Sri Lanka accuses diplomats of interfering in its affairs

Colombo, Jan 27: The Sri Lankan government on Sunday accused some diplomats of interfering in the country's domestic affairs.

Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa said that there is a section of the international community that wants to try and force its own agenda on Sri Lanka.

The ministry of defence quoted Rajapaksa as saying that major portion of the recommendations of a post war commission have already been implemented while others are being executed in order to foster reconciliation and ensure lasting peace.

He said that if anyone is genuine about resolving issues, they should engage with the government through domestic forums instead of trying to internationalise Sri Lanka's internal affairs.

"Forming their opinions on the basis of one-sided discussions with the rump of the LTTE and other radicalised sections of the Tamil diaspora, they ignore the significant progress we have made in the last few years," he added.

Rajapaksa: People should engage with the govt through domestic forums

"Using lofty terms such as good governance, accountability, and impunity, and through various dubious indices that supposedly monitor compliance to these concepts, they seek to apply value judgments on Sri Lanka," he said.

He also noted that most military camps in war-battered areas have been withdrawn, and the only ones that remain are those in strategic locations essential to national security.

Sri Lanka defeated the Tamil Tiger rebels in May 2009 after 30 years of war but continues to face allegations of committing war crimes during the final stages of the war.

The US has threatened to submit a resolution against Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Council in March if there is no tangible progress on addressing the allegations.

IANS