by Norman Palihawadane and Dilanthi Jayamanne
The opposition yesterday accused the UNP of attacking a group of opposition activists at Eppawela.

"They were attacked when they were returning home from Anuradhapura," an opposition spokesperson said, adding that they were among a large group of people who attended a rally held in protest against the division of the country on ethnic lines.

Several persons including a Buddhist monk and a woman suffered injuries, the JVP said. The incident took place at Warawewa, Eppawela.

Police confirmed the incident. The opposition identified two UNP Pradeshiya Sabha members as the persons who led the attack.

Attackers blocked the road and attacked vehicles carrying opposition supporters, the JVP said. Several vehicles were damaged, police said.

The Anuradhapura was the latest in a series of meetings held to protest against "the way the government has allowed the LTTE to take advantage of a ceasefire agreement to strength itself both militarily and politically."

A member of the clergy, one woman and three youth were injured when the gang attacked the passing vehicles with bottles of sand, clubs and stones. Two of them are presently receiving treatment at the Eppawela rural hospital and the Anuradhapura General Hospital while one left after being treated, JVP sources said. The victims were from Thoranagama, Halmillewa and Galnewa.

The damage to the vehicles was over Rs. 100,000, they said. The vehicles damaged were two Hiace vans and three Elf vans.

The joint opposition rally which was held against the division of the country and the creation of a separate state in the North and East was held near the new bus stand in Anuradhapura on Wednesday at which the JVP, PA, LSSP and the NUA participated.

Police sources claimed that the JVP had organised the rally and that the injured were those from in and around the area. "The moment we received the compliant we were able to deploy several police personnel to the Thallewa area as the suspects who had been identified by the victims were from the village," Anuradhapura DIG Ananda Jayasekara said.

Although the JVP claimed that there were two UNP pradesheeya sabha MPs involved in the incident they have not mentioned it in their complaint lodged with the Eppawela police, they pointed out claiming that they might include this into the compliant later in the day.

The Police said that they were carrying out further investigations into the incident.