Uproar in Sri Lankan parliament

Parliament had not met for a fortnight

The Speaker of Sri Lanka's parliament has attacked President Chandrika Kumaratunga for suspending the house two weeks ago.

There was uproar among her supporters as he accused her of abusing power after parliament reopened on Wednesday.

The president and Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe are in deep dispute over peace talks with Tamil Tiger rebels.

The BBC Colombo correspondent says Sri Lanka is in a dangerous phase with no-one in charge of the peace process.

The exercise of the power to summon, dissolve and prorogue must always be exercised in consultation with parliament Speaker Joseph Michael Perera

More than 60,000 people have died in violence in Sri Lanka since the Tigers began their fight for a homeland for minority Tamils in the island's north and east in 1983.

The power struggle in the capital threatens to derail talks with the rebels - and pledges of billions of dollars of foreign aid.

Norwegian mediators who brokered peace negotiations have put their efforts on hold, until the stand-off is resolved.

Precedent?

Parliamentary Speaker Joseph Michael Perera - who belongs to the prime minister's party - said the suspension of the house was an abuse aimed at paralysing one arm of government.

"I hope the prorogation will not be an unpleasant precedent," he said.

CRISIS TIMELINE Nov 4: Presidents sacks ministers, suspends parliament Nov 5: 24-hour state of emergency declared Nov 14: Norwegians put peace efforts on hold Nov 18: President and PM set up panel to ease stand-off Nov 19: Parliament resumes work

"If this happens again, there should be a right for parliament to meet and summon itself."

Opposition members from the president's party reacted by banging their papers on the desks and shouting.

There was no immediate response from the president herself.

The BBC's Frances Harrison in Colombo says the Speaker's remarks make clear how deep the constitutional crisis is in Sri Lanka, which she says in now in a kind of limbo.

There had been talk of parliament being dissolved and the president calling fresh elections. But our correspondent says that looks unlikely for now.

On Wednesday, MPs were hearing the prime minister present a populist budget for 2004, aimed at boosting his re-election chances, should the need arise.

Ministers sacked

The present crisis erupted when the president sacked three key cabinet ministers earlier this month.

The president and prime minister held talks on Tuesday

Her action in effect stripped the government of control over the Sri Lankan armed forces and police.

The president believes too many concessions have been given to the rebels, and wants a government of national unity in which her People's Alliance, currently in opposition, would play a part.

Mr Wickramasinghe has ruled this out and says he wants to create a consensus in the south on the peace process instead.

The two leaders met on Tuesday and agreed to set up a committee to try to resolve their differences.

But few observers expect the new panel to ease the deadlock any time soon.