Sri Lanka main opposition bars members from participating in Fonseka's rally

The working committee of Sri Lanka's main opposition United National Party (UNP) Friday has decided not to participate in the rally organized under the leadership of former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka.
The rally, named as a joint opposition rally will be held in Colombo Hyde Park on October 18. The organizers publicized that several UNP parliamentarians would also participate in the rally although the UNP Working Committee decision would bar them now. The working committee has denied permission for the party members to attend the rally stressing that any form of engagement with those who were against party policies amounted to the violation of the party's disciplinary code. However several pro-reform UNP MPs including Karu Jayasuriya, Palitha Thewarapperuma, Dayasiri Jayasekera, Palitha Range Bandara and Asoka Abeysinghe had confirmed their participation in the rally, local daily Mirror reported. Meanwhile, the UNP has decided to invite Fonseka to join the joint opposition with the UNP. The working committee has decided to discuss the ideas with Fonseka, a party spokesman said. -->