Govt warns of foreign conspiracies

Chaminda PERERA

The Government led by President Mahinda Rajapaksa will not succumb to any outside pressure in executing the mandate given to it by the people of this country.

No international force can deter the President who has won the hearts and minds of leaders of progressive countries in the world, said Construction and Engineering Services Minister Dr. Rajitha Seneratne. The Minister was addressing the weekly UPFA press briefing at the Mahaweli Centre yesterday.

The Minister said no one could touch President Mahinda Rajapaksa though there were attempts through the CIA to assassinate Gamal Abdul Nasser of Egypt and Fidel Castro of Cuba.

He said the leaders in Latin America such as Hugo Chavez have commended the leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa who pioneered in wiping out separatism and terrorism from the country. The Minister said the US State Department has no ethical right to raise voice against Thissanyagam who was convicted by the Judiciary of Sri Lanka.

Government has taken legal action against the journalist who was accused of aiding and abetting the terrorists under the Prevention of Terrorism Act and he was tried in courts. No one can go beyond the law and demand the release of a convict in an unlawful manner.

There are ways and means that the lawyers who appeared for Tissanayagam to make an appeal against the judgement.

Two Iraq based reporters from the AFP and AP are still in the custody of US authorities but they have not taken legal action against them.

These journalists are still in the detention of US authorities in defiance of all human rights and ethical laws of the country, he said.