Sri Lankan envoy hits back at Greens

Sri Lanka’s top diplomat in Canberra, Admiral Thisara Samarasinghe has hit back at an Australian Greens-led group demanding the suspension of the country from the Commonwealth pending a full investigation into accountability issues.

Greens senator Lee Rhiannon recently hosted a roundtable meeting of academics and activists who want Prime Minister Julia Gillard to throw her weight behind international calls for accountability in Lanka.

“The ball is with the Australian government to stand up for human rights,” Senator Rhiannon said. “This isn’t a time for fence-sitting.” But Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner in Canberra, Admiral Thisara Samarasinghe, dismissed the allegations. “I totally reject any of the claims,” Admiral Samarasinghe told AAP from Perth, where he is preparing for President Rajapaksa’s visit.

“The government had to take military action to defeat the terrorists to save the civilians.

“This whole process is being orchestrated by the defeated terrorist front organizations.”Admiral Samarasinghe - a 37-year veteran of the Sri Lankan military - said he had complained to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade about the roundtable meeting.

“We are doing our best to keep friendly countries apprised of this wrongdoing,” he said.

“These people will have no opportunity to discredit my country on foreign soil.”

AAP