UNP sacks 10 over Sirikotha attack

• Shiral Lakthilake, Maithri Gunaratne expelled from the party

The Working Committee of the United National Party yesterday decided to expel 10 members from the party, including prominent provincial councillors and attorneys at law Maithri Gunaratne and Shiral Lakthilake, UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake told reporters yesterday. 

The decision was made after the Disciplinary Committee report on the attack on the party headquarters Sirikotha in December 2011 was handed over to the Working Committee yesterday.  Attanayake said the decision to sack the 10 members including Lakthilake and Gunaratne were based on the findings of that report.

The UNP's Headquarters were attacked by angry protesters following an election for the party leadership and key officebearers in which UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe was reinstated, defeating former Party Deputy Leader Karu Jayasuriya.