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JVP to take tougher action
Sunday, 13 February 2005 - 5:03 AM SL Time
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The JVP has resolved to take further measures if its controversial decision not to participate in last week's two-day parliamentary debate on the tsunami fails to have the desired effort on the SLFP.
The Marxist party shunned the lacklustre debate, accusing the major partner of being unilateral in its handling of emergency relief, reconstruction and rehabilitation programmes that are being planned. They also differ on having a separate mechanism for the northern and eastern provinces with accommodating the LTTE being the primary objective.
The JVP politburo had unanimously agreed to take tougher measures if their action last week fails to have a positive response from the SLFP leadership. This decision had been taken at a politburo meeting Monday night at their Nugegoda party headquarters. The meeting chaired by General Secretary Tilvin Silva in party leader Somawansa Amarasinghe's absence, had resolved that they should take a hard line.
A section of the politburo had expressed concern over the UNP taking advantage of their decision. They had acknowledged that their absence would strengthen the UNP-led claim that the government had failed miserably in the gigantic task of emergency relief, reconstruction and rehabilitation work.
The JVP was determined not to take any course of action that would be beneficial to the opposition, particularly the UNP, party sources said. But the SLFP's abrasive style had not given the JVP any other option, they said.
Somawansa Amarasinghe is on a European tour briefing government officials, international organisations and JVP committees on a range of issues, particularly their role in tsunami relief work and rebuilding coastal areas ravaged by the natural disaster and the peace process.
The sources acknowledged that the most important meeting had been with the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office. It had taken place on February 3, the sources said. Amarasinghe is also scheduled to visit Denmark, Ireland, France, Germany and Italy. The sources said that the visit would help the party raise funds to continue with tsunami relief work initiated by the party.
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