be from one party alone.