JVP steps up anti-Norwegian campaign

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 05 April 2006, 15:32 GMT]
The Sinhala extreme nationalist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) stepped up its campaign against Norway on Wednesday, a day before the Norwegian International Development Minister and the Norwegian Special Envoy, were scheduled to meet Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse. "The newly appointed Norwegian Special Envoy Jon Hanssen-Bauer contributed to the recognition of Palestine. He is here with a similar agenda to divide the country," the Propaganda Secretary of the JVP, Wimal Weerawanse, addressing a press conference organised by the extremist Patriotic National Movement in Colombo said Wednesday. He also criticized the outgoing Head of Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission, Mr. Hagrup Haukland.

Norway, with the recent experience in "dividing Sudan," would be the first country to recognize the Tamil state, if the Tigers were to declare Unilateral Declaration of Independence, Wimal Weerawanse warned the Sinhala reporters attending the PNM press meet.

"We also learn that the outgoing Head of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission [Hagrup Haukland] had referred to the Tiger terrorists as freedom fighters, when he introduced the new Head of Mission to the Sri Lankan Defence Secretary," Mr. Weerawanse further said.

The JVP, routed in the local elections, was stepping up anti-Norway campaign, fearing a parliamentary election that could turn in favour of Mahinda Rajapakse's party, political observers in Colombo said.