Sri Lanka president says opposition knew of murder bid

September 1, 2000
Web posted at: 8:15 AM HKT (0015 GMT)

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (Reuters) -- Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga has accused the main opposition leader of knowing in advance of an attempt on her life last year as political acrimony grew ahead of October general elections.

Kumaratunga told a public meeting that United National Party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe knew of a planned bomb attack at her presidential campaign rally in the capital Colombo last December, the government-owned Daily News reported on Thursday.

Several people were killed and wounded in the suicide bombing, including Kumaratunga, who lost an eye. The government blamed the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels for the blast and days later Kumaratunga won her second six-year term as president.

"I challenge Mr Wickremesinghe to deny it publicly and clear his name if the allegation is false," the newspaper quoted Kumaratunga as telling the meeting in the southeastern town of Wellawaya on Wednesday.

Kumaratunga's estranged brother, a senior UNP leader, rejected her charges.

"We reject outright this ludicrous but wicked canard with responsibility as the covert objective of it was to achieve cheap political mileage during the forthcoming parliamentary elections," Anura Bandaranaike said in a statement on Thursday.

During the presidential polls the government had charged that the opposition party had joined with the LTTE to defeat Kumaratunga and it is pressing that line again ahead of the Oct 10 polls.

The election is being fought over a radical plan by the government to end the long running ethnic war by changing the constitution to give more power to regions, including one administered by minority Tamils to give them a political alternative to the Tamil Tigers.

Bandaranaike said his sister was desperately trying to tarnish Wickremesinghe's name due to "sheer jealousy and malice" and said she had failed miserably in fulfilling her promise of ending the war.

The LTTE have been fighting for a separate homeland for minority Tamils in Sri Lanka's north and east since 1983.

Sri Lankans are concerned over possible clashes between political groups during the campaign and more bomb attacks by the rebels, who have in the past been blamed for several blasts and assassinations of political leaders.

The U.S. State Department has warned Americans in Sri Lanka to avoid political rallies and public transportation if at all possible ahead of the election, the U.S. embassy in Colombo said on Thursday.

"Past elections have been marked by violence, including arson, beatings and killings. Although all political parties have condemned election violence, similar incidents may occur in connection with the upcoming elections," the statement said.

Kumaratunga's People's Alliance coalition received a boost on Thursday after a key Muslim ally resolved differences and returned to the fold. The parties will jointly contest three of the Muslim-dominated electoral districts.

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