Sri Lankan minister ends 3-day protest fast

Colombo, Jul 11: Sri Lankan Housing Minister Wimal Weerawansa ended his three-day fast on Saturday, Jul 10 after President Mahinda Rajapaksa visited him at the protest site. Weerawansa went on a strike to protest against the investigation called by United Nations into war crimes allegedly committed during the final months of the country's civil war.

He accepted coconut water from Rajapaksa and was admitted in a hospital after calling off his fast-unto-death strike out side the UN office in Sri Lanka.

President spoke to the doctors attending on the minister during his strike, who told him that his condition was very bad. So the Minister was forced to break his fast and was taken to the hospital.

Ban Ki-moon, UN General Secretary had called a three-member-panel to advise him on the 'accountability issue' during the war between Sri Lankan government forces and Tamil Tigers. UN had recalled its top official Neil Buhne to New York for discussions and closed down the UNDP office in Colombo following the angry protests against the panel including the Minister's fast infront of its office.

OneIndia News