By Anura Balasuriya

A campaign to collect one million signatures for a public petition against the proposed war crimes investigation commenced at the Sri Sambuddhaloka Vihara, Colombo yesterday.

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa signed the petition first while members of the Maha Sangha chanted pirith.

Thereafter, Buddhist monks, former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, former Minister Prof. G. L. Peiris, Dr. Gunadasa Amarasekera, MP Geetha Kumarasinghe and the supporters of the Joint Opposition signed the petition.

Ven. Bengamuwe Nalaka Thera conducted an anusasana. Ven. Muruttettuwe Ananda Thera was also present.

The campaign has been organised by the National Movement for the Protection of War Heroes, demanding that the government desist from prosecuting the members of the security forces who wiped out terrorism so that all Sri Lankans could live without fearing for their lives.

A vehicle procession collecting signatures left the Sri Sambuddhaloka Viharaya and reached the Maharagama Town at 11.00 am and Homagama Town at 2.30 pm. The vehicle parade reached Hanvella at 4.00 pm and Kaduwela at 6.00 pm collecting signatures of people along the way.

Today, the campaign is scheduled to resume from Piliyandala town at 9.00 am and come to Sri Jayewardenepura Parliament at 11 am, Nugegoda town at 1.00 pm, Dehiwala at 2.30 pm, Ratmalana at 3.30 pm and Moratuwa at 5.00 pm, according to the organisers.

The motorcade would travel to the Kalutara district tomorrow, Galle on Feb 11, Matara on Feb 12, Hambantota on Feb 13, Moneragala on Feb 14, Ampara on Feb 15, Polonnaruwa on Feb 16, Trincomalee on Feb 17, Anuradhapura on Feb 18, Puttalam on Feb 19, Gampaha on Feb 20, Kurunegala on Feb 21, Kegalle on Feb 22 and Kandy on Feb 23, the organisers said.

Courtesy:The Island