Colombo, Feb 12 – A tense atmosphere prevailed in the Angunukolapelessa area today when a group of individuals protested against a ‘Farmers’ Conference’ organised by the National Agrarian Congress at the Uswewa Gemi Diriya Community Hall in Angunukolapelessa. Its convenor Wimal Wattuhewa was scheduled to address the conference.
The group which invaded the community hall claimed that the National Farmers’ Congress which was hosting the programme was in fact organized by an affiliate of the Peratugami Party.
The conference was to commence at 10 am only four farmers and the organisers were present at the venue by 10.30 am.
Meanwhile a group of about 60 individuals who rushed to the scene questioned what was going on and when the organisers told them that a conference to create awareness among the farmers was being held, an altercation ensued creating a tense situation.
The group said it is only three months since the government had came to power and that the issues affecting the farmers were being resolved. They accused the organisers of the conference of attempting to sabotage the forward march of the government. They demanded that the conference be suspended immediately.
They said the organisers were playing into the hands of Basil for money and recorded the voice cuts of a few farmers. Several representatives of farmer organisations within the group of individuals said they had not been informed of the farmers’ conference.
Hambantota district organiser of the All Ceylon Agrarian Congress, Sunil Ratnayake who was among the group of individuals who protested against the conference said the government has offered a reasonable guaranteed price for paddy which was acceptable to the farmers and the consumers as well.
“This government was brought to power by the farmers, and they have now received a reasonable price for paddy. The Peratugami Party is attempting to sabotage the forward march of the government. We will not allow that,” he said.
However, convener of the conference Wimal Wattuhewa said the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) has showed its usual inclination towards violence and that he was compelled to suspend the conference. He said the JVP is not in a position to understand the issues affecting the agricultural sector, which is now dominated by multinational companies and large-scale rice mill owners.