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Sri Lanka Government, Opposition Supporters Clash in Colombo

   VOA News 10 February 2010
   Pro-government, opposition supporters clash in Colombo

Photo: AP

   Sri  Lankan police officers try to stop pro government protesters from
   attacking  supporters  of  defeated presidential candidate Gen. Sarath
   Fonseka during a street clash in Colombo, Sri Lanka, 10 Feb 2010

   Sri  Lankan  government  supporters  clashed with opposition activists
   protesting  the arrest of their defeated presidential candidate Sarath
   Fonseka.
   Thousands of opposition demonstrators gathered in front of the Supreme
   Court  in Colombo Wednesday, when they were confronted by ruling-party
   activists who pelted them with stones.
   Police  stepped  in  to  break  up the clashes.  Witnesses say several
   people were wounded.
   Opposition supporters are demanding the release of Fonseka, the former
   chief  of  the  armed  forces,  who  was arrested Monday on charges of
   conspiring against the government.
   Fonseka lost last month's election to President Mahinda Rajapaksa, but
   the  retired general and his allies allege the polls were rigged.  The
   Sri  Lankan  election  commissioner  said  there is no evidence of any
   tampering.
   On  Tuesday,  Mr.  Rajapaksa dissolved parliament to clear the way for
   parliamentary elections to be held in early April.
   Some information for this report provided by AFP and AP.

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