unlawful practices, which was why he was eliminated. The PSD agent responsible for killing him, Dhammika Amarasinghe, was himself murdered in January 2004, inside the Magistrate's Courts of Colombo, by an Army deserter Sirivardanage Camindakumara. Brought in for questioning by police, he was to serve as a witness in several cases implicating the President's security services.

Date : 2002-08-22Baddegana Sanjeewa was more powerful than a minister — SB

Sumadhu Weerawarne and Kesara Abeywardena - The Island

In Parliament on Tuesday -No-Confidence Motion against Interior Minister John Amaratunga - The second day of the debate continued with the government and the opposition trading customary charges against each other. The opposition accused the Interior Minister of not taking action against those responsible for violence during the general election and the Local Government election.The government speakers focused mainly on the atrocities of the PSD and other malpractices of the PA regime during the last seven years.

Commenting on the conduct of the police in the past eight months John Seneviratne (PA — Ratnapura District) said that it had greatly deteriorated.

He said that the PA had spoken of Soththi Upali as the UNP was speaking of Sanjeewa. This he said was to no purpose.

He pointed out that there were many violations by the police to the extent that it was giving protection to unsavoury characters.

He also recalled the abduction of two soldiers by a vigilante group immediately after the elections. He said that the government had unleashed violations against PA members.

He observed that it was difficult for the PA to support the government