Former shotgun terrorists say today’s machinegun terrorists you are terrorists

Somawanse Amarasinghe leader of JVP at the 2007 Hero’s Day Celebrations

by Podi Malli and Sinna Thamby

(December, 31, London, Sri Lanka Guardian) The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) carried out two major terror campaigns in Sri Lanka i.e. one in 1971 and the other during 1987-1992.

It is worth comparing the summary information of JVP terrorism during 1987-1992 with the brutal LTTE and considerable similarities in their terror campaign can be easily assessed.

Both JVP and the LTTE killed untold number of civilians for being informants, government supporters, educationalists and politicians to take exclusive control of the civil society by violent means.

To achieve their exclusive control of the civil society, both have killed hundreds of thousands of service personals consisting of security forces, police personnel and home guards.

In 1989 alone, JVP murdered 24 Buddhist clergies for refusing to bow to its Marxists principles. On its part, the LTTE has killed hundred odd Buddhist clergies so far. The worst of their attack was when they ambushed a bus load of Buddhist monks in the mid 1980’s.

Tilvin Silva, General Secretary of the JVP, addressing at this years Hero’s Day event.

In 1987 and 1988 two Catholic priests were killed by the JVP. Though LTTE did not carryout any acts against the Christian clergies, to this date, it had killed 21 Hindu priests for various reasons. JVP on its part has spared the Hindu priests for some reasons.

Both terrorists have proven record of engaging in vandalism and sabotage. They have caused collateral and colossal damage to state economic infrastructures. Banks, foreign construction projects and centres and social and community centres were destroyed or damaged by these self seeking terrorist groups.

LTTE was responsible for killing the President Ranasinghe Premadasa in 1992 and many government ministers. JVP too equally did their part and killed leading politicians including the former President Chandrika Kumaratunga Bandaranayake’s husband.

In 1987, a JVP sympathizing Air force man rifle-butted the Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi at guard of honour parade. LTTE went further by killing Rajiv Gandhi in a suicide bomb attack in Sri Perumputhoor in Tamil Nadu, India.

During the period 1987-1992, the JVP murdered hundreds of members of the working class in the South of the island in order to force people to join anti-government strikes. The LTTE on its part forced the Tamil school children to participate in its demonstrations and forced government offices to close down. They also conscripted child soldiers and forced them to march to the death gallows i.e. the war front and also suicide missions.

Just 18 year ago, the JVP attacked the holiest of Buddhist shrines, the sacred Sri Dalada Maligawa in Kandy. The LTTE did a copycat job of ramming the sacred Sri Dalada Maligawa with bomb laden vehicle subsequently.

Both JVP and LTTE also attacked the Katunayake International airport. Since LTTE’s operations are spanning for many years, it had carried many attacks on airports and have targeted the Colombo, Tricomalee and Galle harbours.

Surprisingly, both these terrorist outfits have some common brotherly understanding. They had never killed each other or engaged in any violent acts between them so far. On this, they both always maintain their Sahotharaya (brotherly) feelings.

But come what may be, the former shotgun terrorist want the state forces to defeat the machine gun terrorists at all costs.