JVP, JHU boycott Independence Day celebrations

[TamilNet, Friday, 04 February 2005, 18:29 GMT]
Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), the powerful ultra Sinhala nationalist Buddhist monks' party in Sri Lanka's Parliament, boycotted Friday's Independence day celebrations organised by Chandrika Kumaratunga's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government, ven. Ellawala Madhananda Thera, the Head of the JHU, told media Friday. Another significant player absent in Friday's celebrations was the marxist extreme Sinhala nationalist party, Janatha Vimukti Peramuna (JVP).

The Head of JHU said that even after 10 months of coming to power, the UPFA has failed to fulfil the "nationalistic pledges" it gave Sinhala people.

Accoring to the JHU Head, there is no pride or joy in celebrating Independence Day, when the whole country was "on the verge of being sold to foreign powers and taken over by the LTTE."

He accused the government of failing to take adequate measures to assist the tsunami victims.

JVP Ministers and parliamentarians were notably absent in the celeberations in Colombo, diplomatic sources said.

The JVP did not inform the reason for its absence, the sources added. JVP was in the organising committee for the Independence Day celebrations, sources said.