UNF to move confidence vote in parliament

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 21 August 2002, 15:42 GMT]
The United National Front Wednesday decided to move a vote of confidence on the government led by Prime Minister Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe in parliament next week. The motion will be taken up for debate on August 29. A decision to this effect was taken at the meeting of leaders of all political parties represented in parliament, Minister W.M.J. Lokubandara, leader of the House said Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the no-confidence motion moved by the main opposition against the Interior Minister of the United National Front government, Mr. John Amaratunge, was defeated by a majority of thirty-five votes, Wednesday afternoon in parliament.

Ninety-two members voted for the motion and one hundred twenty seven against it. Parliamentarians of the People’s Alliance and Marxist Janata Vimukthi Peramuna voted for. Members of the UNF, Tamil National Alliance, Eelam People’s Democratic Party and Peoples Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam voted against the motion.

Replying to allegations leveled by the opposition during the debate, Minister John Amaratunge said that he would continue to expose the misdeeds of the then PA government ministers. He added he would take stern steps to de-politicise the police service. Winding up the debate on behalf of the opposition, its leader Mahinda Rajapakse appealed to the government not to take revenge against supporters of opposition parties.