UNP stages mass rally

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 02 February 1999, 12:14 GMT]
More than ten thousand protestors blocked traffic this afternoon at Hyde Park Corner in the heart of Colombo at a mass rally and sit in organised by Sri Lanka's main opposition party the UNP. Slogan chanting demonstrators burnt mock coffins marked "Death of Democracy" at the venue.

Peak hour traffic came to a halt at this key junction in the city, as Police struggled to divert it through the few side-roads.

The UNP had called the demonstration and mass rally today to protest the rigging and violence by the ruling party at the recently concluded Northwestern provincial council elections.

The UNP leader Ranil Wickremasinghe will address a public meeting later this evening said party sources.

Political sources in Colombo said that the turnout for the UNP protest is exceptionally high.

(Photo: Sri Lanka's main opposition party members carry a coffin symbolising the death of democracy during a protest in Colombo. They demanded a new election in one of the provinces where the ruling party was accused of massive rigging in recently held elections. -AP)