SLFP dissidents removed from party organizer posts

[TamilNet, Friday, 16 March 2007, 11:32 GMT]
Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) Thursday night at its emergency central working committee meeting dismissed the two sacked ministers Mangala Samaraweera and Sripathi Sooriyarachchi from party organizers' posts. Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse presided the meeting in the capacity of party president, sources said.

Alavi Moulana, senior vice president of the party and Governor for the Western Province, told media persons later that the decision was unanimous. Minister Anura Bandaranaike did not attend the central working committee.

Anura Bandaranaike was one of the three ministers sacked in the recent major cabinet reshuffle with Mangala Samaraweera and Sripathi Sooriyarachchi but later reconciled with Mahinda Rajapakse and reappointed Minister for National Heritage.

Sripathi Sooriyarachchi told media persons that sacking him and Mangala Samaraweera from party organizer post would not deter them from safeguarding the SLFP from the clutches of Mahinda Rajapakse group. They would continue to work to strengthen the party.

Meanwhile, Sripathi Sooriyarachchi Friday morning appeared before Kaduwela Magistrate on a notice by the Criminal Investigation Department of the Police regarding the alleged involvement in the unlawful use of an official vehicle.

Magistrate rejected an application made by the Police to record Sripathi Sooriyarachchi statement in court. The court requested Sripathi Sooriyarachchi to go to police station next day and make his statement, sources said.

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