UNP to widen protest campaign

[TamilNet, Friday, 23 July 1999, 03:40 GMT]
Addressing a crowd of about 5000 at the end of a protest campaign yesterday, the Leader of United National Party (UNP), Ranil Wickremasinghe, announced that his party will take the protest campaign to every corner of the island.

"Today's demonstration is the first message conveyed to the President in this regard," he said.

Supporters of the United National Party had gathered at the Lipton circus junction. Demonstration and picketing brought the traffic in the area to a standstill for about two hours, sources said.

Police personnel were seen at the scene without uniforms, onlookers said.

When a section of the crowd attempted to march towards the Colpetty junction where the official residence of President Chandrika Kumaratunge is situated, police withdrew from the scene.

The crowd dispersed thereafter, sources said.

UNP's General Secretary Gamini Atukorale and other party stalwarts participated in the demonstration.

At the end of the meeting, effigy of the President was burnt by a section of the crowd.

UNP organised yesterday's demonstration and meeting in protest of the attack on the party supporters last Thursday by the police, sources said.