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MPs to be disciplined
In the aftermath of one of the most disgraceful incidents in parliament last Wednesday, the Speaker is to hold a second meeting with party leaders to discuss ways to enforce discipline and ban banners and placards in the House. The opposition PA has accused UNP MPs of being responsible for some savage attacks but the UNP has denied this while assuring that disciplinary action would be taken against any offending MPs.

'Release 350 PTA detainees'
By Tania Fernando
In the wake of hunger strike in two jails by PTA detainees, the Attorney General has agreed to make a case-by-case review - with Tamil parties saying that upto 350 of the detainees should be released.

TNA spokesman A. Vinayagamoorthy said they had come to this compromise at a meeting with Defence Minister Tilak Marapana and Attorney General K. C. Kamalasabeyson. He said they had asked for the release of suspects who were being held for failure to give information, those who had given extracted confessions and those who were found in the possession of hand-grenades which might have been planted on them.

Mr. Vinayagamoorthy said they were not asking for the release of the suspects being held under the Prevention of Terrorism Act for alleged involvement in major attacks.

JVP to boycott PA protest
The JVP is to boycott a mass protest organised by the People's Alliance to be held next month following its decision not to bring in the issue of the peace process for the protest, a JVP parliamentarian said.

JVP MP K. Lalkantha said the party would not attend the PA protest to be held on August 12, if it did not address the peace process.

Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapakse said the JVP's demand did not comply with the stand the PA had taken regarding the peace process.

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