Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapakse lambastes foreign interference as US envoy meets Elilan’s wife
Posted on January 25th, 2014

By Shamindra Ferdinando Courtesy Island

US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Michele J. Sisson met Northern Provincial Councillor Ananthi Sasitharan in Jaffna while the Defence Ministry was exploring the possibility of rehabilitating her in view of her alleged LTTE links.

The meeting took place at Hotel Margosa, Chundikulli, Jaffna on Wednesday evening. Among those present were Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran and Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP M.A. Sumanthiran.

A mother of three, Sasitharan, contested the first Northern Provincial Council polls last September on the TNA ticket and polled the second highest number of preferential votes secured by a candidate. Chief Minister Wigneswaran obtained the highest number of preferences.

The TNA delegation had dinner with Ambassador Sisson at Hotel Margosa, according to sources.

Asked whether the Defence Ministry plan for rehabilitating Sasitharan had come up for discussion during dinner, a US embassy spokesperson said: “We don’t have any details to share on any discussions.”

Sasitharan was married to Trincomalee District LTTE political wing leader Elilan.

Ambassador Sisson was in Jaffna to launch a programme to support the Jaffna fisher community. It was in accordance with a USAID livelihoods project worth approximately Rs. 196 mn.

Addressing a public gathering in the Batticaloa District on Thursday, the Defence Secretary alleged that the US Ambassador in Sri Lanka was interfering in domestic affairs. The Defence Secretary was addressing religious dignitaries and civil society representatives in the Eastern Province at Hotel East Lagoon, in Batticaloa.

Defence Secretary Rajapaksa lashed out at those who had been pushing for foreign intervention in Sri Lanka even after the conclusion of the conflict in May 2009.

Rajapaksa, who is also Secretary, Urban Development, said that foreigners would only make matters worse, therefore all communities should resolve to settle their problems themselves.

An irate Defence Secretary alleged that the US Ambassador had overstepped her mandate. He said the Rajapaksas had been in politics for 75 years and they were capable of tackling post-war issues. Emphasising the pivotal importance of thwarting foreign interference in domestic issues, the Defence Secretary said that the country could proceed without advice from diplomats.

Recollecting the circumstances leading to eelam war IV in mid 2006, Defence Secretary Rajapaksa said that those living in the Northern and Eastern regions knew the measures taken by the government to restore normalcy since the eradication of the LTTE.

Security forces brought the entire Eastern Province under government control in mid 2007.

The Defence Secretary said that the government speedily handled resettlement, de-mining, rehabilitation, as well as disarming of armed groups subsequent to the conclusion of the conflict.

Responding to a query by The Island yesterday, Defence Secretary Rajapaksa said that a section of the LTTE couldn’t be accepted as a political wing. During the Norwegian arranged Ceasefire Agreement, terrorists had masqueraded as political activists to operate in government held areas, the Defence Secretary insisted. The Defence Secretary said that an attempt was being made to differentiate the LTTE fighting cadre and a non-existent political wing.

Those who had been accusing the GoSL over accountability issues weren’t bothered about the TNA calling the LTTE the sole representatives of Tamil speaking people in late 2001, Rajapaksa said.

7 Responses to “Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapakse lambastes foreign interference as US envoy meets Elilan’s wife”

  1. Lorenzo Says:

    A stitch in time would have saved 9 stitches!

    This will NOT be the last time TAMIL TERRORISTS and WESTERN WAR CRIMINALS join forces to destabilize SL. MORE to come.

    We need some ACTION from the MOD against Tamil terrorists, not just complaints.

    Anyone can complain but nothing happens! I don’t know what the 250,000 men wearing a funning costume with a funny object in their hand are doing IF they can’t defend the country from these Tamil terrorists. They better scrape coconuts or cut jackfruit instead.

  2. Nanda Says:

    Lambast only, in front of some villagers.
    A Lamb near the US Embassy.
    DO something man.

  3. Lorenzo Says:

    GR has joined the NATO club (No Action Talk Only). Unfortunate.

    I’m 100% sure Ananthi LAMBASTED GR in her discussion with Michele J. Sisson too. So it is one lambast against another. Tamil Elamists prevail.

    There is a proverb for this – all fart and no s***.

  4. Mr. Bernard Wijeyasingha Says:

    To quote the article:”Rajapaksa, who is also Secretary, Urban Development, said that foreigners would only make matters worse, therefore all communities should resolve to settle their problems themselves.” That is a statement based on recent facts. As long as the foreign Norwegian peace keeping force was negotiating peace treaties between LITE and Colombo the war continued. the LITE rearmed and recruited during those peace times and step by step were closer to achieving Eelam.

    Only when President Rajapakse kicked them out and launched a full scale no holds barred attack on Prabhakaran did the war end. Other outside foreign interferences that started the war, determined that a separate nation called Eelam is the only solution and supported the terrorists emanated from India. Not from Chennai but from New Delhi who used the excuse of her Tamil minority to try to cut the strategic power of Sri Lanka and by that gain from it.

    India’s central role in the war should never be forgotten for she still is at it. So many Indian commenters in Sri Lankan articles that appear in the Times of India always comment that if Sri Lanka draws closer to China invariably China will swallow Sri Lanka. They deliberately refuse to admit that India for 30 years has been an existential threat to Sri Lanka and continues to be so. Now India is engaging the UN through the UNHRC, the US and many European powers to get what she failed to get through the civil war and that is use Human rights as a weapon and a shield to ultimately form Eelam or a puppet state of India.

  5. Lorenzo Says:

    Curse those who don’t want the 13 amendment SCRAPPED.

    TNA resolutions have effect on SL. But they show the world ELECTED LEADERS IN SL’S NORTH want this BS.

    “Tamil National Alliance (TNA) members are to submit motions before Northern Provincial Council (NPC) on Monday backing calls for an international war crimes investigation in Sri Lanka.

    A motion is also to be submitted before the NPC calling for a war memorial to be constructed, with the backing of the Council, in Mullivaikal where the final stages of the war took place.

    In all, 16 motions are expected to be submitted before the Council when it convenes on Monday morning, reports from Jaffna said.

    A motion is also to be submitted calling for an international investigation into the Mannar mass grave. (Colombo Gazette)”

  6. Nanda Says:

    These traitors take all the money from Maha Ranee and pass resolution after resolution in support of Eelam.
    They have nothing else to do, do nothing for the country, for the North.
    They why do you need a council at all ?
    Just to protest ?

    When the 13A scrapping was the hot topic they brought up a CJ issue to draw attention away from people.
    Bloody betrayers.
    Maha Ranee in bed with Ruinil.

  7. AnuD Says:

    USAID is CIA.

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