Sri Lanka reimposes ban on LTTE

By Nirupama Subramanian

COLOMBO, JULY 5. With the Emergency in Sri Lanka lapsing on Wednesday and the Government uncertain of mustering sufficient numbers in Parliament to extend it, the President, Ms. Chandrika Kumaratunga, today reimposed the ban on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) under the country's Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA).

The original proscription automatically lapsed on Wednesday with the Emergency. A Government release said the President invoked the PTA to keep the ban intact in order to meet ``the urgent security situation.''

Ms. Kumaratunga also moved to retain other Emergency regulations by invoking the same Act to declare all districts as ``security areas''. Two other orders were made under the Public Security Ordinance to call out armed forces for the maintenance of public order and essential services, the notification said.

The state-run Daily News today said the Government had informed the secretary-general of Parliament that it would not take up the motion on the extension of the Emergency as scheduled on Friday.

Today's edition of the newspaper broke Government regulations and carried four full pages of graphic photographs of various attacks by the LTTE, including the 1998 bombing of the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy, the 1996 bombing of the Central Bank, the assassinations of various political leaders, including Ranjan Wijeratne and Neelan Truchelvam, and various civilian killings.

The vote on the Emergency would have been a test of strength for the minority Government, which is up against a no- confidence vote by the Opposition in the coming weeks.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : International
Previous : Sri Lanka reiterates right to self-defence
Next     : Canada-India ties poised to enter new phase