In the wake of UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe s decision to remain noncommittal on the current United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) sessions in Geneva, where the government is battling a US-led resolution, UNP Deputy Leader Sajith Premadasa says that there is absolutely no basis for Western efforts to confront Sri Lanka over alleged accountability issues.
Responding to a query by The Island, MP Premadasa yesterday said that those pursuing Sri Lanka on the human rights front had conveniently forgotten that they could intervene in affairs of a member state only when international peace and security were threatened. In fact Sri Lanka had eradicated a terrorist group, which posed a grave danger to global security, particularly international shipping routes, the Hambantota District MP said. Had the situation in Sri Lanka got out of hand, the international community would have faced a situation similar to the crisis in Somali waters, where several powerful navies were struggling to contain pirates, he said. The global community should appreciate Sri Lanka s efforts against terrorism, particularly in the wake of 9/11, he said.
|