Opposition holds peaceful demonstration against peace process

[TamilNet, Monday, 10 March 2003, 11:51 GMT]
The joint opposition demonstration with hundreds of thousands of people wearing red caps, buddhist monks, and front line leaders of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), Mahajana Eksath Peramuna (MEP) and the National Unity Alliance (NUA) participating, commenced around two p.m. from Campbell place in Colombo and arrived at the Town Hall by five p.m. without any incidents. The Police provided tight security along the route of the demonstration, sources said.



The two other constituent parties in the main opposition Peoples Alliance (PA), the Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP) and the Communist Party did not participate in the joint opposition demonstration, sources said. The LSSP leader Mr. Batty Weerakone said his party was not participating as the demonstration opposed the present peace process between the government (GOSL) and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), sources said.

The Leader of the Opposition Mr.Mahinda Rajapakse, Mr.Anura Bandaranaike of the SLFP, Mr.Wimal Weerawanse and Mr.Tilvin Silva of JVP and Mr.Dinesh Gunawardene of the MEP were seen among those opposition leaders who led the demonstration.

Protestors shouted slogans appealing to masses to join hands with the opposition to defeat the UNF government that is presently engaged in peace talks with the LTTE to divide the country, sources said.

More than three armed police personnel and riot quads were deployed at strategic points and near public buildings to prevent any clashes, sources said.









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