Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) General Secretary, Parliamentarian Daysiri Jayasekara said the organisation called National Thowheed Jamath (NTJ) and other similar extremist organisations which are said to be behind the recent bomb attacks should be banned in the country.
“We plan to request President Maithripala Sirisena to take prompt action to ban these organisations just as the LTTE was banned during the terror period,” he said.
The General Secretary was speaking to the media yesterday at the SLFP Headquarters.
The Security Forces and Police can take action against these organisations only if they are banned. So, it is very important to uproot these organisations to ensure the safety of the public. Jayasekara said the Easter Sunday blasts were a brutal attack against freedom and democracy. Similar terror attacks worldwide show that the bomb explosions on Sunday could be regarded as religious terrorism.
“The country has been come under religious terrorism which is far worse than the terrorism of separatism,” he said.
Everyone is responsible for creating a peaceful atmosphere in which all can live without fear, Jayasekara said.
Now we need to find the root cause of these brutal attacks without passing the buck to someone else. Further, we need to find out the parties responsible for these attacks and take action to avoid repetition, he said.
“There is an international link to the attacks. But the majority of Muslims in the country are peace-loving and maintain a cordial rapport with other ethnic communites, in a brotherly manner. Only a few of these Muslims have been brainwashed by religious terrorism.”
Information regarding extremist terror groups has been reported since 2013. But no action has been taken against these groups which mislead people. With the lifting of emergency, Security Forces couldn’t actively curb terrorism, the SLFP General Secretary said.
Information regarding terror groups is the responsibility of the state intelligence units.
“We need to look at how the present situation could be converted to an advantage for the country. Many countries have offered to assist Sri Lanka and to streamline the state intelligence units.”
He added that the Inspector General of Police should be held responsible for these attacks for his failure to take necessary action when there was prior warning.
“It is revealed that the IGP had informed four sections heads about probable terror attack prior to the suicide attacks, but he failed to follow it up. The President, Prime Minister and Opposition Leader were not kept informed about possible attacks. It is clear that the responsible persons have not been taken necessary, adequate or timely action on this information.”
The General Secretary said all responsible persons who failed to perform their duties properly should be removed from their positions.
“What did the IGP do from April 11, when the warning was revealed, up to April 21?” he asked.
Parliamentarian Ranjith Siyambalapitiya, who also spoke to the media yesterday, categorised the recent attacks as an attack on the Sri Lankan nation by an extremist group.
He added that those responsible for governing the country should talk responsibly. No one should fish in troubled waters by talking through politically-tinted lenses.
When asked about the SLFP May Day rally, he said most probably, the May Day rally won’t be held this time. The final decision will be taken by party leader President Sirisena.
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