JVP in massive protest march against ceasefire agreement

[TamilNet, Thursday, 20 February 2003, 16:25 GMT]
Sri Lankan Police used tear gas and water cannon to disperse thousands of antigovernment demonstrators in Colombo Thursday afternoon. The protest was organised by the Sinhala nationalist party, Janata Vimukthi Peramuna, against the ceasefire agreement signed between with the Liberation Tigers and the Government of Sri Lanka.


JVP parliamentarian Mr.Wimal Weerawanse and JVP General Secretary Mr.Tilvin Silva led the procession. They carried a big banner with the text "One Year For The Ranil, Prabha, Norway Pseudo Agreement Which Betrayed The Country."

Sources in Colombo said about 50,000 people, including a large number of Buddhist monks took part in the protest.

The protesters gathered at Paliyagoda and began to march towards Temple trees, the Prime Minister's official residence. Hundreds of Special Task Force soldiers and Police who were guarding the Prime Minister's residence, however, stopped the protestors near James Peiris Mawatte by using water cannon and tear gas, sources in Colombo said.

Several media personnel who were at the scene to cover the event were also attacked. Mr. Eranga Jayawardena, Photojournalist with the Island, was injured and was admitted at the Colombo General Hospital. Sources said his Nikon digital camera, with an estimated value of Rs. 400,000, was completely damaged.

The JVP organized this march protesting against the ceasefire agreement Signed by the United National Front government and the LTTE, which is to complete one year of existence Saturday.

Earlier, Propaganda Secretary of the JVP, Mr.Wimal Weerawanse, addressing a press conference said very shortly his party would organize a mammoth rally against the implementation of the Ceasefire agreement and the LTTE.