Appoint Presidential Commission to investigate NYT claims: UNP Backbenchers

Says MR took campaign funding in exchange for China to establish colony in SL

By Skandha Gunasekara

UNP backbencher Parliamentarians yesterday called for a Presidential Commission to investigate the allegations made against former President Mahinda Rajapaksa in the recent New York Times article.

UNP MP Mujibur Rahman made this request while addressing a press conference at the Parliamentary complex yesterday.

When inquired if this was the position of the UNP, MP Rahman said that, although it was his personal opinion that a Presidential Commission should be appointed, his party, too, believed that these allegations must be probed.  

“I am expressing my own opinion regarding the setting up of a Presidential Commission of inquiry, but my party is also of the opinion that the allegations must be probed.”

He then said that it was possible that China had funded the former President’s election campaign in exchange for colonising Sri Lanka.

“The New York Times reported that China Harbour had given $ 7.8 million to former President Mahinda Rajapaksa. China does not give money for nothing. We would like to know the details of the agreement which the former President had entered into with China. Was he going to allow China to set up a colony in Sri Lanka? We have suspicions about this issue when we look at what is happening in the world,” he said while pointing out that China has established their presence in a number of African countries by carrying out development projects.

He then rejected the former President’s statement that he would take legal action against local media outlets that published the New York Times report.

 “The former President should not make such statements as he is implying that the media should not publish negative stories about him,” he added.

MP Ashu Marasinghe took part in the press briefing as well.