Government of Sri Lanka has expressed opposite opinions regarding the newest country, the South Sudan. Sinhala nationalist groups in Sri Lanka have been campaigning against the establishment of South Sudan as an independent country and have supported the Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir in recent times. Now in new turn of events Sri Lanka President has congradulated the establishment of South Sudan while one of his close leftinets has blamed the separation of southern Sudan.
‘If not for president, Lanka was another Sudan today’ 16 July 2011
.If not for Mahinda Rajapaksa, had there been Ranil Wickremesinghe or any other person as the president, the country would have been divided as northern and southern Sri Lanka by now, said minister Dullas Alahapperuma.
He said that Sudan was broken into two on July 09 because its leader’s thinking was in the line of those of J.R. Jayewardene and R. Premadasa.
Addressing UPFA election rallies in Akuressa, the minister said that thanks to the strong backbone of president Rajapaksa, Sri Lanka did not have to give into the pressure of the Western powers after defeating the LTTE.
He also said that a certain group was attempting to sabotage the freedom now being enjoyed by the people of the north after their failure to subjugate the president.
SLM
MR congratulates Southern Sudan Saturday, 16 July 2011
President Mahinda Rajapaksa sending a congratulatory message to the new State of the Republic of Southern Sudan, said that ‘Sri Lanka would like to be partners at this happy and historic moment with Southern Sudan and its’ people and had assured his fullest cooperation towards the consolidation of bilateral relations.’
The message, which was addressed to Southern Sudan President Gen. Salva Kiir Mayardit, was handed over to the new State, by Prof. Tissa Vitharana. The minister participated at the Inauguration Ceremony of Africa’s 54th newest nation, the ‘Republic of Southern Sudan’ on 9th July 2011 at its capital Juba.
According to the Asian Tribune, Sri Lanka plans to concurrently accredit the Sri Lanka High Commissioner in Nairobi to Southern Sudan and also to appoint an Honorary Consul for Juba. Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner-designate for Kenya, T. Raveenthiran also accompanied the Senior Minister for the celebrations in Juba.
DM