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Monday, February 08, 2010 - 04.56 GMT |
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JVP - UNP &
LTTE: New nexus in UK? |
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A
sinister
nexus
seems to
be
surfacing
between
the
JVP-UNP
alliance
and pro-LTTE
groups
abroad,
which
will be
detrimental
to the
sovereignty
and
territorial
integrity
of Sri
Lanka,
which
was
finally
freed of
terrorism
after
almost
three
decades,
under
the
leadership
of H. E.
President
Mahinda
Rajapaksa.
Foreign
Minister,
Rohitha
Bogollogama
made
this
statement
responding
to the
attempt
in
London,
UK to
destroy
the Sri
Lankan
National
Flag
during a
demonstration.
I would
like to
caution
Sri
Lankan
expatriates
living
aboard
to be
wary of
this
emerging
nexus
and
extremists
groups
and
ensure
that
they are
not
drawn
into a
trap by
extending
support
to such
groups,
the
Minister
added.
I also
wish to
recall
and
reiterate
the call
made by
H. E
President
Mahinda
Rajapaksa
for all
Sri
Lankans
living
overseas
to
return
to Sri
Lanka
and join
in being
true
stakeholders
of Sri
Lanka’s
economic
and
social
advancement,
he
further
stated.
Following
is the
full
text of
the
statement
by
Foreign
Minister
Rohitha
Bogollagama
The Sri
Lanka
High
Commission
in
London
informed
that a
group of
around
25
protesters
consisting
of JVP
and UNP
supporters
had
carried
out a
protest
opposite
the Sri
Lanka
High
Commission
in
London
in the
late
afternoon,
on 4th
February
2010.
This
protest
was
against
the
results
of the
recently
concluded
Presidential
Election
which
the
protesters
alleged
were not
acceptable
to them.
While
this
group
protested,
another
group of
approximately
10
members
carrying
LTTE
flags
also
attempted
to stage
another
demonstration
in the
same
vicinity.
This
pro-LTTE
group
also
attempted
to
destroy
the
National
Flag of
Sri
Lanka.
The
British
Police,
who were
deployed,
promptly
took
action
to
prevent
the flag
from
being
destroyed
or
damaged
and took
one
person
into
custody.
Following
this
incident,
the
British
Police
also
dispersed
the
other
protesters
immediately.
In this
context,
I wish
to refer
to the
statement
made by
the
Leader
of the
Opposition
following
the
conclusion
of
polling
on
Election
Day, in
which he
had
stated
that the
election
had been
‘free
and
fair’.
The
Commissioner
of
Elections,
Mr.
Dayananda
Dissanayake
on 3rd
February
also
rejected
allegations
of
election
malpractices
at the
Presidential
Election
stating
that
there
was no
requirement
at all
to
nullify
results
at any
polling
center.
Despite
these
statements,
it is
unfortunate
that
these
extremists
groups
are
attempting
to
discredit
the
Government
of Sri
Lanka
and
undermine
the
landslide
victory
obtained
by H. E
the
President
at this
election.
I wish
to also
point
out that
the
result
of the
Presidential
Election
is a
testimony
to the
fact
that the
people
of Sri
Lanka
had
endorsed
the
policies
and
leadership
of
President
Rajapaksa.
Moreover,
I note
with
concern
that
these
two
extremist
groups
staged a
demonstration
around
the same
time
opposite
the Sri
Lanka
High
Commission
in
London
which
appears
to point
towards
an
emerging
trend
which is
highly
disturbing.
A
sinister
nexus
seems to
be
surfacing
between
the
JVP-UNP
alliance
and pro-LTTE
groups
abroad,
which
will be
detrimental
to the
sovereignty
and
territorial
integrity
of Sri
Lanka,
which
was
finally
freed of
terrorism
after
almost
three
decades,
under
the
leadership
of H. E.
President
Mahinda
Rajapaksa.
Therefore,
I would
like to
caution
Sri
Lankan
expatriates
living
aboard
to be
wary of
this
emerging
nexus
and
extremists
groups
and
ensure
that
they are
not
drawn
into a
trap by
extending
support
to such
groups.
I also
wish to
recall
and
reiterate
the call
made by
H. E
President
Mahinda
Rajapaksa
for all
Sri
Lankans
living
overseas
to
return
to Sri
Lanka
and join
in being
true
stakeholders
of Sri
Lanka’s
economic
and
social
advancement.
Therefore,
I call
upon the
Sri
Lankan
diaspora
to
become
involved
in the
development
agenda
of their
country
of
birth-
Sri
Lanka
and
become
partners
in the
progress
and
development
of our
country.
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