The Hindu : International : New Sri Lankan Government faces first test

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Apr 19, 2004

International

International

New Sri Lankan Government faces first test

By V.S. Sambandan

COLOMBO, APRIL 18. Sri Lanka's newly-elected United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) Government will face its first test when the 225-member Parliament meets this Thursday and elects the Speaker. The UPFA, with the support of 106 MPs, including the single member from the Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP), falls eight seats short of the 114-mark required to elect its candidate as the Speaker and enjoy a working majority as well.

With the Opposition United National Party likely to field a former Minister as its candidate for the post, a contest is on the cards for the new Government on the opening day of the 13th Parliament. The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) with 22 MPs and the Jathika Hela Urumaya (nine MPs) have not yet made their position public on the Speaker's election.

LTTE offers amnesty to rebels

PTI reports:

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam has offered amnesty to rebel fighters while moving to restore their own civil administration in eastern Sri Lanka. The LTTE fighters, who were demobilised when the regional commander, Muralitharan, better known as Col. Karuna, stopped fighting last week, were invited to rejoin the movement. ``We will not punish or victimise or persecute anyone who has been associated with Col. Karuna in his traitorous activities,'' the pro-rebel Tamilnet website quoted the LTTE's new Batticaloa leader, Thambirajah Ramesh, as saying.

He urged residents to return weapons and valuables looted during the revolt. The LTTE warned civilians in the eastern districts of Batticaloa and Ampara to return the Tiger property stolen after Karuna disbanded his faction and destroyed long range weapons under him. Mr. Ramesh said the Tigers would reopen their own police stations and justice system in eastern Sri Lanka and that taxing of civilian business would start after administrative structures were in place.

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