Opposition Leader (UNP) Ranil Wickremasinghe says that he has a death threat from the owner of a private media institution. Addressing the media at his office in Colombo yesterday, Wickremasinghe displayed a large stone and claimed that it was one of the stones used to attack the UNP headquarters Sirikotha. He said that every person who went against the party is being identified through photographs and emphasized that disciplinary action will be taken against all those who took part in the riot and damaged Sirikotha.

Making a special statement in the Parliament last morning on the unruly incidents of the previous day, Wickremasinghe requested the government to hold an independent and fair investigation into the attack on the UNP headquarters, and requested the government to find out if the monies of foreign NGOs have been utilized to manipulate this attack on the Sirikotha. He apologized to the UNP, all its members and the entire country for his inability to protect Sirikotha during Monday’s attack. He further said that he learnt that an NGO in Germany funded a person who was removed from the UNP Working Committee. He added that he had requested from the German Ambassador in Sri Lanka to prevent those institutions from funding for such activities. Wickremasinghe also requested the government to find out about these fundings as well.

Meanwhile, Nugegoda Magistrate Rohana Anura Kumara Herath issued an order to remand the UNP Provincial Councillors Maithri Guneratne, Shiral Laktilake together with eight others until 2nd January, for allegedly conducting themselves in an unruly manner and inciting attacks on Sirikotha resulting in damage to a vehicle of UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe during Monday’s leadership and party post election.

The others being arrested are Subash Ravi Jayawardena, Chandima Nayanajith, Ariyaratne Santiago, Ravindralal Perera, Roshan Indhika Silva, Mudalige Dhashika Maduranga, Paul Fernanado and Aruna Shantha Samarawickrama. (news.lk)