18 ex-UNP parliamentarians appeal to Supreme Court to ensure their security

[TamilNet, Friday, 19 February 2010, 14:15 GMT]
Eighteen former parliamentarians of the main opposition United National Party (UNP) Wednesday filed petitions in Supreme Court seeking relief against the withdrawal of their security by the government. Petitioners said their security had been withdrawn on February 15 whilst a group of former government parliamentarians and government supporters who are not parliamentarians are provided with security of the Ministerial Security Division, legal sources in Colombo said.

The petitioners are Karu Jayasuriya, deputy leader of the UNP, Tissa Attanayake, UNP general secretary, Ravi Karunanayake, Gamini Jayawickrema Perera, A. R. M. Abdul Cader, Akila Viraj Kariyawasam, Mrs. Mary L. Perera, Dunesh Gankanda, Wijeyadasa Rajapakse, A. D. Premadasa, Renuka Herath, Palitha Ranga Bandara, Kabeer Hasheem, Sagara Ratnayake, Dr. Jayalath Jayewardene, Thalatha Athukorale and Edward Gunasekara.

The petitioners said that they have to campaign for the General Election and that even after the dissolution of Parliament, the threats to their lives remain.

The petitioners have sought the Supreme Court to direct the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and other concerned officers of the Police Department to grant adequate security to the petitioners forthwith.