Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva says:

Anti-Lanka elements would use Report to undermine country

*Govt to educate UN member states

* Many countries stand by Sri Lanka

Nadira GUNATILLEKE

Leader of the House and Irrigation and Water Resources Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said that the LTTE rump and the NGOs trying to destabilize the country and tarnish its image will definitely make use of the Darusman Report at the UN Human Rights Council and in other forums to achieve their sinister motives.

In an interview with the Daily News, the minister said that the country is faced with this threat and the government is in the process of facing this imminent threat against the country. He added that the international media have reported quoting UN Secretary General’s spokesman that the UN chief has no power to proceed with the Report .

The minister said that the vicious elements will not stop their dirty mission of tarnishing the country’s image under the pretext of the so called Report.

He added that they will use this controversial report as a tool to attack the country which was freed from the curse of terrorism after a lapse of 30 years.

Minister Silva added that the government will educate all member States of the United Nations and the Human Rights Council over what actually happened in Sri Lanka and the malicious and baseless accusations levelled against a country which is trying to stand on its own foot after three decades of terrorism.

He said that the government will make every opportunity available to educate the international community on the truth. “The government made every possible effort to protect people and ensure their rights when it was fighting with one of the ruthless terrorist outfits in the world.

External Affairs Minister Prof G L Peris explained about this process in Parliament”, he added.

Minister Silva said the Non Aligned Summit to be held in Indonesia by the end of this month will be an opportunity to make the international community aware of this controversial Darusman Report which meddles with internal affairs of a sovereign State.

Minister De Silva revealed that some countries in the Security Council have already expressed their disappointment on appointing a panel and such countries will stand by Sri Lanka and sympathize with us to clear the way forward.

Sri Lanka is confident about it, the Minister added.