Sirikotha attack: Ranil calls for fair probe
Opposition Leader and UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday requested the government, in Parliament, to hold an independent and fair investigation into the attack on the UNP headquarters, ‘Sirikotha’ on Monday. The Opposition Leader also requested to find out if the monies of foreign NGOs have been utilized to manipulate this attack on the Sirikotha.
The Opposition Leader apologized to the UNP, all its members and the entire country for his inability to protect Sirikotha during Monday’s attack.
Wickremesinghe further stated that a complaint has been made to the Police in this connection.
He also stated that he always held media freedom in esteem but the media institutions should confine themselves only to their duties.
He added that media institutions have a right to telecast or broadcast news but they do not have any right to change leaders of political parties.
Wickremesinghe further said that an organization had telecast various programmes engaging in a “late campaign”. He added that he mentioned about it in his police complaint.
He also added that the Opposition could solve its problems on its own and asked media institutions to mind their own businesses. The UNP leader further stated that he learnt that an NGO in Germany funded a person who was removed from the UNP Working Committee.
He added that he had requested from the German ambassador in Sri Lanka to prevent those institutions from funding for such activities.
Wickremesinghe also requested the government to find out about these fundings as well.
The Opposition Leader made this observation making a special statement in Parliament yesterday.
He also said, as he answered earlier to the Chief Government Whip Minister Dinesh Gunawardena’s question, there was no change in the positions of Opposition Leader and UNP leader.
Courtesy: Daily News / Pix by Getty Images
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I fail to understand why public money has to be wasted at RW request,on a government committee to be appointed to investigate the mob attack on UNP headquarter, following UNP leader’s and office bearers’ election. The attack was by some unruly UNP MPs and members unhappy with the outcome of the UNP election. It’s surely an internal UNP matter and not appropriate for the government to investigate. Police are already carrying out investigations and have arrested a few alleged culprits, who have been remanded following appearence at Magistrate’s court. I think justice dept should deal with it.
Nicholas oh! Nicholas,
What have I done wrong to frighteen off JS,FM and may be DC too? Is it because I called them idiots and devils? ‘Ane’ what have I done. Please convince me that this is only temporary and they will come out of hiding eventually. I am losing sleep over this! If they do not show up soon it is only you the wise elderly Conscience of the Nation who could fish them out by convincing them that all is fine. I miss them terribly already and trust the rest of the bloggers too feel the same!
Dear Mr. Udurawana,
Why feel let down? They were only maquerading imposters and they have exeunt en bloc.You and I miss them alright but why let your conscience take blame for it? Sure enough they will reappear as and when they feel they are safe and so let us create the the necessary background. As for RW’s appeal to the Govt. for an inquiry,it looks like the last straw. There is a Sinhala saying that a drowning man will cling on to even a thuthiri (blade of a love grass).Of late he has been uttering that there is no Democracy here and that they would take to streets as a protest. Perhaps his followers have started the job right from their Hqrs.And as for attack on the particular Mass Media, they are losing a very powerful supporter. RW, Don’t you feel stranded?