Security strengthened in Colombo for May Day

[TamilNet, Friday, 30 April 2004, 19:38 GMT]
Sri Lanka's capital Colombo has been put on red alert and more police and army personnel have been deployed at strategic places to ensure a violence-free May Day celebrations Saturday. Several roads have been prohibited for traffic within certain periods on the May Day to avoid traffic jam and to ensure security for processions and rallies, police said

The United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) is to hold its first May Day rally at Town Hall grounds in Colombo with its constituent parties. However, the constituent parties will hold separate May Day processions from different places, which will converge at the Town Hall grounds, party sources said.

The procession of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), a major constituent of the UPFA, which controls 375 private sector and 38 public sector trade unions, will start from BRC grounds. Two other constituents of the UPFA, the Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP) and the Sri Lanka Communist party (CP), will start their processions from near the statue of the late trade union leader, Dr.N.M.Perera, at Borella.

The main opposition United National Party is to hold its May Day rally at the Senanayake Grounds in Badulla in the Uva Province. UNP deputy leader Mr.Karu Jayasuriya and a former minister Mr.S.B.Dissanayake are scheduled to address the UNP rally.

The Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC), one of the constituents of the United National Front led by the UNP, is to hold its May Day rally alone in Bandarawela town in the hill country. The CWC rally is to be presided by its leader and former minister Mr.Arumugam Thondaman.

The Upcountry People's Front led by former Minister Mr.P.Chandrasekaram will hold its May Day rally at the Pradeshiya Sabah (PS) grounds in Pussellawa. The May Day procession of the UPF will commence from Melfort junction toward the venue at PS grounds, sources said.