Colombo municipal councilors walk out protesting against white van threat

[TamilNet, Thursday, 31 July 2008, 19:27 GMT]
Councilors of the Western Peoples Front (WPF), Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) and Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) along with veteran trade union leader Vasudeva Nanayakara of the ruling independent group walked out of the monthly meeting of the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) held Wednesday in protest to threats by gangs coming by white vans. Other members of the ruling independent group did not participate in the walkout.

They made statements before staging the walkout that they live in fear in their residences and are unable freely move with public due to threat made by unknown men coming in white vans in search of them. They said one of the SLMC councilors was threatened by armed persons following his legal action against the demolition of houses by the Urban Development Authority (UDP) in the Slave Island.