In a landmark interview, Tamil National Alliance and Opposition Leader R. Sampanthan said Sri Lanka's effort to rewrite the constitution would find a permanent solution to the Tamil issue.

In an interview with Hindu to mark the 30th anniversary of the Indo-Lanka accord, the TNA Leader said, "An effective substantial devolution will give people a sense of self rule, a sense of belonging to the country, and that the country belongs to them."

Claiming that India has a continuing interest in Sri Lanla, the TNA Leader, who played an active role in Tamil politics at the time of the Indo-Lanka Peace Accord's signing, said, "India's interest in Sri Lanka is not limited to economy or strategy and strongly feels that his neighbour remains committed to in resolving the Tamil issue."

"If Rajiv Gandhi had not been killed, the matter (ethnic conflict) would have been resolved."

"The Tamils' struggle for self rule had been in the political arena shortly after Independence. When the accord was signed in 1987, it was almost 40 years. The accord itself was preceded by various rounds of negotiations between the Sri Lankan government and Tamil side under the auspices of the Indian government after the riots that took place in 1983," Sampanthan said, during the interview with journalist Meera Srinivasan.

"Though the agreement acknowledged the unity and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka, it also emphasised that the autonomy of various cultural groups should be preserved. There were Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims and Burghers living in Lanka, each having a distinct culture and linguistic identity," he added.