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Rising Military Expenditure Is Deterrent to Development in Sri Lanka: President
Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga told her government parliamentary group on Monday night that , hence their allocations under the decentralized budget could not be increased.
She said that the military expenditure for the year 2000 had exceeded the budgeted amount by 30 billion rupees (around US$365.85 million).
A considerable portion of the military expenditure went to the purchase of sophisticated weapons in dire need by government forces for fighting against separatist Tamil Tiger rebels between April and May last year, when government forces faced a severe situation in the northern Jaffna peninsula under fierce attack from the rebels.
The president had indicated that she would not allow a debate in Parliament on the Paris Development Forum meeting held last December which was sought by opposition parties.
She also warned that the People's Liberation Front (JVP) had planned a campaign to destabilize the country's economy by disrupting private sector establishments. They were engaged in a campaign of agitational propaganda infiltrating trade unions and threatening their leaders and employees and staging illegal demonstrations.
On Monday the JVP held a demonstration in Colombo against rising costs of living due to the price hikes of essential dailylife items. The demonstration was halted by police with tear gas. At least 12 people were injured in the protest.
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