The new Foreign Minister, Tilak Marapana after assuming office on Friday, assured that he will initiate action to probe allegations against Sri Lankan diplomats including charges of corruption and misbehaviour.
The Development Assignment Minister who was given the additional portfolio of the Foreign Ministry by President Maithripala Sirisena, said he was here to ensure that Sri Lanka received the recognition it deserves by the international community. He said Sri Lanka’s missions have a tough job to fulfill this task and those who fail will have to face the music.
Minister Marapana was appointed to fill the position of former Foreign Minister Ravi Karunanyake after the latter resigned due to pressure following revelations at the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into Treasury Bond sales. The Minister was responding to concerns raised by Chief Incumbent of Nalandaramaya, Nugegoda, Ven. Thiniyawala Palitha Thera that were many charges against the conduct of some officers posted to foreign missions but, none have been brought to book. The Thera said the new Minister, even if he is here only for a short period must ensure that the corrupt and the unqualified are recalled from foreign postings. The Thera said there were 37 non-career diplomats in Lankan missions worldwide and that was enough for the downfall of the Foreign Service.
The Minister also said the international community was convinced that Sri Lanka is committed to investigating allegations of war crimes, adding that as a result, the international community gave Sri Lanka the freedom to formulate our own mechanism for truth seeking and justice.
“We are following a timetable, but the tasks before us are time consuming,” he explained, saying the government may get more time to implement the Human Rights Council Resolution 30/1 if genuine reasons were offered.
He reiterated that it was a victory for Sri Lanka to get the consensual Resolution 30/1 passed at the UN Human Rights Council in 2015 and there were no proposals in that to put Sri Lanka in trouble.