Wimal stands by comment
Government Minister Wimal Weerawansa says he stands by the comment he made last week regarding the United Nation’s office in Colombo saying he made the comment as the National Freedom Front (NFF) leader and not in his capacity as a Government member and reiterated his call for the public to surround the building and protest against the UN panel.
When asked by Daily Mirror online if he was under any pressure regarding his comment after it had created a lot of controversy, Weerawansa said there was no such pressure as the position was that of his party.
“We should surround the UN office in Colombo and put pressure on UN Secretary General Ban ki-moon to reverse his decision to appoint a panel on Sri Lanka. I am saying this as the leader of the NFF and not as a member of the government,” Minister Weerawansa said.
He also said there is no need for anyone to apologize to the UN over the comments he made to the media last week and instead it is the UN Secretary General who should apologize for attempting to tarnish the image of Sri Lanka and its troops.
Weerawansa had last week urged the public to surround the UN office in Sri Lanka and trap the staff inside until a decision was taken by the UN Secretary General to dissolve the panel he appointed on Sri Lanka.
Weerawansa also said that the appointment of the three-member advisory panel by UN General Secretary Ban Ki Moon is the primary step that would prompt the Sri Lankan leaders to be produced to the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
The UN last week responded by saying its security officials were monitoring the comments made by Weerawansa. UN spokesman Farhan Haq said the UN had contacted the Sri Lankan government over the article appearing on Daily Mirror online last week with the comment made by Weerawansa and the government has assured the UN that the comment made by Weerawansa was his “individual opinion”.
He also said there was an indication the government may apologise to the comments made by Minister Weerawansa.
(Daily Mirror online)
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WW was very unwise to make the comment. He is not helping the stand against Ban Ki-Moon by continuing to supporting his comment saying it is a comment as leader of NFF. As the leader of his party, which is a constituent member of the coalition government, he should be more circumspect, prudent and responsible in his comments about the UN panel of Ban Ki-Moon. It seems to me he is not yet clean of the vestiges and anarchist policies he erstwhile pursued with the JVP.
A peaceful protest in front of the UN office in SL is one thing but a violent reactionary protest is another thing, which we deplore. By holding the staff of the UN office captive, who are mostly Sri Lankan nationals, you gain nothing but opprobrium in the eyes of the world to the good name of the GOSL. Such action leads to violence. I hope you will not resort to such violence. It is then better you leave the government instead of bringing shame on the good name of the country and the GOSL.
The GOSL is taking the correct stand against Ban KI-Moon. Joint hands with the government in making a strong, peaceful protest or leave the government. Do not bring dishonour to the country and the government by violent action against the UN. It is Ban Ki-Moon who is at fault and not the UN. You need to call loudly for his expulsion from the post of Secretary General for bias towards imperial West, on grounds of ‘no faith’ by the Freeworld.
Ara Wimalee Ara
Wetata udin Ara
All sri lankan must protest against UN , this should be peaceful