Sri Lanka leader defends actions

Troops have been deployed at the state printing press

Sri Lanka's president has defended her decision to suspend parliament and sack key ministers on Tuesday, saying she acted to protect national security.

In a nationwide address, President Chandrika Kumaratunga accused the government of making too many concessions to Tamil Tiger rebels.

She offered to talk to the rebels but said law and order was her priority.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe has accused her of bringing Sri Lanka to the verge of anarchy and chaos.

The president's speech on state television came at the end of a day of fast-moving events.

Her decision to sack the information, defence and interior ministers, suspend parliament and deploy troops around key buildings in the capital, Colombo, stunned the country and brought howls of protest from her political rivals.

President Kumaratunga accused Mr Wickramasinghe of giving too much ground to the Tamil Tigers.

The irresponsible and precipitous action of the president is aimed at plunging the country into chaos and anarchy Ranil Wickramasinghe Prime Minister PM's statement in full President's televised address

The prime minister, in Washington on a prearranged trip, accused her of endangering efforts to end Sri Lanka's long civil war.

But President Kumaratunga was unrepentant.

"The maintenance of law and order is one of the paramount duties cast on me under the Constitution," she said, appealing to Sri Lankans to remain calm.

Mrs Kumaratunga insisted that her actions were not directed at any one party or individual and stressed that she remained committed to a peaceful resolution of Sri Lanka's long-running ethnic conflict.

"I wish to assure the minorities of the country, especially the Tamil and Muslim communities that their concerns will be given due and serious consideration in trying to reach a negotiated settlement."

Warning

The Tamil Tigers have so far only said they are monitoring the situation, but a pro-Tigers website said the president's actions have "dimmed" the prospects for peace.

The European Union has warned that the sackings could endanger progress in the peace process.

The White House has stressed that a planned meeting between Mr Wickramasinghe and President Bush will go ahead as planned on Wednesday.

"We're firmly supportive of the peace process and strong democratic institutions in Sri Lanka," said Sean McCormack, a White House spokesman.

Days ago, Tamil Tiger rebels submitted a power-sharing peace proposal.

Mrs Kumaratunga's Sri Lanka Freedom Party, which is the parliamentary opposition, expressed concern about the Tigers' proposals for a self-governing authority in the north-east of the country.

Rivalries

The president has also been at odds with Defence Minister Talk Mariposa, Interior Minister John Amaratunga and Information Minister Imthiaz Bakeer Markar over their handling of the peace process.

All three ministers still hold other cabinet-level posts.

Mrs Kumaratunga has an uneasy relationship with Mr Wickramasinghe's government, who defeated her party at parliamentary elections in December 2001.

The BBC's Frances Harrison in Colombo says there is little doubt that the co-habitation in government between the two rivals is unravelling.

HAVE YOUR SAY To improve the current situation international pressure should be used on the president Rajendran, Sri Lanka Send us your comments

The president has also suspended parliament until 19 November, a move which analysts say in effect pre-empts any attempt to challenge the sackings.

The suspension means that a reading of the country's budget, which was due to be discussed on 12 November, will be put on hold.

The rebels signed a ceasefire with the government in February 2002, bringing to an end two decades of fighting which have left more than 60,000 people dead.

In their latest proposals, the Tigers dropped a demand for independence in favour of regional autonomy.

But opposition politicians say the proposals are in breach of the constitution and the Tamils are using the interim administration to prepare the legal ground for breaking away.