JVP Somawansa Faction attacks patriots

(Lanka-e-News,) The attacks against the Weerawansa Faction that broke away from the JVP due to an ideological difference are spreading to the Patriotic National Movement (PNM) too.

PNM Kaluthara district organizer Hemantha Perera was assaulted by a group belonged to Somawansa Faction at Bandaragama yesterday (17). Mr. Perera has lodged a complaint in Bandaragama police in this regard. He was treated at Bandaragama hospital and he is currently being treated under a private physician.

Mr. Perera said to 'Lanka-e-News' that while he was speaking with JVP Provincial Councilor Ajith Anura, eight people who arrived in several motorcycles assaulted him after a heated verbal exchange. Mr. Perera was attacked with a helmet, a club and fisticuffs were also leveled at him. Mr. Hemantha Perera said that he supported JVP since 1986 as a businessperson and in 1989 fled to France for safety. He said he had continued to support the JVP although he was not a party member.

He said that he was in the view that the party subjected Mr. Wimal Weerawansa to injustice. The attack on him was hurriedly organized and a JVP zonal organizer and several members of the Bandaragama party branch were among the attackers. Mr. Hemantha Perera says that Kaluthara district JVP defense committee organizer Weerawansa might have ordered the attack.

Issuing a statement denying the attack, PNM Chairman Dr. Gunadasa Amarasekara says that the JVP leadership should avoid such action of the party members. He further urges the JVP members to avoid such actions denied by the civilized society.

The statement further says that the JVP should resolve the crisis within the party. Expressing hopes that such a group of intelligent persons are in the party, the statement says that the attacks of this nature will only satisfy the imperialist foreign forces of the country.