Ven. Amila slams govt over PC polls

By Saman Indrajith
The Pro-JVP National Bhikkhu Front has condemned the decision to call for elections to the North Central and Sabaragamuwa Provinces as it would be detrimental to the ongoing war effort.

Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, Chairman of the NBF, Dambara Amila Thera said the priority need was to concentrate all resources and efforts to wipe out the LTTE and to liberate the remaining areas currently under their control. He accused the government of mixing up its priorities.


He said the Government should have spent taxpayers’ money to rehabilitate areas liberated from the LTTE recently without squandering money on elections which the people weren’t interested in. This would only demoralize the security forces, he said, asserting that redeployment of security forces and police to facilitate provincial council elections would cause a severe shortage of personnel for anti-terrorist operations.

General Secretary of the NBF, Attanayale Samitha Thera condemned the Government for giving importance to electioneering when its main concern should have been mobilizing the funds to end the LTTE once and for all. "When the Government shifts its concentration from the war against terrorism towards polling higher number of votes and winning more of seats, the LTTE would gain time to re-strengthen. At this point that’s what the LTTE needs. Thus this election craze of the Government should be rejected by the patriotic forces," the Thera said.

"There are so-called patriots holding the JHU and NFF banners calling upon the Government to set the country on war footing and end the LTTE militarily. They do not utter a single word against the Government’s absurd action of going for provincial elections and thereby allowing a free time for the LTTE indirectly."

The JHU and NFF were props of the Government, Amila Thera said. "The Government makes use of these props in its power hungry plans of winning the two provinces."

National Organizer of the NBF Kalawelgala Chandraloka thera and Media Secretary of the NBF, Wakamulle Uditha Thera also addressed the press.