JVP MP after the attack

“Armed groups operate in Jaffna with the government's blessings and the police are unable to control them”. JVP parliamentarian Sunil Handunnetti told a press conference on Tuesday.

Living in fear

Several members of the JVP including MP Handunneththi were attacked in Jaffna on Sunday.

“Even the police had said that they were unsafe due to the armed groups in the area”. The MP told journalists in Colombo.

“People of Jaffna are living in fear”, the MP said. “If the safety of a member of parliament is not guaranteed, you can imagine the fate of the people”.

Military rule in Jaffna

“It might even be worse if these people oppose the government. There is complete military rule in Jaffna”. Sunil Handunnetti told the press.
Handunnetti said that such attacks could not be carried out in a High Security Zone such as Jaffna without state patronage.

JVP say their members were attacked while they were in discussions at former Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP Padmini Sithambaranadan's residence in the Jaffna town on a protest campaign to gather signatures calling upon the government to reveal names of Tamil war detainees.

No arrests

He also noted that while the complaint about the attack was lodged with the police at 8 pm, the government media had already made statements that the attack was carried out by people in Jaffna.

If they knew who was responsible for the attack, why there are no arrests of culprits Sunil Handunnetti

“If they knew who was responsible for the attack, why there are no arrests of culprits?”. Asked the MP.

Handunnetti challenged the government to prove that it was not involved in the attack by conducting a free and fair investigation into the attack.

Military spokesman Major General Ubhaya Medawela told BBC Sandesaya that police are conducting investigations.