Emergency extended for another month in Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 06 June 2007, 19:40 GMT]
Sri Lanka's parliament Wednesday adopted a motion moved by the government to extend the state of emergency for another month by a majority of 98 votes, parliamentary sources in Colombo said. 114 MPs voted for the motion and 16 against. The State of Emergency was declared on 13th August 2005, a day after Mr.Lakshman Kadirgamar, former foreign minister was assassinated in Colombo. Since then the state of emergency is being extended every month by the parliament.

Members of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) voted with the government. Sixteen Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarians and Western Peoples Front voted against the motion.

Members of the main opposition United National Party (UNP) abstained from voting, parliamentary sources said.