Lives of UNP dissidents threatened - Karu

By Sarath Samaranayake

After the UNP dissidents' group revealed that two of their MPs were approached by a representative of business tycoon Charles Gnanakoon and sought their help to topple the Government, the members of the group have received death threats, Minister of Public Administration and Home Affairs Karu Jayasuriya said.

He was speaking at the district convention of the UNP Democratic Front at Gampaha yesterday.

Minister Jayasuriya said that despite such threats, his group is committed to strengthen the hands of President Mahinda Rajapaksa to eliminate terrorism and unite the country for people of all communities to live in pace.

He said that his group would not betray the national task for Gnanakoon's money; therefore the MPs would not allow any political or other force to topple this government.

"We would work in harmony with the Rajapaksa Government to fulfil a national task instead and we would contribute our share in developing the East as we had extended our support to the Government to liberate the East".

Minister of Engineering and Construction Service Dr.Rajitha Senaratne and Minister of Agriculture, Hemakumara Nanayakkara also spoke.