Parliamentarians to debate Kandapola incident Wednesday

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 May 2004, 14:27 GMT]
A three-hour debate on the Kandapola incident in which two Tamil plantation workers were killed due to police firing will take place in the Sri Lanka's parliament Wednesday according to a decision taken at the first meeting of the leaders of political parties represented in the new parliament, which was held Monday in the Speaker's Chamber, parliamentary sources said.

The Speaker, Mr.W.J.M.Lokkubandara, presided over the meeting. Leaders of Tamil political parties in the upcountry and northeast province requested the Speaker to allow a special debate of the Kandapola incident.

A decision was taken to conduct the special debate on Kandapola incident Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., parliamentary sources said.

Plantation trade unions have alleged that the Kandapola incident took place following the defeat of the UPFA candidate for Speaker's post and some leading members of the ruling party in the hill country were behind the incident. The Police and army were not neutral in maintaining the law and order situation when there was tension in Kandapola following clash between two groups, they further said.

Tamil parliamentarians representing plantation areas voted with the main opposition in election of the Speaker, defeating the UPFA nominee, sources said.