General consensus:

JVP orchestrated Katunayake incident

The clash that erupted at the Katunayake Free Trade Zone - FTZ - was instigated by power hungry political elements funded by some foreign elements and NGOs.

Keheliya Rambukwella	Wimal Weerawansa	Dilan Perera

"Some foreign countries wanted a regime change in Sri Lanka, Wikileaks revealed how Norway and United States behaved during the last phase of the humanitarian operation. Foreign elements now trying to disrupt industrial peace and the mega development activities implemented by the government, Prof. S. Weerasingha of Ruhunu University said.

The hidden motive of the protest march organised by the Inter University Bhikku Front - IUBF - proceeding towards Temple Trees last Friday was to create an incident similar to that of Katunayake FTZ, said final year student of Ruhunu University S. Shantha Kumara.

Inter University students Federation - IUSF - which is linked with JVP was behind the IUBF protest march their aim was to create chaos in the universities and the country. It is clear they are funded by foreign elements, he said.

Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna - JVP - was clearly the agent provocateur of the Katunayake Free Trade Zone incident. It was able to achieve its objective in securing a dead body, said National Freedom Front Leader, Engineering Services, Construction, Housing and Common Amenities Minister Wimal Weerawansa.

An innocent person was killed during the clash between the protesters and the police. The objective was to portray a bad picture of Sri Lanka in the eyes of the world, he said.

Media and Information Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said that clashes and riots with the police is not new to the JVP who are past masters in burning and attacking police stations since 1971. This is not only the practice but also the political culture of the JVP, the minister said.

"The JVP tries to win over people by getting a person killed and selling his body and blood-stained cloths because they have already been totally rejected by the people", said Foreign Employment and Welfare Minister Dilan Perera.

"The JVP has been practising this method from the beginning and undergraduates and many others became their victims in the past. This time an FTZ worker became their victim", he said.

National Freedom Front Former Parliamentarian Piyasiri Wijenayaka said the JVP was formenting violence in the country according to the dictates of foreign forces.

He said that Inter Company Employees Union affiliated to the JVP was clearly behind the incidents adding that it was attempting to achieve its objective over the dead bodies of the working class. An active member of UNP Biyagama electorate J.P. Rajakaruna said that they are against the proposed private sector pension scheme of the government. There is a democratic and diplomatic way of expressing the displeasure against the scheme. We as the members of a responsible democratic party condemn the JVP terror tactics, he said.

Katunayake FTZ machine operator A.R.L. Gunawardena said that they were requested by the trade union leaders to participate in a protest rally.

Later they had noticed that large number of youths who were not employees in the FTZ had joined the protest campaign, they led the attacks on the police, he said.

Meanwhile the funeral of Roshen Chanaka Ratnasekera (22) who died in hospital during a protest at Katunayake Free Trade Zone was held peacefully yesterday, at the Galloluwa Catholic Church Cemetery in Minuwangoda.

- LSAW