Bhikku Front holds demonstration opposing IA

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 28 May 2003, 10:56 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Bhikkus Front to Safeguard the Nation held a demonstration Tuesday afternoon in Colombo demanding the United National Front (UNF) government to abandon its attempt to appease the LTTE request for a fully empowered interim administration in the northeast province, sources said.

Hundreds of Bhikkus went on a demonstration from Borella to the Japanese embassy at Gregory Road and carried placards opposing the setting up of an interim administration for the northeast, sources said. One of the placards said LTTE should not be allowed to participate at the Japan aid summit.

At the end of the demonstration a deputation of the Sri Lanka Bhikku Front to Safeguard the Nation handed over a memorandum to the Deputy Japanese Ambassador. Front sources said more than thirty thousand personssigned the memorandum opposing the LTTE request for an interim administration.

The delegation that met the Japanese deputy ambassador included the President of the Front Venerable Galawellwela Chandraloka Thera and the Matara District Peoples Alliance parliamentarian. Venerable Baddegama Samitha Thera.

Venerable Baddegama Samitha is the only Bhikku parliamentarian and also a member of the Lanka Sama Samaja Party, which is a constituent of the main opposition Peoples Alliance, sources said. The LSSP has taken a stand at present opposing the interim administration, sources said.