Emergency extended, Tamil MPs stage mock funeral in parliament

[TamilNet, Thursday, 19 January 2006, 15:18 GMT]
Tamil parliamentarians Thursday continued their sit-in-protest for the third consecutive day in the parliament when it resumed sitting Thursday morning against the killings and harassment of Tamil people by State armed forces under the State of Emergency. However amid noisy protest "Stop killing Tamil people, Stop genocide of Tamil people," "Withdraw emergency regulations", Mr.M.J.M.Lokkubandara, Speaker announced from his Chair that the extension motion of the State of Emergency moved by the government was carried unanimously. There was no debate and voting on the extension motion, parliamentary sources said.

When the parliament resumed sittings Thursday at 9.30 a.m. Tamil parliamentarians continued their sit-in-protest in the well of house, holding a mock funeral while Mr.M.K.Eelaventhan lying on the floor acting as a corpse. Several Tamil MPs were seen covering the body of Mr.Eelaventhan with white clothes from head to toes. Thereafter all Tamil MPs sat surrounding Mr.Eelaventhan and held " Oppari" according to Hindu rituals at a funeral house, parliamentary sources said.

Tamil MPs again blocked the Speaker from going to his Chair through normal way. The Speaker thereafter reached the podium through rear entrance. Mr.Nimal Sripala de Silva immediately moved the extension motion of the State of Emergency for another month. The Speaker promptly announced that the motion was carried unanimously while Tamil MPs were occupying the well of the House with placards and shouting slogans against the government, sources said.

The Speaker further said the parliament would not sit on Friday (January 20) as scheduled but would meet on February 01 and left the Chair at 9.40 a.m., sources said.