|
|
 |
  |
| Sunday, 11 July 2004 |
 |
|
 |
Business |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
|
Economy not affected by bomb blast Analysts say Wednesday's bomb blast at the Kollupitiya police station will not seriously affect the recovering Sri Lankan economy. However, the incident will definitely send a wrong signal to the investors and tourists. But there are no signs of the ceasefire agreement collapsing or a re-starting of the war. The government and the President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga emphasised that the incident will not affect the peace process. Meanwhile the LTTE denied any involvement in the attack in which four Policemen were killed. S. P Thamilchelvan, head of the LTTE's political division said on Thursday that the Tigers had "absolutely no connection in the suicide bombing in Colombo", Tamil Net, the pro-LTTE news web reported. "This is an act to destabilize the peace process. We suspect this has been carried out by elements that want to disrupt the peace process", Thamilchelvan has said. Whatever the LTTE says it is an act of the LTTE. But the important thing is this denial shows the LTTE's desire to continue the peace process. The LTTE killed political opponents during the nearly two- and-ahalf- year- long peace process. This time also the target was Minister Douglas Devananda, one of its main political opponents. Similar things happened during the UNF regime which started the peace process. Last year a police officer was killed inside the Dehiwela Police Station . Addressing a news conference in colombo, leaders of main parties of the UPFA pledged that the Government would take the peace process forward. JVP parliamentary group leader Wimal Weerawansa said that the bomb blast was aimed at a particular individual and there was no reason for the overall peace process to be affected or for foreign investors to have any fears. The Government has given an assurance that it will take appropriate measures to immediately strengthen national security. The incident has not shown any impact on the Colombo Stock Exchange transactions which is the most sensitive indicator of investor sentiment. On Thursday the market recouped what it lost on Wednesday following the incident. The ASPI gained by 19 points and MPI shot up by 27 points. Market capitalisation recorded as Rs..332.6 billion against Rs.327 billion on Wednesday. This indicates that the investors are treating the bomb blast as an isolated event. Tourist agents confirmed that there are no cancellations following the blast. |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security Produced by Lake House |
