SL parliament extends Emergency for another month

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 08 July 2009, 04:40 GMT]
Sri Lanka’s parliament Tuesday adopted a motion to extend the State of Emergency for another month by a majority of ninety two votes. One hundred and three parliamentarians voted for the motion. Only eleven members of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) voted against. The Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) and National Freedom Front (NFF), a splinter group of the JVP voted with ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA).

The main opposition United National Party (UNP) did not participate in the voting. Sri Lanka Muslim Congress parliamentarians were not present in the House, parliamentary sources said.

The State of Emergency is being extended every month with the approval of parliament since August 2005.

The Prime Minister Mr. Ratnasri Wickremanayake tabled the motion seeking approval of the House to extend the State of Emergency for another month.

TNA parliamentarian Ms Pathmini Sithambaranathan broke down while she was describing the sufferings of the Vanni IDPs now sheltered in internment camps located in Vavuniyaa. She said these IDPs were held in camps against their wish.