JVP cancels May Day rally ; urges law be enforced on terror attack suspects

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) has decided to call off its scheduled May Day rally this year, JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said today (Apr 26).

Convening a press briefing today, the JVP leader said that the decision to call off both the May Day rally and also its parade was made after taking into consideration the current situation of the country.

Meanwhile, Mr. Dissanayake while responding to journalists also clarified his party's stance on Mohamed Ibrahim - the JVP's national list candidate in 2015, who has been taken into custody following last Sunday's explosions.

"An investigation must be conducted to determine whether he was directly involved in the incident or not. If he is found guilty of doing so, the law must be enforced to its fullest extent," the JVP leader said.

He noted that Mr. Ibrahim was taken into custody owing to the direct involvement of two of his sons in the terrorist attacks. "The JVP has no desire to protect him. We urge that swift measures must be taken against all suspects involved in the attacks," Mr. Dissanayake said.

Explaining the decision to include Mr. Ibrahim as the JVP's national list candidate, the party leader said that the suspect was a renowned and respected businessmen in the country with several titles and awards to his credit.

"Non-party members from various trades and ethnic groups are included as national list nominees," he further explained while pointing out examples of how prominent public service officers such as Sarath Mayadunne and the Vice-Chancellor of the Moratuwa university had also been nominated as national list members.

"However, these individuals are not members or activists of the party," JVP leader Dissanayake insisted.