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Last Updated : 2024-05-11 00:43:00
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said today it was evident that the incident in which a local employee of the Switzerland Embassy in Colombo was allegedly abducted and threatened had not happened.
Speaking to newspaper editors and electronic media heads at the Presidential Secretariat, the President said he discussed the matter with the Swiss Ambassador this morning.
“The investigations had revealed that no incident like this had happened. The investigation had been done using accounts of witnesses and technical evidence such as CCTV footage and Uber records,” he said.
The President said they did not know as to why the employee made such an allegation and had been unable to find it out as she was not co-operating with investigators.
However, he said the government did not have any suspicion and doubt about the conduct of the Swiss Embassy in Colombo over the matter.
“They acted according to their duties and responsibilities. When one of their employees levelled an allegation, they complained about it to the government. That is their responsibility. Also, I told the ambassador that the employee should co-operate to have a full investigation.
“Actually, I have become the victim of it. Just a few days after I assumed duties, there emerged this allegation that an embassy employee had been abducted in a white van. The New York Times and other websites carried this story. Former ministers commented on it. It was quite sad to see even Sajith Premadasa making a statement about it,” he said.
In the meantime, when asked about his stance on the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) agreement, President Rajapaksa said they would appoint a committee to study the matter.
“The committee will scrutinise what this document is; whether there is any benefit or not. First, we need to study it, even for me to know what it is. We will appoint a committee shortly,” he said.
When asked whether he intended to change the 19th Amendment to the Constitution as there was a debate about it, the President said it had to be changed ‘definitely.’
He said it had brought about a lot of confusion and there were problems between the President and the government during the previous administration due to the 19th Amendment.
He said though it was drafted by those who claimed to be experts in law, it had ended up in a conflict between the executive and the judiciary over the dissolution of Parliament and change of government.
When asked whether he would dissolve Parliament in March with the completion of four and a half years, the President said he would do so since he needed the necessary parliamentary majority to govern.
On the much delayed Provincial Council elections, the President said it had to be held following the general elections. “Our stance is that all elections that were not held should be conducted. But Parliament has to first approve the laws to hold the Provincial Council elections,” he said.
When asked about the allegations levelled by MP Rajitha Senaratne, President Rajapaksa said MP Senaratne belonged to a different political culture from him and was thriving on lies. “The people have rejected that political culture, which is why I won with a majority. I don’t think people will accept that political culture in the future,” he said.
Hsns perlee Monday, 16 December 2019 09:32 PM
She did it herself? Come on, where there is smoke there is fire
Dr. Thomas Monday, 16 December 2019 09:54 PM
What a horrendous act. she made it all up and lied. already a local staff member for 6 yrs. high time for a thorough in-house check into the bonafides of the swiss embassy staff ..
vis8 Monday, 16 December 2019 10:04 PM
Thanks for standing up against false accusations. This woman, in her greed to get an easy visa to Switzerland, has also put the Swiss ambassador in an awkward position. There have to be other Sri Lankans behind this saga, and they all should be apprehended.
Max Monday, 16 December 2019 10:05 PM
Great act of diplomacy Mr President
tim Tuesday, 17 December 2019 09:59 AM
PLEASE... the whole world knows who you are....
Jayt Tuesday, 17 December 2019 10:33 AM
It was done by isael to get more popularty for him. So he should not be worried Israel promoted he and his brother as war heros, so what else Israel can do
Sokrates Tuesday, 17 December 2019 10:43 AM
The world turns according to the will of a felon. A victim becomes a criminal and a criminal becomes a victim. In any case, it is now clear that as soon as things concern the Rajapaksa clan, law and order no longer apply. Welcome dictatorship.
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