"Sinhala border villagers fear renewed war"- Provincial Minister

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 17 February 2004, 20:26 GMT]
"Sinhalese people in border villages of the northeastern province live in fear of a renewed war following Sri Lanka President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge's recent action of taking over the three key ministries and the formation of a political alliance between the Sri Lanka Freedom Party and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna," said a People's Alliance Provincial Minister Mr.K.B.Tennekon Tuesday at an event held at the United National Party (UNP) headquarters Sri Kotha to mark his joining the UNP, media sources said.

Mr.Tennkoon was a minister in the PA controlled North Central Provincial Council till Monday. He joined the UNP Tuesday in the presence of Prime Minister Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe and other party stalwarts.

Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe handed over his UNP membership card.

Mr.Wijepala Hettiarachchi, a PA member of the Southern Provincial Council also joined the UNP Tuesday at the same event, sources said.

"The SLFP-JVP alliance is a threat to the peace process and for the maintenance of the ceasefire, which has held for the last two years," Mr. Tennekoon said.

Following the dissolution of the parliament on February 7 midnight the first PA leading member to cross over to the UNP was Mr.Athula Nimalasiri Jayasinghe. Mr. Jayasinghe was a PA member of the dissolved parliament, sources said.