Pandemonium in SL Parliament

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 January 2001, 22:12 GMT]
Pandemonium reigned in the Sri Lankan Parliament Wednesday morning when ruling party members tried to shout down opposition ranks that were protesting over Police breaking up a demonstration by the radical Marxist Janata Vimukthi Peramuna in downtown Colombo on Monday.

The commotion erupted when senior JVP MP Mr.Wimal Weerawangsa and Mr. Gamini Athukorala, senior Vice President of the United National Party, were on their feet. Ruling party members heckled Mr.Weerawangsa and Mr. Athukorala, hurling imprecations at the opposition. JVP MPs shouted back and held up placards condemning the rising cost of living.

A supporter of Sri Lanka's Marxist People's Liberation Front (JVP) falls to the floor after being struck by a tear gas canon during a massive rally to protest the rising cost of living in the capital Colombo on January 8, 2001. Photo:Reuters

Mr. Weerawangsa said that the Police had attacked the JVP demonstration in Colombo although his party had obtained permission from the Police to hold it.

Mr.Athukorala who was formerly the UNP's general secretary, told the house that his party had requested in writing for a special session of the Parliament to discuss the cease fire declared by the Liberation Tigers last month, the destruction caused by the cyclone in the east and in the Polannaruwa district and the Sri Lanka aid consortium meeting in Paris.

He said that that the Parliament should first reply to the UNP about its request. The speaker, unable to restore order in the house, suspended sitting for 15 minutes.

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