Govt. uses various factions to incite racism and extremism again: JVP charge

The Government is using various factions to incite racism and extremism again instead of meting out justice to the victims of the Easter Sunday attacks, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) charged today.

JVP MP Vijitha Herath told a news conference that some factions standing for the Government are obstructing investigations pertaining to the Easter Sunday attacks.

“Some factions of the Government have started an attack targeting the Archbishop. It is a threat to national reconciliation. It is an obstruction in directing the investigation in the right direction. People question the Cardinal who personally intervened in the issue. He is helpless and without answers before the people today. Therefore, he has intervened in the issue again. He is being attacked by various factions now. Some saw Cardinal’s intervention was a plus point those days, attacking his views today,” he said.

He said this was not an issue of the Catholics alone, but an issue concerns all Sri Lankans.

“This is an issue of national security and therefore it is important to prevent such an attack in the future,” he said, adding that despite all these, the Government was trying to deviate the issue towards another direction.

The MP said they appreciated the President’s assurance at the UN General Assembly that he would not allow violence of terrorism in the country again. However, he should put it into practice in the country.

“The President’s speech in New York and the statements made in the country by using various factions are contradictory. Steps should be taken to put the assurance given at the UN General Assembly a reality in the country. Investigations should be conducted to ascertain who masterminded the attack and what their motives were and legal action should be taken against the culprits instead of deviating the issue by provoking racial groups in the country,” he said.

He said they urged the Government not to shatter the hopes of the Catholic community by making rousing statements and dragging them into clashes.(Ajith Siriwardana)