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Communalist confrontations in parliament possible - Batty Weerakoon

By Risidra Mendis

Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP) General Secretary Batty Weerakoon says unless the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) comes to a reasonable position on the question of devolution of power in respect to finding a political solution to the ethnic question, there will be a strong communalist confrontation in parliament.

He said this situation will arise especially because the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) led parties in the north will bring in a sizable number of votes, that would in turn react on a communalist basis.    

According to Weerakoon the 'swing away' from the United National Party (UNP) has taken place in a marked manner as expected.

 "This expresses the mood of the people especially with regard to the economic issues. But we still cannot say how the achievement of both these parties as representatives in parliament would be," explained Weerakoon.

Weerakoon went on to say that it is now very important that the two major parties see to it that such confrontations in parliament are avoided.

When The Sunday Leader questioned as to what his views were about JVP's unwillingness to honour the existing ceasefire agreement  between the LTTE and the UNF government Weerakoon said that the people did not give much attention to the war and peace issue at this election. "The public confidence in the President to take the peace process forward is high. In such a situation it is difficult for the JVP to act on their own," Weerakoon said.

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