Colombo, Sept 24: Sri Lanka's former world cup-winning captain Arjuna Ranatunga today announced he would join a march organised by ultra nationalists to protest the island's peace process with Tamil Tiger rebels. Ranatunga, 39, said he was supporting the newly-formed "patriotic national movement" and participating in its five-day march starting Saturday from the Central Hill Resort of Kandy.

The marchers are to cover 112 kilometres and make their way to the capital Colombo for a rally opposing the Norwegian-backed peace process which is aimed at ending ethnic bloodshed that has claimed over 60,000 lives since 1972. The Patriotic National Movement (PNM) argues the peace initiative is damaging the country by opening the floodgates to foreigners to exploit the island's meagre natural resources.
The PNM is joined by the main Marxist JVP, or People's Liberation Front, which is opposed to the peace process.

The JVP and president Kumaratunga's PA tried but failed to enter into a grand alliance this month following differences in their approach to the peace process and devolution of power. Kumaratunga's spokesman Harim Peiris said the PA had not taken a decision to join the ultra nationalist movement, which includes the JVP, but its legislators were free to act according to their conscience.

"The PA is a democratic party," Peiris said when asked if the PA was formally supporting the march.

Ranatunga, who captained Sri Lanka to the World Cup title in 1996, entered politics soon after retiring from cricket in 1999. He won a seat in parliament at the December 2001 elections, but his party is in the opposition.

Bureau Report