Meeting was believed to focus on the attempts by the US government to gather information against Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa...!!!

Rohitha in talks with US Ambassador over Gota issue

By Dianne Silva

Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama is currently at a meeting with the US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Patricia Butenis, Foreign Ministry sources said adding that the meeting was believed to focus on the attempts by the US government to gather information against Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa.

UPDATE: Speaking to reporters following the meeting Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama said that the US envoy will take up the concerns raised by Sri Lanka with Washington.

He added "I have invited you to meet with me this afternoon, to emphasize in my capacity of Foreign Minister that the President and the Government of Sri Lanka stand firmly behind the Office of the Chief of Defence Staff of Sri Lanka. We will not allow that high post to be denigrated or made vulnerable.

The facts of the case as available to us are that the CDS General Sarath Fonseka who is at present in the United States, received a letter from the US Department of Homeland Security or DHS, calling him for an interview at 3.00 p.m. on Wednesday 4 November in Oklahoma City, in the State of Oklahoma. Moreover, he has also received a telephone call on 28 October during which a DHS Attorney had stated that the objective of the interview is to use him “as a source against human rights violations done by Secretary/Defence”.

It had been clarified during the telephone conversation that the reference to "Secretary/Defence" relates to Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the Secretary of the Ministry of Defence, Public Security, Law & Order of Sri Lanka.

It is pertinent to recall in this regard that Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa's duties as Secretary of that Ministry required his dealing with a situation of a grave onslaught that threatened the integrity of Sri Lanka and which was launched by the LTTE, an organization proscribed by several countries including the United States, for its terrorist activities. The allegations therefore leveled against the Sri Lankan Defence Secretary affect the vital interests of the Government of Sri Lanka and have occupied considerable time and attention of the respective Governments, at the highest levels. In fact, the US Ambassador in Colombo has already been briefed of the decision taken by the President of Sri Lanka to appoint a Panel to consider the matters raised in this Report. This decision by the President stems from Sri Lanka's unbroken commitment as a democratic nation to the Rule of Law, under which allegations are first assessed as to whether they possess any substance meriting further inquiry.

The Chief of Defence Staff is a high level position within the Sri Lanka Government. He traveled to the United States on a diplomatic passport for pre-arranged appointments. Moreover, whatever General Fonseka may have become aware of during his service with the Government of Sri Lanka and in the course of his duties, has the status of privileged information. He has no authority to divulge or share this information with third parties, without the prior approval and consent of the Sri Lanka authorities.

I have accordingly met earlier this afternoon with H.E. Ms. Patricia Butenis, the US Ambassador to Sri Lanka, to convey through Her Excellency the message that the Department of Homeland Security should forthwith desist from any endeavor to interview General Fonseka. Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the US Jaliya Wickramasuriya has also made similar representations to the State Department in Washington DC.

Let me reiterate that this position of the Government of Sri Lanka is based on the following two well founded principles.

Firstly, whatever information General Fonseka may have acquired in the exercise of his official duties is privileged by nature. Therefore, it cannot legally be shared with third parties without the prior approval and consent of the Sri Lanka authorities. The matter under reference has serious implications for the security and welfare of the people of Sri Lanka and the Government of Sri Lanka will under no circumstances, authorize such an illegal act.

Secondly, the action taken by the DHS is not needed, since any issues that may be of concern are already being addressed at the highest levels on the part of both the Government of Sri Lanka and that of the United States. You would recall that I have earlier in my remarks to you, already referred to the briefing given to the US Ambassador, concerning the appointment of a Panel by H.E. the President of Sri Lanka."

(Minister Bogollagama speaking to reporters today)

------------------------------dailymirror.lk
Comments

Kick this woman out of the country! Has USA forgotten all their crimes?? They massacred Red Indians to take USA! They killed over 150,000 civilians in the 2nd world war in Dresden, Hiroshima and Nagasaki through carpet bombing! In Vietnam they killed over 2,000,000 civilians! In Iraq and Afghanistan over 500,000 killed! So charge UK and USA with war crimes with immediate effect!

Posted By: Weeraya

If there is no truth...why panic?

Posted By: Doctor HOOOOO

After all the victory celebrations, only a few months ago, the Govt is now getting very nervous.

Posted By: seenisambol


our foriegn Minister is a foreigner, defense Secretary also foreigner poor sri lankas when you going to learn hard reality. wake up

Posted By: mohan76


The arrogance shown in these comments is astounding. In Patricia Butenis, we have received at long last an honest and sincere ambassador from US. People do not seem to realise that she too is under pressure to do the bidding of the US State Department. So far she has shown here sincerity and not gone overboard as her predecessors. We need US on our side at least for their generosity with their aid over the past decades and Ms. Butenis is one person who could make that job easier. No good can come out of constantly banging on about the wrongs done by the US and others. We should be doing the right thing and keep our conscience clean.

