UNP should act in national interest - Freedom Watch

Western Provincial Council UNP Member Srinath Perera PC, at a news conference held on behalf of the UNP warned the Government from bashing the West. He should in the first place urge some amongst the western countries to stop bashing Sri Lanka on unfounded allegations or by refusing visas to high profile citizens or officials.

He should also urge pro-LTTE elements operating from western countries not to intimidate or mislead their masters, Freedom Watch said in a release.

Freedom Watch is a voluntary group of Sri Lankans seeking to participate in promoting greater political awareness on current issues of interest in the country.

If Srinath Perera was speaking on behalf of the country’s major opposition party, he should urge the UNP to act in the broader national interest and protest against some western orchestrated attempts including Channel 4, from misleading the world on false allegations against the country, it added.

The release: “The UNP should realize that this is an important post war period, where the Government needs to consolidate its achievements on the war front.

They should not contribute to justifying these false allegations by accusing the Government of West-bashing when it is the country that is being sought to be bashed and scandalized by pro-LTTE groups operating from the West.

To say, Sri Lanka is engaged in West bashing is a dubious attempt to put the West against the country, which will destroy the credibility of the UNP, amongst the people.

This is a time when the main opposition party should seek to strengthen itself as a credible opposition in the eyes of the people. A strong opposition is a necessary component for the country’s democracy to flourish. But for that, the parties in the opposition must act in the national interest and not as supporters of those elements trying wrongfully to strangle Sri Lanka.

Srinath Perera has referred to the British High Commission inviting the Attorney-General Mohan Peiris for an interview before granting a visa. If that was a wrong practice by the British, Perera should have pointed out to the British Embassy, who was at fault.

If it was an act of arrogance by the British Mission he should have immediately condemned it. It would well be even an innocent act of the British High Commissioner who may have wanted to make use of this opportunity to exchange views with the Sri Lankan dignitary.

Perera has also referred to the ‘shabby treatment’ to UN and EU officials. No one in the UN or EU has made any such allegations. Of course, the country is aware of some in international outfits who are acting outside their mandate.

Everyone in this country would wish to appeal to the likes of Perera not to put the West against the country by blaming the Government but to act in the broader national interest of preventing external interferences on behalf of pro-LTTE groups.”