JVP demonstrators condemn Muttur violence

[TamilNet, Friday, 25 April 2003, 15:02 GMT]
The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), a Sinhala nationalist opposition party in Sri Lanka that espouses radical Marxism, held a demonstration Friday afternoon at Lipton Square, in downtown Colombo, condemning the violence in Muttur in the East against Muslims and demanding that Norwegian monitors should be ‘thrown out’ of the country to safeguard the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the island, sources said.

The demonstration commenced soon after the Friday Jumma prayers. Though organized by the JVP, some Muslims from the Muslim section of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party and the Muslim United Front, including JVP Parliamentarian Ms. Anjana Umma and Western Provincial Governor Mr.Alavi Moulana participated in the demonstration.

Several Buddhist monks, including the President of the National Bhikku Front, Ven. Kalavalgoda Chandaloka, shouted slogans against the Prime Minister, Mr.Ranil Wickremesinghe, and Minister Mr.Rauff Hakeem, who is also the leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress, saying the two leaders are helping the LTTE to divide the country. The monks said that the security of the Muslims in the East was at stake as the government had failed to take steps to control the ‘illegal’ activities of the LTTE and this had been ‘proved’ by the Muttur violence.

Demonstrators were seen holding placards alleging that the Norwegian peace monitors are 'puppets' in the hands of LTTE, sources said.