Wimal resigns

*Expert panel pre-arranged

*Prelude to war crime charges

National Freedom Front (NFF) leader Wimal Weerawansa yesterday sent a letter to President Mahinda Rajapaksa resigning from the post of Construction, Engineering Services, Housing and Common Amenities Minister.

Minister Weerawansa in his letter to the President says that the Expert Panel appointed to advise the UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon is part of a pre-arranged plan to bring war crime charges against the Commander-in-Chief and war heroes who liberated the country.

Referring to his fast-unto-death campaign the Minister says, “I am aware that I have been blamed and accused of having chosen a wrong strategy of struggle while being a Cabinet Minister thereby causing inconvenience to the Government.

“But I wish to state that I have no intention to take any step that would bring you the Sri Lanka Government or the Motherland to discredit.

“You will agree that if my Ministry portfolio is an obstruction to the struggle I have launched on behalf of the Motherland what I ought to do is to shelve my Ministry rather than my struggle.

“As such I wish to tender my resignation from the post of Construction, Engineering Services, Housing and Common Amenities Minister with immediate effect and request you to kindly accept my resignation.”

In his letter Minister Weerawansa who thanked President for the guidance and strength given to him at various times “as Commander-in-Chief, Leader of the Country, elder, friend and a mature politician.