Religious leaders lash out against Geneva resolution
Disna Mudalige
The resolution against Sri Lanka at the UNHRC constitutes unwarranted interference in the internal affairs of an independent and sovereign nation, representatives of the Inter-Religious Alliance for National Unity said at a press conference at the Government Information Department yesterday.
Alliance President and Sabaragamuwa University Chancellor Ven. Prof. Kamburugamuwe Vajira Thera said all people should set aside political and other divisions and confront this challenge in unison.
The thera said the resolution undermines the hard won freedom and peace of the country. He said certain powerful nations are envious of the fact that Sri Lanka is trying to stand on its own feet after years of colonial invasions and 30 years of disastrous terrorism.
The thera observed that all religious and ethnic groups are working in unity towards the prosperity of the country, while healing the wounds of the past. "Under the leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the Northern and Eastern Provinces have seen an unprecedented development within a short period after the war, making it impossible to imagine that those areas had once been a battlefield. Even the foreign delegates who visited the country in the post war phase had been astonished by the massive transformation taking place," he said.
The thera said the international community should allow sufficient time for the internal mechanism - the LLRC- to be implemented in the country. Alliance Co-Chair Rev. Fr. Sarath Hettiarachchi said those who make false allegations about human rights violations in Sri Lanka are actually trying to campaign to win the votes of the Tamil diaspora that supports the LTTE.
He said at this crucial moment all people have a duty to line up with the leadership of the country to defeat the anti-patriot and opportunistic segments within the country who demand international inquiries on the last stages of the war. Fr. Hettiarachchi said these anti-national groups who depend on NGO funds have now become desperate as they could no longer earn money in the name of war. Alliance Co-Chair Moulavi Hassan Moulana said all people irrespective of their religion, ethnicity or political divisions suffered alike due to prolonged LTTE barbaric acts, adding that no human rights agency, activist or international media channel cared about the woes of the people during that time. He said the UN Human Rights Commissioner has more grave issues in the contemporary world to focus on rather than interfering in affairs of a country enjoying newly found peace and unity. Ven. Galagama Dhammaransi Thera and Ven. Pallekande Rathanasara Thera also spoke.
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