Sri Lanka News Updates with Discussions

Who is Gotabhaya to make such attacks?: UNP

By Kelum Bandara

The UNP yesterday took Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa to task for his critical comments about the international community, saying he was neither the executive President nor a responsible person from the legislature to make the kind of statement he had made. The main Opposition UNP was reacting to Mr. Rajapaksa?s criticism aimed at the international community including the European Union, the US and Britain whom he accused of trying to bully Sri Lanka,UNP National Organizer S.B. Dissanayake told a hurriedly summoned media conference yesterday that

Mr. Rajapaksa was a mere bureaucrat, and therefore he had no right to make policy statements on behalf of the Government.

Mr. Dissanayake said disciplinary action should be taken against the Defence Secretary for violating the provisions of the Establishment Code by making this irresponsible statement.

?Who on earth is he to make a statement against the EU, Britain and the US?? he asked.

He said the international community had a right to be concerned with the affairs of Sri Lanka under the present circumstances with numerous killings and abductions perpetrated by armed groups.

Commenting on the eviction of Tamils lodgers from Colombo, he said it was a blatant violation of the people?s constitutional rights.

He said that Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake apologized for this illegal and mean act following instructions from President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

?As far as I know, the Premier never makes such a statement without a Presidential order, but, Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle contradicted him immediately only to appease certain Government members irked by Mr. Wickramanayake?s apology. The Government is in utter confusion today,? he said.

The UNP asked as to how Mr. Fernandopulle as the Chief Government Whip could contradict the statement made by the Prime Minister who commands the Parliamentary majority.

?According to the Constitution, the President appoints a member enjoying the confidence of the majority in Parliament as the Prime Minister. If the Premier resigns, the Cabinet will also go. How can Mr. Fernandopulle contradict Mr. Wickremanayake?s statement in this context?? he asked.

The President is behind this whole episode, he charged.

?On the one hand, the President asked the Prime Minister apologize for the grave mistake. On the other hand, he requested Mr. Fernandopulle to contradict it to appease certain elements with vested interests,? he said.

Mr.Dissanayake charged the Government?s hand was there behind the current spate of abductions, killings and disappearances, but the minority parties except the TNA and Western People?s Front were hesitant to take up the issue.

He said the UNP would take to the streets against this dangerous trend.

Aid worker shot in Sri Lanka

By KRISHAN FRANCIS

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) - A Filipino aid worker was shot and wounded by navy troops after he strayed too close to a naval camp in eastern Sri Lanka where security forces are battling Tamil Tiger rebels, the military said Thursday.

The Mercy Corps worker, Antonio Vilamor, was walking at night near a naval camp north of the port town of Trincomalee, despite warnings to the public to stay away, said Brig. Gen. Prasad Samarasinghe.

Naval guards opened fire and hit Vilamor in the head, Samarasinghe said.

'We are not regretting this because we have warned people not to come close to the camp at night and this person ignored the warnings,' Samarasinghe said. 'Luckily he was only slightly injured.'

'It is not our fault at all,' he said.

Are you retarded?

Having trouble with LNP today....

How is everything?

Sri Lanka Navy shoots foreign aid worker

Thu Jun 14, 2007 11:40AM BST

COLOMBO, June 14 (Reuters) - Sri Lanka's Navy said on Thursday it shot a foreign aid worker with international organisation Mercy Corps on a beach in the northeast, saying he ignored warnings to stop.

UN office concerned over accusation against its staff

The UN office in Colombo yesterday expressed its concern regarding what it termed as groundless accusations made against its staff in the international media by Defence Ministry Secretary Gatabhaya Rajapaksa.

UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sri Lanka Frederick Lyons said that such charges could seriously compromise their ability to carry-out their work and endanger their safety and security in an environment in which a number of humanitarian workers have lost their lives over the past year.

?All UN staff is recruited under terms of employment in which they are responsible to the UN Secretary-General and to the principles of the United Nations. They are also honour-bound to work with complete neutrality and to receive no instruction from any third party.

?During my brief stay in Sri Lanka, I have repeatedly seen our local staff tirelessly assisting Sri Lankan communities made vulnerable by conflict and disaster.

I have the greatest confidence in their dedication to serving the UN?s objectives to protect and to help, and have absolutely no grounds to question their integrity,? he said.