The Parliamentary Sectoral Oversight Committee on National Security has recommended to inform the American Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Julie Chung, to refrain from making statements regarding Sri Lanka’s internal affairs. This recommendation is in response to the Ambassador’s comments following the events of May 9, 2022.
This decision was taken when the committee, which was attended by government officials including the committee members, the Defense Secretary, the three forces commanders, the Inspector General of Police, met at the Parliament Complex last week to discuss matters related to national security.
Retired Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekera, the Chairman of the Defense Sector Oversight Committee, who is sending a letter to the Minister of State for Defense expressing his concern about the behavior of the American Ambassador, describes this intervention of the American Ambassador as a violation of the Vienna Convention.
Although the ambassador called for a transparent investigation into the shooting of unarmed protesters, are acts like burning tyres, blocking highways and railways, vandalizing petrol stations, slashing the tires of oil bowsers, pelting stones on the police a protest or a peaceful act? Says that the ambassador, who is an adult, should understand.