CWC threatens to withdraw from coalition

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 11 May 1999, 10:29 GMT]
Mr. S.Thondaman, minister and leader of the Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC), has threatened to withdraw support from the People's Alliance coalition in the Central Provincial Council if the party fails to take action against its supporters who were involved in the disruption of the CWC May Day rally in Nuwara Eliya.

The Minister said that People's Alliance party members who were also involved with the Sinhala Veera Vidhaana, an extremist Sinhala Buddhist group, are responsible for disrupting the CWC's rally.

Members of the group, led by Sambika Ranavakka, have been accused of setting fire to CWC banners and disrupting the power supply to the rally.

The CWC has, in the past, accused the Sinhala Veera Vidhana of intimidating estate workers.