Senior Janatha Vimukthi Party (JVP) member K D Lalkantha said only his party and one other led by extremist Sinhala monks are responsible for defeating “separatist terrorism” as he boasted of “ending” the island’s conflict “through war,” a day after Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day
Addressing former military officers in Ratnapura during a party meeting, Lalkantha credited the JVP for mobilizing “ideological warfare” whilst the security forces took up arms.
“You waged the struggle because it was clear who the enemy was, you cannot wage war without an enemy,” he told the audience.
“There are only two political parties in Sri Lanka, which frankly said that this must be ended through war,” he continued.
“Not the SLFP, not the UNP, not the SLPP. Only the JVP and JHU said that we must finish this by war and there is no other solution.”
A day after Tamils marked 15th anniversary of genocidal crimes by SriLanka's state armed forces, KD Lal Kantha, a senior leader of JVPSriLanka/NPPSLOfficial claims credit for mobilising mass support for the war, while addressing ex-military officers in Ratnapura District. pic.twitter.com/HvWEL7O9OG
— JDS (@JDSLanka) May 19, 2024
The JHU is a party led by extremist Sinhala Buddhist monks, who have frequently made racist remarks and pushed hardline policy.
“There are only two political movements in Sri Lanka which created the idea that separatist terrorism must be finished off by war,” Lalkantha said. “We both waged wars; we waged an ideological war and you did that with weapons.”
Lalkantha’s remarks just a day after commemorations took place across the North-East to mark Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day. Tamil families are still reeling from the horrors of the genocide, with more than 169,000 people still unaccounted for.
Last year, Lalkantha told a rally that he was prepared to join an armed struggle if needed. “There have been various attempts at armed struggle,” he told a rally in November. “I too have been part of armed struggles. If needed, I’m also ready to join one anytime. But that’s a separate discussion.”
