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by Uditha Kumarasinghe

There is a total breakdown of law and order despite the UNF Government's claims to the contrary, PA Media Spokesman Dr. Sarath Amunugama told the PA weekly media briefing yesterday.

Seven soldiers have been arrested in Vilgamvehera and detained by the LTTE notwithstanding the Prime Minister's request. The Prime Minister's and the Monitoring Mission's efforts to get them out have failed, he said.

Similarly in Medirigiriya, poor farmers have been deprived Samurdhi relief. When they protested peacefully at the AGA's office, thugs assaulted them. Police has not taken action so far, Amunugama said.

A journalist who covered this incident was mercilessly attacked by thugs and his camera grabbed. "But there is not a whimper from this Government, the great defender of media rights", he said.

Amunugama said the UNP tends to say that they would appoint a committee. When PA MPs were assaulted in Parliament, the UNP said they will immediately set up a committee, but nothing happened.

The UNP has promised to appoint another committee to investigate the Medirigiriya incident. As far as the assault in Parliament is concerned, the chief culprit has been rewarded with a three weeks' tour to the United States.

He said the old UNP slogan was "join the UNP and see the world". Now they have changed this to "break the law and see the world".

Amunugama said that on Bandaranaike Day, a certain group had decapitated Prime Minister S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike's statue in Beruwala. This is the type of thuggery that is becoming a characteristic of the UNF Government.

He said the North and East has a different legal system, judiciary and Police force. Even in federal countries like the US and India breakdown of law and order is not allowed.

"There is a Police of the Government and a Police of Prabhakaran in the North-East. It is high time to draw attention to this total erosion of law and order. Rarely do we see such a complete breakdown of law and order in a country", Amunugama said.

Commenting on the peace talks, he said this is only a way of hoodwinking the public to lift the ban on the LTTE.

This was a charade. The real purpose was to lift the ban. They set up this big drama to give an impression to the country that the talks are beginning, he said.

"We always said talks should begin by agreeing on an agenda and discussing core issues as early as possible. We are not saying that they should start getting into core issues at the very next meeting, but that is the direction in which the PA would like the talks to move," he said.

MP Mangala Samaraweera said the PA has been asking for an urgent meeting at the last two party leaders' meeting on the Peace talks. The Government is silent on this issue. At the next party leaders meeting, the PA will request the Government for an urgent meeting on the North-East situation, he said.

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