'Imperialist forces masquerading as Leftists'

Senior Minister Prof Tissa Vitharana has warned the public to beware of imperialist forces masquerading as Leftists who are trying to drag the country into violence.

The Senior Minister reminded the country of the tens of thousands of lives lost in 1971 and in 1987-89.

The readiness of these political actors to resort to violence is alarming, he said. They want to take power through force when their ideas are rejected by the public.

Minister Vitharana made these observations at a press conference organised in the lead up to the celebration of the 76th birth anniversary of the Lanka Sama Samaja Party.

The celebrations will be held on December 18 at 2.30 pm at a ceremony at the D A Rajapaksa memorial hall in Embilipitiya.

'The sale of weapons contributes hundreds of billions of dollars annually in Europe and the United States.

'Creating wars around the world is the best hope for the recovery of capitalist economies in the West, the minister said.

'Certain individuals who are attempting to incite trouble in Sri Lanka seem to have an endless amount of funds from undisclosed sources,' he said.

The chief guest at the event themed 'Road to building a new country with national unity and good governance' will be Speaker of Parliament Chamal Rajapaksa.

The Lanka Sama Samaja Party is Sri Lanka's oldest political party.