DATE=3/10/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=LANKA / BLAST (L)
NUMBER=2-260068
BYLINE=VANDANA CHOPRA
DATELINE=SRI LANKA
INTERNET=YES
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: At least 19 persons have been killed and
45 injured in a bomb blast in the capital of Sri
Lanka, Colombo. Vandana Chopra has the details
from Colombo.
TEXT: The explosion occurred in the Borella area of
Colombo, the city's commercial center. Reports say
many of the wounded are in critical condition, and the
death toll is expected to continue to climb.
The blast took place along a strategic highway leading
to the national parliament. Officials said the attack
apparently was aimed at government ministers and
political leaders who had been attending a meeting of
parliament.
Police said several suspects had managed to
escape and a house-to-house search had been
launched in the area, which has been cordoned off
by hundreds of security forces. Many roads have
been closed and massive traffic jams are reported
throughout the city.
So far there have been no claims of responsibility
for the attack, but earlier blasts in the capital have
been blamed on the Tigers of Tamil Eelam, a rebel
group that has been fighting to establish an
independent Tamil state in the north and east of the
country.
The Sri Lankan government and the main opposition
party are currently discussing constitutional
reforms which they will then present to the tiger
separatists in a bid to end fighting that began
more than fifteen years ago. (Signed)
NEB/VC/KL/
10-Mar-2000 14:05 PM EDT (10-Mar-2000 1905 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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