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Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka former gov't ally blames NGOs for breaking up gov't

COLOMBO, Jun 22, 2005 (Xinhua via COMTEX) -- The former main partner in Sri Lanka's ruling coalition on Wednesday blamed the agents of non- governmental organizations (NGOs) dependent on foreign funds for breaking up the government.

Wimal Weerawansa, the parliamentary group leader of the JVP or the People's Liberation Front, while addressing parliament on the first session since walking out of the government here Wednesday, said that their leaving of the government headed by President Chandrika Kumaratunga was caused by a conspiracy hatched by a small group within the government who are agents of NGOs.

The JVP quit the government last week and their 39 legislators are to work in the opposition benches in the 225-member parliament as an independent group.

Their decision to leave came after a deadline extended to Kumaratunga for her to abandon the plan to set up a joint mechanism with the Tamil Tigers for Tsunami relief co-ordination.

"We treat the motherland's security and its victory paramount above everything else," Weerawansa told parliament.

The JVP described Kumaratunga's joint deal plan as one which would give official recognition to a terrorist group.