President Chandrika Kumaratunga dissolved Parliament last month and called for snap polls three years ahead of schedule accusing Wickremesinghe of mishandling the peace process.

She claims Wickremesinghe who leads a rival political party, has given too many concessions to the rebels during peace talks and has jeopardized national security. Published: Sat Mar 27 14:50:26 EST 2004

Paris-based Reporters Without Borders highlighted the assassination of Rohana Kumara, editor of Satana (battle), a Sinhalese-language newspaper. The group alleged an elite force assigned to provide security for Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga was implicated in the killing.

``He (Kumara) had been regularly publishing what some deemed to be harsh, and often sensationalistic, criticisms of the government,'' a statement from the group said.

``(The) state has committed large sums of money to protect the obviously high-ranking officials who ordered this crime,'' the statement said.

Kumara's wife claimed he was killed because he reported on a bribery scandal involving an adviser to Kumaratunga, the statement said.

Presidential aide Janadasa Peiris Friday rejected the allegations.

On the web: http://www.rsf.org Published: Fri Mar 26 12:20:22 EST 2004