The United Nations and its Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon will be the focal point of attention as the Government holds its May Day procession and rally in Colombo today.
Yesterday, at a carpentry shed close to Angoda, workers were busy making masks of the UN chief and the experts Panel to be taken in procession today. They worked overnight to complete masks, effigies, placards against the Secretary General and his panel.
The anti-UN call will be the main theme of both the ruling United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) as well as the National Freedom Front (NFF) led by Minister Wimal Weerawansa as they attempt to rally the people against the UN Report.
Effigies, posters, cutouts and floats were also being prepared to be taken in procession as part of today’s rally.
A few days after the UN report was handed over, President Mahinda Rajapaksa told his supporters to convert May Day into a show of strength against moves to slap war crimes charges on Sri Lanka.
The UPFA May Day procession will start at 1 p.m. from Campbell Park in Borella and the rally will be held at the Town Hall grounds. President Mahinda Rajapaska will be the main speaker.
The main opposition United National Party (UNP) will stage its May Day rally in Bandarawela this morning with Party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe presiding but with co-deputy leaders Karu Jayasuriya and Sajith Premadasa being absent.
Mr. Premadasa will be in Colombo to take part in a ceremony to mark the death of his father and former President R. Premadasa who was killed on May Day in 1993.
Sajith Premadasa said that he was unable to attend both the Colombo and Bandarawela meetings.
Mr. Jayasuriya will also take part in the Ranasinghe Premadasa commemoration ceremony.
Deputy Minister Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan who is also a Vice-President of the SLFP will be leading a separate May Day rally in Batticaloa today in support of the government, The JVP, the CWC and the NFF led by Minister Wimal Weerawansa will also hold May Day rallies. |
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