Sri Lanka says not to succumb to pressure

The Sri Lankan government on Monday said it would not succumb to any outside pressure to address alleged human rights issues.

External Affairs Minister G.L Peiris told Parliament that the international community must be fair in its assessment of the situation in Sri Lanka instead of being directed by pressure coming from within their own countries for their own survival.

He praised a clarification made by the Chinese government on media reports that China had urged Sri Lanka to address human rights issues.

The Minister said that China had made it clear that the Sri Lankan Government and the people have the wisdom and capacity to deal appropriately with their internal affairs.

G.L Peiris said that President Mahinda Rajapaksa has made it clear that the government will not succumb to outside pressure or meet deadlines set by other countries to address local issues.

He said that the direction the country needs to go can and will be decided by Sri Lanka and no other country.

The minister said the government is not prepared to pass on that responsibility to another country at any cost despite threats and intimidation.

"We will not accept deadlines," the minister asserted.

G.L Peiris said that international standards should also apply equally to all countries and not selectively to any country.

Sri Lanka defeated the Tamil Tiger rebels in May 2009 after 30 years of war but continues to be accused of failing to address alleged human rights abuses committed during the final stages of the war.

British Prime Minister David Cameron who visited Sri Lanka recently for a Commonwealth summit said that his government will push Sri Lanka to address the concerns by March next year.