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Ranil's Raja Yoga disappears as Sri Lanka'sParliament Passes $1.51 Billion Defence Budget

LankaWeb

Sri Lanka's parliament Monday approved the country's budget for 2008 with an unprecedented $1.51 billion allocated for defence.

The Government obtained 118 votes while 102 voted against the Budget, and 02 abstained from voting. when it was taken up for the second reading in the 225-member assembly, officials said. The 2008 budget raised the country's defence spending to 166.44 billion rupees ($1.51 billion), mainly to battle the separatist Tamil Tiger guerrillas.

According to the sources, UPFA, UNP democratic team, JHU, SLMC, CWC, independent MP Puthrasigamani, Sri Lankan Tamil representatives of the EPDP, Upcountry Peoples Front (UPF) and Venerable Uduwe Dhammaloka MP have extended their support to the Government on the Budget.

Only 102 MPs have opposed the 2008 budget including UNP, JVP, TNA, SLFP(M) wing.
Meanwhile Wijedasa Rajapaksha MP and Nandana Gunathilake MP have abstained from voting while Two TNA MP's were absent in today's Parliament session.

Political and Defence analysts claim that even though the scenario was speculative of a last minute surprise, caused mainly through adverse media campaigns launched following a coalition of the main opposition UNP and pro-LTTE TNA, the Government's victory will boost the on-going peace initiatives and mega-development projects in the liberated Eastern and Silavathura areas.

"The military is poised to move in to the Wanni and the LTTE is experiencing a severe shortage of ammunition and manpower. For the first time it has lost both Jaffna and the East at the same time, and is without the means of replenishing its stocks. If the government secures the passages of its Budget and everything goes as planned, Prabhakaran will certainly face a Vadamarachchi like situation sooner or later" The Island, a popular local newspaper stated in its editorial today(19).

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