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The JVP has sent a letter to the European Commission's(EC) Election Observation Mission requesting them to correct the incorrect comment made about the JVP in their report on the just concluded election.

In the letter, the JVP refuted that EC's election report's comment that the one reason for the escalation of violence was the statement made by leader of the JVP. "A statement made by comrade Somawansa Amarasinghe was distorted by the media and was used against the JVP. We assume that it was this distorted statement that influenced in making your statement about the JVP," the letter says.

The full letter states:

"We have to specifically pinpoint to you that though most of the facts stated in your report are true, the statement you made saying that a statement made by the leader of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (The People's Liberation Front) is responsible for the escalation of violence is incorrect. You know that the total number of recorded violent incidents throughout the election campaign is 2297 and number of lives lost is 45. It is true that all those who were accused of these murders were either supporters of the UNP or the PA. No JVP supporter has been accused of any murder. It is true that during the election campaign there hasn't been any accusation of violence by the JVP. This can be confirmed by scrutinising police reports. Independent Observation Groups such as PAFFRAL also would bear witness to this.

"I must sincerely state to you that while the PA which was in power and the UNP which was seeking power were engaged, since the day of nominations, in murdering rival supporters, setting fire to election offices of rival political parties and assaulting supporters of rival parties, it was only the JVP which acted in a disciplinary manner throughout the election campaign. A statement made by comrade Somawansa Amarasinghe, the leader of the JVP who returned during the election campaign to Sri Lanka after an absence of 12 years was distorted by the pro UNP media and was used against the JVP. We assume that it was this distorted statement that influenced in making your statement about the JVP. The statement, confirming that the JVP will never take up arms, made by comrade Somawansa Amarasinghe at the Kalutara propaganda rally of the JVP also had appeared earlier in a website www.theacademic.org (Ask Somawansa) as an answer to a question. For your information I attach a copy of it.

I hope you would agree with me that this statement does not contribute to escalation of violence in any manner. There would not have been any misinterpretation of this statement if you had invited us for a discussion before reaching a conclusion. We are sorry that we could not meet you in Colombo, to explain how clean our election campaign was.

"I would like to emphasise again that the JVP during all the elections held since 1994 have acted patiently and peacefully even when its members and supporters were being attacked, assaulted and murdered. Many voluntary organisations will bear witness to this. Even during this election campaign the JVP had to bear with the violence of the UNP and PA. The incidents against the JVP were 88 in number. We emphasised earlier that we as a party were able to restrain our members in getting involved in violence. It was we who truly mediated in curbing the violence in the country. Especially we denounced the escalation of violence, appealed to the general Public to get involved and issued a statement to that effect by the Political Bureau of our party on 02.12.2001. Also on 28.11.2001 we wrote to the various religious dignitaries in the country including the Maha Nayakas of various Buddhist chapters appealing to them to mediate in bringing down the escalating violence. We appealed to the then Prime Minister and the leader of the Opposition by the letters of 28.11.2001 to stop their party members from getting involved in violence. Also in the letter dated 17.11.2001 we appealed to the Inspector General of Police to do everything possible to curb violence. That's how we did our utmost to work against election violence.

"Thereby you would realize that it was incorrect to state that the JVP too was responsible for the violence which was unleashed by the supporters of the UNP and the PA. We do understand that you have made this comment not with any malice. But we would like to state that the presence of such inaccuracies in your report would tarnish the image of our party. Therefore we would be very much obliged to you Sir, if you would correct this inaccuracy about our party in your report. Lastly we would like to state that we would be too willing to render any assistance to you to arrive at the truth regarding this mater and also would be very glad to discuss with your representatives regarding the same.

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