A peace rally organised by the United Peoples Movement (UPM), a political group which represented a wide range of political parties and organisations was abandoned after an attack led by a junior minister of the government.

The rally organised to be held in Nugegoda junction to launch a common movement against "The seperatist war, repression and hunger".

It was to be addressed by prominent Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim politicians.

A journalist who suffered severe beating from the attackers said Minister Mervyn Silva was leading the attack.

Gahapalla!

"When I was walking near the stage, someone pointed me out to Mervyn Silva. The junior minister shouted, Beat him up! beat them all!! (gahapalla okkotama!), then the mob started attacking me," said Ravaya journalist Ajith Senaviratne.

The rally was to be addressed by fomer ministers S. B. Dissanayake, Presidential candiadte of the United Socialist Party Siritunge Jayasuriya, TNA MP Suresh Premachandran, Sri Lanka Muslim Congress leader Rauf Hakeem, leader of Western Peoples Front Mano Ganeshan, General Secretary of the NSSP Wickramabahu Karunaratne, S. Sathasivam, women activist Nimalka Fernando, lawyer Shiral Lakthilaka and leading film star Ranjan Ramanayake.

Journalists say the police did not arrive to prevent the attacks been carried out by about 'one hundred thugs'.

Talking to journalist from the stage, immediately after the attack, minister Silva denied his involvement in sabotaging the meeting.

Minister Silva is well known for his outspoken views. He had been accused of leding similar attacks in the past when he was a minister in Chandrika Kumaratunge government.

Earlier there were calls for a protest against the peace rally by the National Movement Against Terrorism.