Hands Off Maldives Says Sri Lanka
By Raisa Wickrematunge
The Sri Lankan government wants the international community to keep its hands off the Maldives and let the Maldives deal with its own issues, the External Affairs Ministry said.
The position of the government was decided upon following a government meeting held on Friday, Deputy External Affairs Minister Neomal Perera told The Sunday Leader.
Meanwhile IGP N. K. Illangakoon said the police is providing security to the wife of former Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed.
Illangakoon confirmed he was instructed by President Mahinda Rajapaksa to provide security for Nasheed’s wife after she fled to Sri Lanka when the Maldivian President was asked to step down last week. Several police personnel joined protesters demanding the Maldivian President, known as a human rights campaigner, to step down.
Nasheed resigned on Tuesday saying he wanted to avoid violence. He later reportedly claimed that he was forced to step down at gunpoint.
An order was issued to arrest Nasheed, which has since been suspended. It was reported that President Mahinda Rajapaksa telephoned Nasheed to inquire about his safety.
Illangakoon said that the police had been called upon to protect Nasheed’s wife, although it was as yet unclear whether she was facing a security threat in Sri Lanka.
In the meantime, a group of about 20 protestors gathered outside the Maldivian High Commission at Melbourne Avenue on Friday in support of President Nasheed. The protest was not violent, with the protestors merely waving slogans, a spokesman at the Maldivian High Commission said.
Illangakoon said he could not comment on whether the Maldivian President himself was planning to fly to Sri Lanka in the near future.
This same MR went behind all these countries with his begging bowl to get military assistance.
if Nasheed thinks Sri Lanka is better than his country, he should come to sri lanka and involve in Sri Lankan politics.
SF faces samething what Nasheed faces in his country.
Sri lankan Govt.must set an example first in this regard!!
remember Nasheed fired a judge. How can he fire a judge while talking about democracy?
Hands off killing Tamils in SL first.
Why not Srilankan president asked his “Ambattataya” foolish Mr “Buruwansa” to organize a “Dumb Dumb Beating Protest” in front of “Maldivian High Commission” to kick out New President of Maldives and give the chair to Mr Nasheed.
What authority does GOSL has to make such a statement. Is it the intention of the thre rascals violating human rights in Sri Lanka to make Maldives also another country of criminals violating human rights and other abuses?
I don’t know who this warning has been issued against, but I’m sure the whole world is quaking in its collective boots in case Our Potentate decides to punish them for disobeying him.
We await, with bated breath, the comments that Dayan Jayatilleke, Michael Roberts, the Wijesinha character etc. have to make in this connection, particularly their efforts to make this sound like an edict “from on high.”