SL Parliament begins debate on emergency extension

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 09 April 2008, 10:23 GMT]
Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake Wednesday tabled a motion seeking an extension of the State of Emergency now in force since August 2005, for another month, parliamentary sources said. Speaker W.J.M.Lokkubandara was in the chair when the debate on the motion began. Wickremanayake said during March, 93 members of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA), Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) and police died in the fighting with the LTTE.

38 civilians were also killed during the period, he added.

The Prime Minister added that the military operation would continue without a cessation to achieve the goal of the Sri Lanka government.

The time had come for all citizens to support the effort of the government led by President Mahinda Rajapakse to irradicate the terrorism from Sri Lanka.