Kilinochchi liberation: End of LTTE terrorism - Somawansa

INDIKA POLKOTUWA

The decisive victory gained by the Security Forces in liberating Killinochchi signalled the end of LTTE terrorism said, JVP Leader Somawansa Amarasinghe. If Ranil Wickremesinghe's Ceasefire Agreement was still in force we would have been living in a divided nation today, he said.

Amarasinghe was speaking at a JVP inaugural rally in support of party candidates contesting the Central Provincial Council elections held opposite the Kandy Central Market on Monday. Amarasinghe said Killinochchi was the administrative and political nerve centre of the LTTE and the Security Forces had toiled hard sacrificing life and limb to liberate the area.

By this victory the Forces had proved that the LTTE was not an invincible outfit, a view held by the JVP from the very inception.

Amarasinghe said it was the JVP which prevailed upon the President and the Government to continue the war. However, this was not a proper time to conduct elections. The JVP would challenge this Government to conduct elections after implementing the 17th Amendment to the Constitution.

The JVP would never leave room for anyone to negate the victories gained in the war front. Although attempts were being made to decentralise power through the APRC the Government had not received a peoples mandate to do so. He said the JVP was the only party capable of leading the country on the correct path. The UNP would never raise its head again.

JVP General Secretary Tilvyn Silva said the JVP wished to congratulate the Forces on the Killinochchi victory.

It was a victory gained by the people of all communities.

Although some claimed that the JVP was weakened the party's strength depended on its programme of work and dedication rather than the number of Parliamentarians representing it.

JVP Parliamentary group leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Kandy district Parliamentarians Dimuthu Bandara Abeykoon and Navaratne Bandara and Chief Ministerial Candidate Samansiri Fernando also spoke.