SLFP asks JVP to apologize to nation over its terrorist acts

By Sandun A Jayasekera

The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) yesterday called on the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) to tender an apology to the nation for the atrocities committed in 1971 and 1989 – 90 period and also an assurance that the JVP would not resort to terrorism once again. 

The senior vice president and media advisor of the SLFP, Prof. Rohana Lakshman Piyadasa told the media that the JVP has sacrificed nearly 100,000 lives of youth and civilians in two insurrections in early 70s and late 80s in a bid to grab power through terrorism and added at the second insurrection in late 80s alone, 60,000 youth and civilians were brutally killed by the JVP and the law enforcement authorities.
“We have memories as to how the JVP activists killed innocent civilians in cold blood only for being a member of another political party, a member of the Armed Forces or the Police. We cannot forget how popular cinema idols like Vijaya Kumaratunga, artistes and radio journalists like Premakirthi De Alwis, Sagarika Gomez and Thewis Guruge, academics like Prof. Stanley Wijesundara and a large number of politicians, bhikkus and thousands of innocent people were killed only because they held a different viewpoint or political ideology to the JVP,” Prof. Piyadasa said.
The two insurrections have vastly contributed for the underworld to raise its head and create a fear psychosis among the people, he charged.  

“We have no doubt that the JVP cannot come to power in a democratic way by winning an election. They think the failure to incite violence and create a blood bath were a weakness,” he said.

Under these circumstances, what is the guarantee that the JVP would not return to violence if and when they fail to win at least a few number of seats in the forthcoming elections. The JVP is still to admit the responsibility for its atrocities committed in the past and tender an apology to the nation. Therefore, I challenge the JVP to give an assurance that they would not resort to terrorism in the event of their failure at the forthcoming polls,” Prof. Piyadasa stressed. 

• “We have memories as to how the JVP activists killed innocent civilians in cold blood only for being a member of another political party, a member of the Armed Forces or the Police