UNP meeting attacked, fifteen wounded

[TamilNet, Sunday, 13 August 2000, 17:09 GMT]
Fifteen people were wounded when a masked gang attacked an opposition rally this morning near the Gampaha town, about 40 kilometers northwest of Colombo. The condition of three is serious said Police sources in Yakkala. A gang of masked men had come in a van armed with clubs and had attacked people who had gathered to march in a procession in support of Mr.Karu Jayasuriya, the chairman of the United National Party, near Gampaha town. Mr.Jayasuriya is to be nominated as the UNP's chief candidate in the district of Gampaha which is the family stronghold of the Sri Lankan President. A UNP spokesman charged that the masked men were thugs of the ruling People Alliance.

Despite the disruption, the UNP went ahead with its campaign meeting at Yakkala as planned at 4.30 p.m. this afternoon, the spokesman said. The procession was attacked by the thugs in several places between Gampaha and Yakkala, according to him.

Gampaha is the largest component of the Electoral district of Colombo. Mr.Karu Jayasuriya scored a record number of votes at the provincial council elections last year in the electoral district of Colombo.