Wimal issues ultimatum

Warns of upcoming political movement

By Rasika Jayakody and Rathindra Kuruwita
Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) dissident group leader Wimal Weerawansa yesterday issued an ultimatum to the JVP leadership till May 1, giving time for reconciliation. Or else, he warned, his group would launch a new political movement.

“We are waiting for the green light from the JVP leadership to patch up the problem but the behaviour of the party makes us feel that this will not happen,” he said.

“Even on Monday, a group of JVP supporters has threatened some of our supporters,” he alleged. Weerawansa added that he would launch a new political movement which would include MP Nandana Gunathilake and Kamal Deshapriya, who were removed by the party initially.

“We will launch a new political movement, if the party keeps on refusing to meet us and talk about the conspirators inside the party. Our movement will involve ex-JVP members like Nandana Gunathilake and Kamal Deshapriya,” he said.

He added that they also expect to invite members of the civil society to join their broad based political alliance:

“We also expect that prominent artistes, intellectuals and patriotic forces to join our political movement. We also invite members of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and the United National Party (UNP) to join forces with us.”

Meanwhile, MP Piyasiri Wijenayake commented that they would reveal the corrupt elements within the JVP soon after they initiated the new political movement. He added that they would reveal information about individuals who had misused party funds.

“We know who used party funds to build houses and those who misused tsunami rehabilitation funds. We will reveal their names in the near future,” Wijenayake warned.

However, JVP strongman Vijitha Herath added that the JVP had not closed doors on the dissidents and that the party was ready to discus the matter any time. “There is no need to issue deadlines. We are ready to talk, but they never showed any true intention on commencing discussions,” he said.

Meanwhile, JVP MP K.D. Lalkantha said that there were no ‘conspirators’ or ‘corrupt elements’ within the party. He added that no one in the Wimal Weerawansa group spoke about those issues when they were inside the party and thus there was no reason to worry about the Weerawansa claims now. “There is no future for such movements,” Lalkantha added.