Colombo: After `diplomatic endeavours`, the US has allowed Sri Lankan Chief of Defence Staff General Sarath Fonseka to leave the country without grilling him on alleged human rights violations during the last phase of the war against LTTE, the government said today.


Fonseka left the US this morning to return to Colombo.

`He was not subjected to any questioning prior to his departure by the United States Department of Homeland Security or any other agency of the US government,` the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The official statement came hours after an MP of the Marxist JVP, Samantha Vidyaratne told Parliament that he had received information that Fonseka, who was scheduled to have a meeting with the US authorities in Oklahama at 3 pm (Sri Lankan time), left for Colombo at 11 am.

The US Department of Homeland Security had asked Fonseka, who was on a visit to the US, to make himself available for questioning in Oklahama today.

Sri Lanka had strongly protested US plans to question Fonseka, a green card holder, over alleged human rights violations in the last phase of the civil war which he oversaw as army chief, saying he has no authority to share any information relating to national security with third parties.

In the statement, the Foreign Ministry appreciated the `receptive and constructive attitude` adopted by the US authorities.

Bureau Report