Govt. should take the responsibility of the killings – JVP

2 killed in shooting at JVP meeting

Saturday 16 of June 2012

(Lanka-e-News-16.June.2012, 3.30PM) The government that has made ruling the country by repressing the masses and maintains underworld gangs should take the responsibility of the murder of two persons at the JVP meeting held at Katuwana says the JVP and adds that the JVP is not prepared to take permission from thugs to engage in its politics. This was stated by the General Secretary of the JVP Tilvin Silva at a press conference held at its head office today (16th). Mr. Silva said they demand the government not to fabricate stories but to arrest the assailants immediately. Two persons have been killed when a meeting held by the JVP at Katuwana in Hambantota District was shot on yesterday. A group that had arrived in 4 motorcycles has carried out the shooting. At the time the Member of the Central Committee of the JVP Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa and several others had been on the stage. The dead are the owner of the house where the meeting was held and another woman. Several others have received serious injuries. Speaking further the General Secretary of the JVP said, “The meeting held by the party at Handiwatta area in Katuwana yesterday at about 7.00 p.m. was attacked by an armed gang of thugs riding motorcycles that shot indiscriminately at the participants with T-56 rifles. Edirimannage Malani, a member of our party and 17 year old Nimanthe Heshanthe were killed in the shooting while 7 motorcycles, 3 three wheelers and a Dimo lorry were damaged. Underworld gangs maintained and manipulated by the government are constantly terrorizing and intimidating people in Beliatta, Walasmulla, Katuwana areas. During the time of elections the situation escalated. The JVP, without being intimidated, continued its politics as in other areas. We do not have any necessity to engage in our politics with permission from thugs and those who manipulate thugs. We have the democratic right of engaging in our politics in any part of the country. As Madamulana area is having security of large contingents of police and other security personnel there is no opportunity for anybody who doesn’t have state patronage to ride with T-56 rifles like in Hollywood films and kill people or smash vehicles and others’ property. The meeting at Katuwawna was held yesterday with the participation of Provincial Council Member Comrade Nalinda Jayatissa. There is no possibility for any other group to commit such a crime. There is such high security around Medamula Walawwa and adjacent areas. Hence, diverting the responsibility of the heinous act on others is a futile act. We demand the government to arrest the perpetrators immediately. However, even before any complaint was lodged in the police the Director General of the Media Center for National Security stated that the incident was due to an inner struggle of the JVP. We state with responsibility that the government statement that the incident was due to an inner struggle of the JVP or was an act of the group that left the party is similar to the act in the proverb ‘the bunch of plantain jumping the fence before the thief.’ The government is attempting to protect the real murderers. This should be stopped immediately. All the anti-government thug gangs have been eliminated and only thugs maintained by the government exist at present. Those politicians who maintain these gangs are behind these murders. Hence, the government is responsible for these murders. If no legal action is taken against these murderers we would carry out a massive campaign locally as well as internationally. These murders are not an isolated incident. It is another stage of the repression carried out by the government. Roshen Chanaka from Katunayake who agitated for his rights was murdered. Antony Fernando, the fishermen who agitated against the increase in fuel prices was shot dead.The journalist Lasanthe Wickremetunga was murdered. Journalists who could not live in the country left the country. The government has made assassination of its rivals using police, security services and unofficial gangs of murderers its policy. The murders at Katuwana are only one in the process. We wouldn’t believe that this would be the last such incident. The perpetrators have been recognized and complaints have been lodged with their names and addresses. Despite there are many eye -witnesses they are reluctant to give evidence due to fear. The people in the area know these underworld characters well. As such, they live in fear. We would carry out agitations throughout the country to defeat the murderous political culture carried out by the government in the area. We emphasize that all those who cherish democracy and human rights should come forward now. We will launch a massive protest and agitation campaign against the murderous political culture of the government on the 19th in Colombo and carry out a series of agitations throughout the island. The JVP would pressurize the government until action is taken regarding complaints made to the police. The continuous repression carried out by the government of Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa, who constantly talks about democracy, should be ended. We would like to point out that revealing the truth without allowing distorted news to be published is an absolute duty of the journalists. The government does not care the human rights accusations aimed by other countries. The government’s policy is to present reports to the USA and other western countries and evade the issues. Hence, a massive resistance should be developed from within the country. Democracy and human rights are rights of the masses. Without rallying against violations the undemocratic path of the government cannot be stopped. Large numbers of police and security personnel have been deployed in the area after the murders at Katuwana. This has intimidated the people in the area. The attempt by the government to protect murderous gangs by spreading untruth should be defeated,” said Mr. Silva. The Member of the Political Bureau of the JVP Anura Dissanayake too was present.