The communiqué states such attacks make room for more and more international interferences in the internal affairs of the country. India and imperialists led by the USA are waiting for such an incident to poke their hands in the affairs of the country. The government is paving a path for such interferences. The communiqué also states such attacks would again push the youth in the North for political practices that reject democracy.
The communiqué further states that “the government has not been able to arrest anyone responsible for the incident yet. Being able to flee after attacking a journalist in Jaffna where security is at a maximum level does mean the invisible hand of the government has been active. Hence, the government will not be able to evade allegations aimed at it for the attack. The people in the country as well as masses in the world would have their eyes open to see whether the government would be silent as in other instances when journalists were targeted for attacks or whether legal action would be taken against the wrongdoers of this attack.
The attack on Mr. Kuganathan is not the first attack targeting journalists and media institutions in Jaffna. There were several instances of journalists being assassinated, abducted, assaulted, threatened and setting fire to media institutions but the government did not take any measures to hold any effective investigation regarding any of them. Hence, it is the responsibility of all to force the government so that it would have to take action regarding the incident.”
The JVP in its communiqué states masses in the North who were the direct victims of the thirty year old war and were denied democracy should be given more opportunities to express their views. They should be given their right of speech. They should be allowed to share their sufferings and experiences of thirty years freely with other fraternal nationalities. This is crucial for creating national unity. Hence, they should be given more freedom of press. Mr. Kuganathan was subjected to the savage attack at such a time.
LT