Posted By: Shaik Anwar Ahamath

Don’t get angry with US government

Posted By: Jothy

Wake up !! Least come out with some valuable /productive comments than always accusing the messengers with rusted sword.

Posted By: Sourlanka

Govt is over-reacting. Why worry about war crime inquiries if you had done nothing wrong?

Posted By: gunda

These two indiviyals are holding US green card and it is equal to US citizenship. They need to follow the US law where ever they live. The simple soluation would be to cancell the green card and the problem is solved. Most probably Mr.Fonseka may not returned to Srilanka as scheduled. SLG needs to handle this situtation very carefuly because USA has all the right to question their citizens. I knew this will happen and it happend. I would blame Palitha Kohona and the Srilankan mission in USA for not informing the President in time.

Posted By: Roland

You are on a very week foot. If you can hold foreign passport holders in camps why can not the USA hold the green card holder? A green card holder in the US is bound by USA law.

Posted By: lalith wije

The situtation is not good as we think. 1> The charges are already there for these indiviuals. 2> Both are US green card holder and US citizen 3> They need follow US law where ever they live 4> If comit a crime where ever you live you have get back to USA to face the charges. 5> US is going question Mr.Fonseka 6> Mr.Fonseka most probably will become a crown witness. 7> If the allegations against defence sectrecatry is ture, the US government has all the right to request Srilankan government to extardite the defence sectratry to USA to face the charges. 8> If the Srilankan government fails the US forces has all the right to capture the defence sectratry out of srilanakn air space. The US fighter jets can reguest any aircraft carrying the defence secretary to divert the carrier to one of their air base in europe or in Asia. 9>Even Mr.Khona who is in USA too will be in Trouble. The situtation is not good as we think. High time the President get involved and get foreign help. These two individuals did an excellent job and they deserve all the help in this planet.

Posted By: Roland

Don't blame USA, they have right to inquire their citizen as you are arguing Gota is right. But, anyhow he want to answer to God.

Posted By: Rasendram

All these seems to be orchestrated; forgetting the geen card, red card & joker cards; plain fact is they are trying to take revenge from small Sri Lanka for not heeding "stop it & let go Prabhakaran & clan"; human rights, my foot. You know who will be the happiest lot; your guess is as good as mine; to hell with Mother Lanka; any room for us to creep to power and indulge in the "true servile" leader part; for the glory of it; nothing more.

Posted By: Nihal Amarasekera


Governemnt of Sri Lanka must thought about this privileged positions before appointing top people who have alegeience to a foreign country. As citizens of another country they are duty bound discloase any information to their government. We have all top people of the governemnt citizens of another country. and people who do not want to give up the citizenships of those countries. The whole world knows that Sri Lanka won the war against the LTTE by killing Tamil civilians. Governemnt cares more for the aniamls than for tamils of this country. It is so obivious when any one sees teh satellite pictures. No governemnt need to be Jealous about Sri Lankan victory, because no governemnt wants to kill innocent civilians deliberately even the civilians of another country. what would have happened in Afghan or Iraq woudl have been collateral damages. If the US has killed not as collateral damages but by incorrect information they would apologise will not block Journalist going to war front to report they have nothing to hide. So US has the right to hold inquiry into acts committed by their citizens any where in the world. Nothing governemnt can do about it. they can say anything but definitely can not do anything If Sri Lankan governemnt can persecute their citizens in Nazi style camps. why can not US governemnt investigate into the acts of their citizens in the most descent manner. mahinda Rajapakse is not the President of USA. But that of barbaric Sri Lanka. he should remeber that.

Posted By: Rajah

The USA is dealing with one of their citizens or a green card holder , which they are entitled to do !

Posted By: toga

We are talking nutts to accuse Us for dealing with their citizen. First of all how a citizen of another country (US) be appointed to this high position of Secretary of Defence? In Srilanka of course you can escape doing whatever you want. But it is not in country like US. It is right for him to face the consequences.

Posted By: Rev.D.G.Paulraj


These comments are typical of Sinhala mentality. We really haven't learned have we? We still think from our privates and reason from our rear. To kick a US diplomat means touching her or any US interest whether tangible or intangible. We do this, we shall be a BLIMP in an embrued history. Gota, you should give yourself up for questioning! There are plenty of ways to get you off the hook. Depend on the UNP insiders and you shall spend the rest of your life in the gallows.

Posted By: Kaslana


All Col. Gotabaya needs to do is relinquish his US citizenship just as Gen, Fonseka needs to do with his "Green Card" and the US will be unable to do anything as they will not come within the US jurisdiction. Time the US learned that not everyone aspires to live the so called American dream which in the present economic context is more the American Horror!

Posted By: Anthony Justin - Saudi