JVP demands expulsion of Norway from peace process
[TamilNet, Tuesday, 07 March 2006, 09:15 GMT]
Wimal Weerawanse, Propaganda Secretary and Parliamentary Group Leader of the Janatha Vimukthi Permuna (JVP), Sri Lanka's powerful Sinhala nationalist "marxist" party, demanded during Tuesday's parliamentary session that Norway be stripped of its facilitator role in Sri Lanka. Accusing Norway of attempting to hold on to its facilitator role for two more years to provide diplomatic status to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and assisting LTTE towards earning international recognition for its Declaration of Independence (UDI) for Tamil Eelam, the JVP's propaganda secretary demanded immediate expulsion of Norway from the peace process, parliamentary sources said.
Wimal Weerawanse submitted a "special report" in Sri Lanka Parliament when it met Tuesday 9:30 a.m. with the permission of the presiding Speaker V.J.M.Lokku Bandara.
Weerawanse further accused Norway of trying to pave the way for the Declaration of Tamil Eelam by affording diplomatic status to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam(LTTE) with red carpet welcome to LTTE's Political Head S.P. Thamilchelvan in Norway's soil.
While questioning Norway's right to invite LTTE as diplomatic guests and branding it a mean act, Weerawanse also asked the House as to how it was possible for the Sunday Leader to publish the report about the paramilitary groups tabled by LTTE's Chief Negotiatior Anton Balasingam, at Geneva talks and said that the "national security of the country is more important than the freedom of the media."
He added the Tigers were able to attack a Karuna camp in Wellikanda only because of the information published in newspapers and condemned "military secrets" being disclosed under the cloak of "freedom of the media."
Weerwanse concluded that the mandate on which Mahinda Rajapakse won Presidency is not to use Norway in devaluing Sri Lanka's sovereignty.
Meanwhile, the Norwegian Ambassador, in press release issued to media on Monday, stressed "how important it is for Norway, as the facilitator, to have close contacts with the parties to the peace process in Sri Lanka."
He said it was therefore his hope that representatives of both the Government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE would visit Norway and maintain contacts with the Norwegian Government.
"Norway plays a neutral role in the peace process. But in order to do that in an efficient manner, it is crucial for us to meet with and listen to the parties," the Ambassador said.
The JVP, which aims to strengthen its grip on the Sri Lanka's masses at grass root level during the local election campaign has once again chosen to run an anti-Norwegian campaign to woo the voters, say political analysts in Colombo.
Related Articles:03.03.06
Colombo should demonstrate CFA obligations - Thamilchelvan i.. 26.11.05
Sovereignty fears