“At the outset we must defeat this journey which is being carried out by thugs to threaten and attack people’s protests. If not you, as journalists, will be threatened by gangs of thugs. Journalists will not be able to cover a social crime. People will not be able to put forward their just views.
Hence, we ask Gotabhaya Rajapaksa is this how you create discipline and enforce one law in the country? ” the Leader of the JVP Anura Dissanayake asked. He was addressing a media briefing held today (29th ) at the head office of the JVP. Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, Member of the Central Committee of the JVP was also present
Speaking further the JVP Leader said, “This government and President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa have become the government and the leader who were disliked and opposed by the people within a short period of time. various social groups response against the pressures they face and intervene to solve the problems they face. However, the government sometimes uses the police, sometimes the CID and gangs of thugs to suppress the just protests and demands of the people.
Recently, those who write various articles on social media were pursued, arrested and detained. The government tries to intimidate the people by not allowing them to write or express anything against it. The government has taken a number of such measures in the recent past. On the other hand, police are deployed to carry out protests and carry out attacks. A peaceful fishing protest was attacked in the Modara area. The Express Pearl ship caught fire and the fishermen lost their only livelihood. Also, fisher-folk are suffering due to the increase in oil prices. During the protest, people were abducted and the police were deployed to carry out the attack. Police cracked down on student protests against the militarization and privatization of education. We also saw police breaking into homes at night and abducting social activists who were presenting various facts. The government is trying to crack down on those who expose their frauds, corruption and crimes.
The culmination of this was carried out on the 27th at the Rideemaliyadda in Mahiyangana. All government politicians from top to bottom are wasting and stealing public property and destroying public wealth. Such an example has been done in the construction of a road at Rideemaliyadda. This is a road built according to the programme of constructing 100,000 rural roads. Public tax money is used for these. Therefore, it is very important for the people to be aware of how that money is being spent. The villagers said that the road had been built without proper standards and the road had been built in an unsafe condition. The road is lined with empty barrels instead of sidewalls. As a result, the whole road collapses. The money allocated for the side wall has been misappropriated and empty barrels have been put as side walls. People took to the streets and said, “Life is in danger – build a side wall.” A bus fell into a precipice and a large number of lives were lost due to the dangerous condition of the Passara road. This is an issue related to the lives of citizens. That is why the villagers took to the streets to protest. Only a thief can find fault with such protests. Our organizer for the Mahiyangana electorate, former Provincial Councilor Comrade Balagalla went to see that side wall. You may have seen gangs of thugs attacking the protest, kicking and pushing him against a vehicle and threatening. The Chairman of the Rideemaliyadda Pradeshiya Sabha accompanied the group of thugs. With the gang of thugs were the youths recruited under the 100,00 jobs programme. These thugs came in the vehicles of the Pradeshiya Sabha. It was this group that attacked the villagers. Innocent citizens of the villages are attacked when they stand up for their just cause. Shouldn’t the law be enforced against this criminal act? This is a group that thinks that a country can be ruled by thugs and tyrants from top to bottom. Gotabhaya Rajapaksa’s mentality is to rule the country by intimidating the people, intimidating public servants and intimidating Central Bank officials. The Chairman of the Rideemaliyadda Pradeshiya Sabha is also implementing the example of the President.
The law should be implemented immediately in this regard. Many of these chairmen are representatives of gangs of thugs in the area. Local smugglers. They lead all illegal activities, including sand mining and logging. This chairman is a contractor. The contractor is the chairman of the local council. This shows the biggest tragedy in the politics of our country. Thugs, criminals and fraudsters are in the highest positions in the people’s agencies. Comrade Balagalla lodged a complaint with the Rideemaliyadda Police regarding this. The villagers have also complained. About ten people have been arrested so far but the leader of the thugs has not been arrested. This is also a play. When a social protest arises, he/she is arrested and taken to court. He gets bail from the court, lights firecrackers and goes home. Such a culture is being created in our country. These thugs should be arrested and the law enforced properly. A protest is being held in front of the Rideemaliyadda Pradeshiya Sabha today demanding this. We must defeat at the outset of this march that thugs are threatening and attacking the protests of the people. Or you, as a journalist, will be threatened by gangs. Journalists will not be able to cover a social crime. People will not be able to come up with their own idea. Therefore, we ask Gotabhaya Rajapaksa to create discipline and enforce one law in the country. Is breaking into villages with thugs the discipline of Pradeshiya Sabhas of Gotabhaya Rajapaksa’s chairmen? Most of the Pradeshiya Sabhas the SLPP the chairman of the Pradeshiya Sabha holds power and President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has the top leadership. As such, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa should tell the country what political decision would be taken regarding them. If Gotabhaya Rajapaksa does not approve of the attack on the villagers, the law should be enforced through the police and a political decision should be taken against the thugs. A country with one law, cannot be just a sentence. What decision, as a political party, would be taken regarding the thugs including the chairman? Gotabhaya Rajapaksa is the President nominated by the SLPP. A thug who was a candidate of the Rideemaliyadda Pradeshiya Sabha of that party is now the Chairman of the Pradeshiya Sabha. The political decision taken regarding him should be explained to the country. We tell the people that the actions of thugs against just protests and fair rallies should be defeated. I invite everyone to join us. We are ready to exert all pressure to enforce the law for this. We emphasize that defeating this gradually growing repressive program is a great responsibility of us as a political movement and of you as citizens and journalists of this country.”
