Sri Lanka monks protest worker killing

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A group of Buddhist monks with links to the Opposition JVP staged a protest walk to the President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s official residence here on Friday in continuation of action against the aborted pensions bill.

The police allowed the monks to march near Rajapaksa’s residence in contrast to Tuesday's demonstration in the export promotion where police firing took a protestor’s life.

Monks in a sit in protest shouted slogans and demanded to meet with the President which was declined.

The monks’ protest came as the two police officers remanded in connection with the police shooting had their remand order extended by the court. The Army continued to be deployed at the export promotion zone ahead of Saturday’s funeral of the slain worker.

“We urge that all workers be allowed to attend the funeral on Saturday”, Vasantha Samarasinghe a trade union leader of the JVP (Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna) or People's Liberation Front.

The government has accused the Opposition JVP and the UNP for being behind the protest.

“We have detected telephone conversations between the JVP and the demonstrators during the protest”, Dilan Perera, a Cabinet minister said.

Workers were protesting against the government move to take over the existing provident and trust funds in exchange of a small monthly payment of a pension after retirement.

The government has announced that bill will not be presented in Parliament.