Colombo, Mar 03: The caretaker United National Front (UNF) government today demanded that political arch-rival President Chandrika Kumaratunga, who arbitrarily took over three ministries, including defence, interior and media last November, should provide adequate security to party candidates in the forthcoming April 2 general elections. Lands minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne told reporters here today that it was the ''responsibility of President Kumaratunga, who is now Minister of Defence and Interior, to give protection to the candidates of our party candidates as much as we provided to her aides and her party stalwarts during the past two years''. The minister's demand for proper police security to the party's poll candidates came exactly a couple of days after killing of the UNF's Batticaloa district candidate, Sinnathamby Sunderampillai was shot dead by an unknown gunmen while he was getting treatment for his gunshot injuries received on the previous night.
He said that the president has the responsibility to provide security to the poll candidates alleging that the country's security situation had deteriorated as a result of the UNF's peace talks with the LTTE.
He also demanded the newly-formed United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) of President Kumaratunga's should come out with clarifications whether it accepts the LTTE as the sole representatives of the Tamil people and whether it accepts the LTTE's interim administrative proposals for the north-east as a basis for future negotiations with the rebels.
Bureau Report