PA to oppose 19th constitutional amendment

[TamilNet, Friday, 06 September 2002, 18:54 GMT]
The parliamentry group of the Sri Lanka’s main opposition People’s Alliance (PA) Friday decided to oppose the nineteenth constitutional amendment which is to be moved by the United National Front government, restricting the presidential powers to dissolve parliament. However, two leading PA parliamentarians and former ministers Mr.A.H.M.Fowzie and Mr. Richard Pathirana were the notable absentees at the meeting, party sources said.

President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge presided over the parliamentary group meeting.

Commenting on their absence PA media spokesman Mr.Sarath Amunugama said at a press briefing Friday that the party high command would talk to these parliamentarians to know their stand.

Mr Sarath Amunugama further said the PA at present is not having any consultation with the Janata Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) mustering its support to defeat the nineteenth amendment. However, the PA will take every step to defeat the government move, he said.