Wimal Weerawansa says he has fullest trust on the government's patriotism

Addressing a press conference held in Colombo today, National Freedom Front (NPP) leader Wimal Weerawansa accused opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) and People's Liberation Front (JVP) of attempting to mislead people regarding the visit of US State Secretary Mike Pompeo. 

Weerawansa said that Pompeo had told to the press that signing or not signing of Millenium Challenge Corporation (MCC) was Sri Lanka's choice and that had made the opposition disillusioned. 

The NPP leader said he had the fullest trust on President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and the government regarding safeguarding the national interests before any kind of international pressure.

Weerawansa said that he had not been panic with the visit of US State Secretary because the issue had been discussed in the cabinet and the President had assured MCC would not be signed. Even the Minister of Foreign Affairs Dinesh Gunawardane had discussed the talking points of his speech with the cabinet. 

Weerawansa further assured that his party would not be a partner of a government coalition that signs any adverse agreement like MCC, SOFA or ACSA.  

Sri Lanka's JVP demands government to reveal the proposals, agreements and rejections arrived at the discussions with Pompeo

Sri Lanka's leftist People's Liberation Front (JVP) leader Anura Kumara Disanayaka demanded the government to reveal the proposals, agreements and rejections arrived at the discussions between the US State Secretary Mike Pompeo, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Minister of Foreign Affairs Dinesh Gunawardane. 

Addressing a press conference held in the party headquarters, JVP charged the US was trying to include Sri Lanka in its military strategy of the group of four countries, US, India, Japan and Australia. Meanwhile, the party criticized China also for pushing Sri Lanka into a debt trap through wasteful mega development projects. 

Criticizing the government leaders whose family members are US citizens, the JVP leader demanded the government not to let Sri Lanka become a football of the power games of international superpowers.

JVP criticized both former government led by the United National Party and the present government for proceeding with SOFA, ACSA and MCC agreements with the US. The JVP leader stated that these agreements are related to national security, property and the future. 

Speaking about the COVID-19 crisis, JVP criticized the government's inaction before the second wave of the coronavirus attack. Anura Kumara Disayanaka pointed out that the government had removed key health officials and kept positions like Director-General of Health for a long time vacant until the second wave. He said that the government did not make ready the health infrastructure for a possible second wave of COVID-19.

JVP urged the government to be more responsible about the crisis, to increase the number of PCR tests, to minimize the time taken for the reports, to provide equipment and to protect the vulnerable health and other officials. 

He urged the government to increase the capacity of the health sector to fight the pandemic and to help the affected people using the huge COVID-19 fund, raised recently if it had taken an informed decision not to lock down the country as indicated by the President. 

US State Secretary meets Sri Lanka President today

US State Secretary Mike Pompeo who arrived in Sri Lanka yesterday will hold bilateral discussions with Sri Lanka President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa this morning. The meeting will be held in the President's House in Colombo. 

He will discuss with the Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardane also. The duo is expected to hold a press conference later. The visit of the US State Secretary takes place on an invitation of the Sri Lankan Minister of Foreign Affairs, the government says. The aim of the tour is for strengthening the multiple bilateral relations. 

The cabinet spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella said at the cabinet press briefing that the government will not sign SOFA and ACSA agreements with the US. 

Media reported President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had told to the cabinet that US State Secretary would not discuss the Millenium Challenge Corporation (MCC) agreement. 

(Photo: US state Secretary Mike Pompeo at Katunayaka airport)

US Bar Association to open an office in Sri Lanka - Wimal Weerawansa

Senior Minister and ruling coalition partner of Sri Lanka government, Wimal Weerawans said that the US Bar Association was planning to open an office in Colombo.

In a scathing attack against the visit of US State Secretary Mike Pompeo, Weerawansa stated that the move to open an office of US Bar Association in Colombo was for appearing for the US criminals like rapists who would roam freely after the ACSA and SOFA agreements are signed by Sri Lanka. He said that these agreements would enable US to use the ports and airports of Sri Lanka while US officials would be immune from the law of Sri Lanka.    

He added that the move to open the office of the US Bar Association in Colombo had been delayed due to the protest of Bar Association of Sri Lanka.