ATTACK ON MUSLIMS HELP JUSTIFY US DEMAND- TAMARA

Washington was concerned that its resolution has been widely contested by the Sri Lankan people

Sri Lanka’s former permanent representative to the UN Tamara Kunanayakam said yesterday the attacks targeting a particular ethnic or religious group would only help justify Washington’s demand that universal jurisdiction or external intervention be applied in Sri Lanka through implementation of its 2015 Human Rights Council resolution.

“Washington was concerned that its resolution has been widely contested by the Sri Lankan people, including at the highest level of State.the return of the controversial US Peace Corps, a “soft power” weapon in Washington’s arsenal that had been expelled by the Government of Sirimavo Bandaranaike for spying for the CIA reflects Washington’s fears about the forthcoming General Elections and Presidential Elections,” she said and added that the US Peace Corps had been expelled from a number of countries for spying for the CIA and other covert activities, meddling in local politics, and running drugs. She said the results of the local government election have made it all the more urgent for Washington to strengthen its allies in Government.

“The US Ambassador’s Viceroy-like behaviour even before all the results of the local government elections were released to the public, rushing as he did to request the President not to replace the Prime Minister, demonstrated the extent to which Washington would be ready to go to maintain the status quo,” she said and added that the anti-muslim attacks provided just such an opportunity.

Ms. Kunanayakam said the timing of the attacks to coincide with the sessions of the Human Rights Council, the arrival of the US Peace Corps, and the arrival of the UN under Secretary General for Political Affairs Jeffrey Feltmann, a former US Assistant Secretary of State, was not fortuitous.