Emergency extended for another month in Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 November 2007, 16:23 GMT]
Sri Lanka's parliament Tuesday adopted a motion moved by the Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wikremanayake on behalf of the government to extend the State of Emergency for another month with a majority of 120 votes. 124 parliamentarians voted for the motion and four against.

Parliamentarians of the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA), Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC), Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) and the dissident group of the main opposition United National Party (UNP), voted with the government.

Only four parliamentarians of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) who were present at that time in parliament registered their votes against the motion.

Members of the main opposition United National Party (UNP) abstained.

The State of Emergency is being extended every month by the parliament since it was proclaimed in August 2005.