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Sri Lankan parliament again extends state of emergency
Sri Lanka has extended a state of emergency by one month, but the main opposition which had tacitly supported the government in the past, voted against the move in parliament.
The emergency rule was extended by a further month, with 89 members of parliament voting against and 110 for the resolution.
It was the first time since the new parliament was elected in October that the main opposition United National Party voted against the measure which gives sweeping powers to police and security forces to arrest suspects.
The ruling People's Alliance coalition of President Chandrika Kumaratunga has a slender four-seat majority in the 225-member assembly, relying on support from two minority parties.
Previously, the main opposition UNP which has 89 seats, had been abstaining from the vote during the monthly extension debates as emergency laws are also used to deal with Tamil separatists in the island's north-east.
6/04/01 10:01:00 | ABC Radio Australia News
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