The Hon. Harshana Rajakaruna

¶ 01 Not only that. They also assassinated priests. They killed Father Michael Paul, Father Lionel Jayasinghe and other clergy. They killed 3,210 informants and even government supporters. They were punished for contesting the Provincial Council Elections and Local Government Elections; representing the United National Party (UNP) was deemed a crime and a reason to kill. Because of the anti-democratic acts of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), President J.R. Jayewardene released Rohana Wijeweera from prison to bring them back into the democratic framework. Every effort was then made to draw them into democratic activity.

¶ 02 Look at the destruction you caused opposing the Provincial Council system. Today you talk about the economy; see the devastation you wreaked on the country’s economy. You murdered 70 politicians, educationists, 52 principals and teachers, 487 public servants, 3,210 informants, 209 military personnel, 342 police officers and 98 Grama Niladharis.

¶ 03 You destroyed CTB buses as well. Now you order environment-friendly buses, but you destroyed 553 out of 51,111 buses and 15 depots. I stated these to recall the destruction you caused in that period.

¶ 04 Further, the JVP directly undermined democracy in this country. We are glad that you now engage within a democratic framework; we have no issue with that. But just as you call for inquiries into places like the Batalanda torture camp, you should also conduct a separate inquiry into the causes that enabled such things to happen, and provide some redress to 60,000 innocent families.

¶ 05 You try to use the name of Ranil Wickremesinghe to stage attacks against him, but let me state clearly: you cannot intimidate Ranil Wickremesinghe.