18 February 2004	Wednesday	26 Zilhaj 1424

COLOMBO, Feb 17: A group of Sri Lanka's influential Buddhist monks said on Tuesday they would field candidates in the April 2 parliamentary elections.

The National Bhikku Council said on Tuesday that they would be vying for places in the 225-member assembly through the Jathika Hela Urumaya (the National Heritage Party).

"It is important for the Sinhala Buddhists to safeguard their national and religious rights. Parliament must become a place where their aspirations could be realized. With that objective in mind we have decided to contest elections", Reverend Athuraliye Rathana, a spokesman for the Bhikku Council, said.

LTTE PLEA: The LTTE, after talks with moderate Tamil minority parties, urged the Tamils to support the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), a coalition of moderate parties based in the northeast.

The LTTE said it had decided to take part in the elections _ a major shift from the violent campaigns against previous elections.