International
Conspiracy for Sri Lanka regime change: Rajapakse
Conspiracy for Sri Lanka regime change: Rajapakse
Agencies/Colombo
Facing flak from the UN over its alleged human rights abuses during the civil war against the LTTE, Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse has said that a section of the international community is plotting against his regime to set up a puppet government in the country. |
He was addressing a group of Sri Lankan expatriates in Rome, presidential media unit said in Colombo on Saturday.
Rajapakse also thanked the Sri Lankan expats for holding pro-Sri Lanka demonstrations in Geneva, the seat of United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC).
He called on Pope Francis and officially invite him for Sri Lanka visit scheduled for January next year.
Rajapakse said those who are conspiring against his regime want to set up a puppet government in Colombo.
Sri Lankan president has been critical of the US and the West for taking the side of the pro-LTTE diaspora.
He views the US moved and the UK backed action against Sri Lanka at the UNHRC as moves to appease the Tamil diaspora for electoral gains.
Rajapakse’s government has defied calls to co-operate with the UN investigation into alleged war crimes committed by both the government troops and the LTTE during the last phase of the civil war in 2009.
Rajapakse, the leader of the main constituent Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) of the ruling United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA), is expected to meet all the coalition parties of the alliance soon, ruling party sources said.
The major focus of the discussions would be the upcoming Presidential election, SLFP sources added.
The Sri Lankan president started a series of meetings with the coalition parties and met with the leaders of the left parties of the UPFA before he left for his foreign tour.
The leaders of the Lanka Sama Samaja Party, Communist Party and Democratic Left Front met with the President to discuss the elections. These parties are in favour of abolishing the Executive Presidency.
Rajapakse is expected to meet the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), the National Freedom Front (NFF) and the minority parties in the coming weeks, SLFP sources said.