Weerawansa threatens fast unto death campaign

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 July 2010, 19:45 GMT]
Sri Lanka Government's frontline minister Wimal Weerawansa has vowed to go on a fast unto death if the United Nations (UN) fails to disband the expert panel appointed by Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, State owned daily Dinamina reported. Weerawansa is expected to kick off his fast-to-death campaign Thursday if the UN does not respond positively to demands put forward by Sri Lanka demanding the immediate disbanding of the expert panel, the paper said.

The advisory panel comprising of Marzuki Darusman from Indonesia, the UN's special envoy for North Korea, human rights expert Yasmin Sooka from South Africa and Steven Ratner, an expert in international law of war from the United States, were appointed to advice Ban on accountability issues relating to alleged violations of international human rights and humanitarian law during the final stages of the conflict in Sri Lanka that ended last year.

“If I don’t receive a feavourble response from the UN, I will commence a fast unto death protest against the appointment of the panel,” Weerawansa who is the leader of the National Freedom Front was quoted saying in the newspaper article.

Weerawanse has also said that several parliamentarians will join with him in his proposed fast unto death protest.

However, despite the continuous opposition against the panel, the United Nations have maintained that the expert panel will meet as scheduled.

Weerawansa is the minister of Construction, Engineering Services, Housing and Common Amenities in the present President Mahinda Rajapaksa led government.

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