May 06, Colombo: Sri Lanka's main opposition, the United National Party (UNP), with the assistance of Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP-M) dissidents, today started a hunger strike in front of the Election Commissioner's office at Rajigiriya.

The hunger strikers told media that the protest would not be given up until the TMVP or the Pilliyan group is disarmed.

The hunger strike will continue until the completion of the provincial council election in the East on May 10.

UNP MP Tissa Attanayake, who was on site, told media that the government has given freedom to the Pilliyan group to engage in politics while bearing arms. He argued that this is against democracy and the prevailing legal system and urged the government and the election commissioner to disarm the Pilliyan group immediately.

SLFP-M leader and MP Mangala Samaraweera speaking to the media said that he was ashamed as a SLFP member that the party has officially made an alliance with an “armed terror group”. He charged the government of trying to win an election that it cannot otherwise win with the assistance of armed groups.