Govt. calls on public show of solidarity on Feb 27

Three senior government Ministers today called upon the people to have an island wide demonstration on February 27, to express their solidarity as a nation with the government and to show their opposition to the external interferences on Sri Lanka’s internal affairs, the Government Information Department stated.

Sri Lanka is all set to participate in the 19th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva next week. The Sri Lankan ministerial delegation led by the External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris including Plantation Minister and President’s Special Human Rights Envoy Mahinda Samarasinghe, Ministers Nimal Siripala De Silva and Anura Priyadarshana Yapa and several officials from the Attorney General’s department have left for Geneva.

The members of the Sri Lankan delegation are to engage in a dialogue with members of the foreign ambassadorial community during the period of the sessions and they are scheduled to meet representatives of especially the Sri Lanka-friendly countries.

Minister Wimal Weerawansa of the National Freedom Front at a media briefing in Colombo invited the people of Sri Lanka to express their protest against a possible resolution that is to be presented against the country at the UNHRC sessions scheduled to begin on February 27.

Explaining in detail he said that the ultimate ulterior motive of those who are behind this resolution against Sri Lanka is to push the country before an international tribunal on charges of war crimes.

He said the western elements have realized that the change of regime through ballet is impossible as the people are very much with the government and the President Mahinda Rajapaksa for ushering in peace to the country by ending the three decade old terrorism.

“As there is no possibility for a regime change the western elements are out to topple the government in other means like what happened in Libya and Egypt” the minister said.

Minister Patalee Champika Ranawaka who represents the Jathika Hela Urumaya said that the US and other international forces were taking revenge against Sri Lanka for defeating the LTTE as they do not like to see a stable government in this part of world.

“Western countries backed a regime change in Libya. But today the present leader there is struggling without ability to maintain peace and order in Libya. This is the kind of situation certain western countries want to create in other countries as well.” The minister said.

Minister Susil Premjayantha said that the government has already taken diplomatic initiative to woo the support of friendly countries that are among the 47 member countries of UNHRC Sri Lankan President addressing the nation on February 4th to mark the Independence Day said the government has taken the initiative within a short period of six weeks to implement the LLRC recommendations.

The international community had lauded the recommendations made by the LLRC while noting certain gaps in the Commission’s efforts. “LLRC recommendations are being implemented not to please other nations. It is being implemented as a part of the country’s policy to bring the nation under one banner as one Sri Lanka,” Former Attorney General Mohan Peiris has said British High Commissioner in Sri Lanka, John Rankin has said,” The UK genuinely desired to see reconciliation effected for the good of all Sri Lankans

The United States had said that it will support the resolution to pressure the Sri Lankan government to take prompt measures to implement the LLRC recommendations and address the accountability issues.