SRI LANKAN PARLIAMENT PASSES SUPPRESSION OF

UNCLAS COLOMBO 001190 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PTER PHUM CE LTTE SUBJECT: SRI LANKAN PARLIAMENT PASSES SUPPRESSION OF TERRORIST FINANCING BILL ¶1. (U) On July 7 in a vote of 81-21, the Sri Lankan parliament passed a bill giving effect to the Convention on the Suppression of Terrorist Financing. ¶2. (U) The quorum of 102 parliamentarians voted along political lines with the ruling Sri Lankan Freedom Party, main opposition United National Party, National Unity Alliance, Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna, and four members of the Sri Lankan Muslim Congress voting in favor. Twenty members of the Tamil National Alliance and one ethnic Tamil from the United National Party voted against. Parliamentarians from the Jathika Hela Urumaya were not in attendance. ¶3. (SBU) Comment: This vote illustrates that, although operating from a minority position, the President can assemble the necessary votes including her former partners the JVP, to move legislation forward. LUNSTEAD