War of words between SLFP and JVP

The SLFP yesterday hit back at JVP leader Somawansa Amarasinghe who had earlier compared the SLFP to a prostitute.

SLFP General Secretary Maithripala Sirisena in a hard-hitting speech was reacting to comments made by Mr. Amarasinghe on Friday at a rally in Polonnaruwa where he said the SLFP was “just like someone engaged in the world’s oldest profession – someone who is standing on the street waiting for whoever comes along to be picked up”.

Mr. Amarasinghe also said: “We forwarded our proposals to the SLFP. We waited for its response. The SLFP was a party that exercised independent policies. We should respect that. But it now says it is neither for this side nor for that side.

“That is what is bad about the oldest profession. Now this is the very same thing with the SLFP. If this is to change, go for elections. They must go not only for a general election, but also for a presidential election. If this does not happen, the people will take to the streets and they will send the President home.”

Mr. Sirisena said that as the General Secretary of the SLFP it was his duty to respond to the statement made by Mr. Amarasinghe and the SLFP did not want any certificates from the JVP.

“We could have decided as to what profession the JVP could have gone into. It could have gone into the profession, with which it compared the SLFP, if there had been a general election immediately after the local government polls. Many party members told us to hold a general election, but the President did not agree because he wanted to show gratitude,” he said.

“The day Somawansa Amarasinghe came from London and gave a four-and-a-half-hour speech, that was the day the party members lost faith in the party.

“Now he is talking about the SLFP’s origins.. The SLFP does not need anyone’s certification. I also heard Somawansa Amarasinghe saying that when our security forces were attacking LTTE camps in the north/East, it was the JVP that boosted their morale. He claimed that the mental strength was given by the JVP. What bunkum (bambuwa). The security forces are doing an excellent job and nobody should claim credit for that,” he said.