JVP wants accountability on terror attacks

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) today urged the need for the President and the Prime Minister to shed all political differences -at least temporarily-and work in tandem to find a lasting solution to the extremist terrorism in the country.

JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake told Parliament that the Government had not been able to ensure national security in the country even two weeks after the terror attack.

He said the terror attack could not be prevented as a result of the power struggle of the President and the Prime Minister and added that the priority was given to political agendas than the matters concerned with national security.

"The country led to an anarchic situation due to the power struggle. The priority should have been given to the national security. But this was neglected due to the power struggle of the President and the Prime Minister," he said.

Mr Dissanayake said just as the terrorists who carried out the barbaric attack, those who failed to prevent the attack should also be held responsible for being involved in a criminal offence.

He also alleged that Muslim political leaders had nurtured Islamic extremist elements for political gains and that it had grown beyond their control now.

"Muslim political leaders should now take on a great mission to defeat Islamic terrorism. The Muslim community should also have a big part to play in this regard," he said.

He said the political and security mechanism should be reorganized in a bid to resolve this issue.

"The Government should come to a firm decision on defeating extremism. No other extremist elements should be allowed to raise their heads in such a move," he added. (Ajith Siriwardana and Yohan Perera)