Protest opposite UN office peaceful - External Affairs Minister

Irangika Range, Sandasen Marasinghe and Disna Mudalige

External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris told Parliament yesterday that the protest staged opposite the UN Colombo office was a peaceful demonstration.

Prof. Peiris said that it was in accordance with the prevailing law of the country to have peaceful protests and demonstrations.

The Minister said that even the United Nations has upheld the right to hold peaceful demonstrations.

The Government had no right to suppress peaceful demonstrations because it has to respect the democratic rights of the protestors.

He said that the Government is duty-bound to protect and provide security to diplomats in the country.

The Government is well aware of the “Sacrosanct obligation” and provisions of international law. He said that the perimeter of the UN office in Colombo had been strengthened. He said that the security of UN workers were assured and the Security Forces saw to that there no hindrances to any member of the UN staff.

Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister Prof G.L.Peiris yesterday said any person of the country had a right to express an opinion, demonstrate or protest against any matter in a peaceful manner as long as it did not harm any citizen, reports Lakshmi de Silva.

In the case of the demonstration held near the UN office complex, Colombo it was a peaceful and no obstruction was done to the staff of the UN offices, he told a press conference yesterday.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa had directed External Affairs Ministry Secretary Romesh Jayasinghe to visit the UN offices and ensure that the staff was allowed to leave the premises freely, the Minister said.

He said it was the Government’s obligation to ensure the safety of all diplomatic missions and premises and allow the free movement under the international law and we have discharged our obligation.

The demonstration did not block the entrances to the UN offices and the staff or any member of the public who had official business with those offices, the Minister said.

Answering a question about the protest of NFF leader Wimal Weerawansa opposite the UN office, he said government ministers too have democratic rights and in a coalition government there are different parties with different ideas, and as long as the demonstration was peaceful there was no violation of the law or democratic rights of the citizens or any other party.