Political parties, clergy condemn attack

There was outright condemnation of the attack by pro-LTTE elements on Sri Lanka’s Embassy in Norway by political and religious leaders.

JHU stalwart and the Party’s legal consultant Udaya Gammanpila said it was their stand from the inception that Norway was an enemy state of Sri Lanka. “It was incumbent on the Norwegian Government to provide security to the Sri Lankan Mission in that country. From the manner in which the attack was carried out we cannot help but come to the conclusion that the attack was deliberately carried out with the knowledge of the Norwegian Government”.

He said the Lankan state has provided the maximum security to the Norwegian Embassy in Colombo.That the Lankan Embassy in Norway came under an attack by pro LTTE elements is clear proof that the mission was not provided with adequate security.

“This shows the country’s negligent conduct towards Sri Lanka.We also treat this as an attack on the Sri Lankan state.The Government should take steps to build international opinion against the conduct of Norway in not providing adequate security to the Lankan mission”, Gammanpila noted .

The Ven. Elle Gunawansa of the National Movement Against Terrorism accused Norway of carrying out a continuous campaign to protect and provide succour to the LTTE.This has built justifiable suspicion among the Lankan public towards Norway.

The thera noted that certain media, Buddhist clergy, politicians and artistes even served as knights protecting the castle of Norway. They of the NMAT strove to resist these elements.

“A lot of our past leaders were subservient to Norway.In contrast President Mahinda Rajapaksa never knelt down before foreign powers. Norway is all out to bail out the LTTE now in it’s last stages” Gunawansa thera added.

“It is clear that the Norwegian Government has failed provide adequate security to the Sri Lankan Embassy.We should sever all diplomatic ties with Norway”.

Democratic Left Front Leader Vasudeva Nanayakkara said his party strongly condemned the attack carried on Sri Lnaka’s Embassy in Norway. He said it is patently clear that the attack was carried out by supporters of the LTTE.

Therefore, Norway cannot wash it’s hands off the affair by merely tendering an apology.”If it is a responsible Government it should take steps to conduct a full scale inquiry and bring the perpetrators to book”. he added.

Nanayakkara also said that the attack on the Lankan Embassy went beyond the right of protest and constituted an act of terrorism.It was a flagrant violation of Sri Lanka’s sovereignty. National Freedom Front Leader Parliamentarian Wimal Weerawansa said it has now been proved beyond any doubt that Norway had been supporting terrorism in Sri Lanka.”There was no adequate security provided to our mission in Norway even though requests have been made in this regard.Only four policemen were stationed to guard the Embassy”.

He said his party condemned the attack carried out on the Lankan Embassy in Oslo.It could not have been carried out without the knowledge of the Norwegian Government the MP asserted.

Weerawansa noted that the Government of Norway had only apprehended a 16 year old youth in this connection adding that according to the legal system in Norway any individual below the age of sixteen accused of a felony is treated leniently under the law.

He called on the Government to at least now sever all diplomatic ties with Norway which had been promoting separatist terrorism in Sri Lanka right along.

“If not it is the duty of all patriotic forces to compel the Government to do this.Also, allowing the Norwegian Embassy to function in Sri Lanka is an insult to our country”.