By Denise Dudley, Socialist Party Melbourne
On Saturday 27th of January around 15 Socialist Party members and supporters gathered at the home of the Sri Lankan Consular representative, Rodney Arambewela, in Melbourne to demonstrate against the assassination threats to Siri Jayasuriya. Rodney is of course also a staunch supporter of the Sri Lankan Government.

While SP members were putting up posters in the street and letter boxing all the houses nearby, informing them of what their neighbour is doing, Rodney himself arrived home from a game of tennis. He was greeted at his driveway by Councillor Stephen Jolly who informed him why we were there and appealed to him to add his voice to condemn the threats facing Siri and the USP. Stephen informed him of the phone calls that Siri had received from Australian numbers informing him that he would be assassinated if he continued to fight against war in Sri Lanka and to fight for the right to self-determination for the Tamil minority.

As expected, Rodney returned into his home and called the police. One officer presented to discuss the situation- disappearing inside Rodney’s home and then leaving.

SP members made speeches and let it be known that if the threats continued we would also continue to protest at the Consulars house and at other places which represent the Sri Lankan Government.