Sri Lanka's Leftist Party Plans Anti-government RalliesSri Lanka's leftist JVP or People' s Liberation Front said on Sunday that it has planned to hold a series of rallies in the war-torn country to demand the reconvening of parliament prorogued by President Chandrika Kumaratunga last week.The JVP said it would hold rallies in 21 towns islandwide on Monday to pressure Kumaratunga to immediately reconvene parliament. The party also said that it opposed Kumaratunga's call for a referendum on a new constitution scheduled on August 21. Last Tuesday Kumaratunga prorogued parliament for two months until September 7 and called for a referendum on a new constitution. Kumartunga's surprise move came when the main United National Party (UNP) pressed for a debate on the no-confidence motion which it tabled to the Parliament last month. Her ruling People's Alliance government lost its majority in parliament due to the withdrawal of its key alley the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress following her dismissal of its leader Rauf Hakeem last month. The UNP led a massive street demonstration on Thursday when two people were killed and some 80 others wounded in clashes with the police who fired tear gas, rubber bullets and live ammunition against the protesters. The three police officers who had allegedly opened fire on protesters have been arrested on Friday. |
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