News: G.L. Peiris

Sri Lanka : UN report opens old wounds healing after the war, Sri Lanka minister says

In consideration of the vague exposition on the reasons behind the meeting between Ban Ki-moon and representatives of the Sri Lankan Government in New York on the 23rd of February 2011, as well as the Government’s own disclaimer on the meeting, it is clear that there has been a concerted effort to disclose as little information as possible on this ‘eleventh hour’ attempt by the Government at back-door diplomacy in order to address the UN’s ‘panel on accountability.’ It is rather obvious that suspicions will arise when there are contradictory statements provided by both sides on the content of the discussions, which differed considerably as Ban Ki-moon’s spokesman, Martin Nesirky, stated that it was a ‘courtesy call’ on ‘reconciliation and reconstruction efforts,’ while the Secretary of the Ministry of External Affairs, Romesh Jayasinghe, stated that the meeting was about ‘legal issues.’ It was also interesting to note Deputy Minister Neomal Perera’s statement, which denied that there was an official visit planned by Mohan Peiris and Romesh Jayasinghe to New York to meet Ban Ki-moon. This possibly indicated that the hierarchy of the ruling alliance might have made the decision without the consultation of G.L Peiris and Neomal Perera, or perhaps only the latter was excluded. The rejoinder provided to Inner City Press by Sri Lanka’s permanent representative to the UN, Dr. Palitha Kohona, in response to Neomal Perera’s statement was that ‘the deputy doesn’t know anything, just ask him.’ No further clarification is required on the level of maturity and statesmanship exhibited in that response.

The aspiring refugees are being dishonest when they tell Canadian officials they fear for their personal safety in Sri Lanka, says Foreign Minister G.L. Peiris. And a recent internal study by the Canadian High Commission in Colombo seems to give the minister’s claim some credence.