Govt. places emphasis on “due process” for international diplomats

By Uditha Jayasinghe

The government yesterday strongly emphasised that they would not bow to international pressure and would insist on due process for all international diplomats who wished to come to Sri Lanka.
Addressing a press conference Media Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena maintained that the government would look for clearance with the Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry in admitting any international diplomat no matter how influential and that they could not pressurise the government unnecessarily.
“We admitted the Canadian and British parliamentary group because they directly called President Mahinda Rajapaksa and requested for a fact finding tour. It was done under the agreement of the president and following due procedure. If there are other countries that wish to monitor the situation in Sri Lanka then they too must follow these processes and not hope for admittance simply because their country is powerful or they join a delegation that has been given prior approval,” he said adding that no international pressure had been made as yet and the IMF loan issue was progressing satisfactorily.
He also pointed out that the government was doing its utmost to ensure that civilians were not endangered in the No Fire Zone (NFZ) and that they were adequately looked after in the camps. He noted that the government was pledged to resettling people as soon as possible and were not looking to exacerbate the ethnic issue in any way.
“We will resettle people right up to the stretch in Mullaitivu as soon as possible. The second leg of the resettlement process will start on May 11 and it will be continued as we restore infrastructure, schools and homes back to these people,” he said.
Responding to the UNP’s request to resume heavy fire in the NFZ Abeywardena questioned as to what stance the UNP had taken now.