02 January, 2009 - Published 17:33 GMT

Bring in political solution - TNA

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has called on the authorities to bring in a political solution if the government is genuine in winning the hearts and minds of Sri Lankan Tamils.

TNA parliamentarian Chandrakanthan Chandraneru told BBC Sandeshaya that Tamil people will not gain anything from government capturing territory from the LTTE.

He was responding to President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s announcement that government troops captured the former LTTE political headquarters, Kilinochchi.

The security forces re-captured the eastern province from the LTTE in 2007.

“Everybody says that the east is currently an open prison. People cannot freely walk around in the east. Tamil people fear that same will happen in the north,” the MP told BBC Sinhala service.

Mr. Chandraneru stressed that the war will continue, unless a political solution is provided, despite Sri Lanka troops capturing key strongholds from the LTTE.