Mind your own business, Anura tells Howard

AS a Sri Lankan apart from being a senior Minister of the Cabinet, I find Prime Minister John Howard's statement at the International Democratic Union meeting (on holding the Presidential Election) to be obnoxious, highly provocative and an absolute interference in the internal affairs of a friendly country, Tourism Minister Anura Bandaranaike said yesterday.

Apart from telling him "mind your own business", please be cautious not to tread in areas where even angels fear, the minister said.

The Government of Sri Lanka will hold the Presidential Election on the due date in the latter part of next year. Our country is an open, democratic, free society, Bandaranaike stated in a news release issued yesterday.

The President will hold the election on the completion of her six-year term and she has no intention of extending her term as she is the longest serving President in the history of Sri Lanka, the Minister stressed. The news release said:

"The newspapers of July 21, 2005 covers a news item, "Call for Presidential Election in 2005" which states:

"The International Democrat Union (IDU), under the chairmanship of Australian Prime Minister John Howard, unanimously adopted a resolution calling for the Presidential Election in Sri Lanka to be held in 2005, agency reports originating from Washington said.

The resolution stated: "The IDU expresses its concern at the attempts made by the Government of Sri Lanka to postpone the Presidential Election scheduled for this year".

The matter of the Presidential Election has been debated over and over again in the Parliament, Radio, TV, newspapers, in the streets and every nook and corner.

Just because a few people protest for personal reasons the election will only be held when it has to be held according to the Constitution.

Three members of my family have preserved democracy and led Sri Lanka through assassinations, bomb attacks, insurgencies and civil war for over 25 years and each one of them have been elected by massive mandates of the people.

"Try and match that Mr. Howard".

A Prime Minister of a friendly country such as Australia should know that there are certain boundaries in the international playing field that you do not cross.

Its the same Howard that shot his foot and lambasted a helpless Sri Lankan cricketer, so much so that he refused to play in Australia.

Howard apologised much later after the damage was done. Therefore, I am not in fact surprised that Howard has once again shot from the hip this time transgressing acceptable foreign policy norms.

We are quite capable of looking after ourselves without your pontifications."