Local and International community lauds govt actions to protect Rohingya refugees

Minister of Ports and Shipping Mahinda Samarasinghe stated that the government has been praised by local and international bodies for the manner in which it responded to the mistreatment of the Rohingya refugees by radical groups in the nation.

Speaking to the media at an SLFP media briefing earlier today (3), Minister Samarasinghe stated that certain political rivals are attempting to spread false facts on arrests made by the Sri Lanka Navy over the past few days.

He however stated that in accordance with the 1951 UN convention, Sri Lanka cannot legally harbor or be responsible for the Rohingya refugees within the nation.

The Minister of Shipping and Ports further stated that the Sri Lankan government intervened to protect the Rohingya refugees in light of a threat to their safety, despite the country having no legal necessity to do so. This act of compassion has been praised across the international community the Minister said.

(Ada Derana)