Dr Gunadasa Amarasekara, President of PNM handing over the petition to President Mahinda Rajapakse with the representatives of political parties and organizations who participated in the event.

Organization to safeguard rights of people in the East handed over a petition to the President on the 24^th. The petition requests the President to de-merge Eastern Province from the North and appoint two Governors to carry out administration of the two provinces. Mr. Bennet Cooray representing SLFP, Mr.Sunil Handunneththi of the JVP, Mr. Boseth Kalapathirana of the JHU, Mr. Sisira Jayakody of MEP, Mr. S.L. Gunasekera of Sinhala Jathika Sangamaya, Dr. Uduma Lebbe of National Congress, Mr. ayubkhan of Democratic United Alliance, Mr. N.M. Saheed of SLMC, Dr. Gunadasa Amarasekera (President) and Mr. Wimal Weerawansa (General Secretary) of the PNM were present.