No confidence motion against MP Dilan Perera

By Ashwin Hemmathagama

Our Lobby Correspondent

Opposition legislator Ajith P. Perera submitted a no confidence motion against the Minister of Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare Dilan Perera yesterday over the death of Rizana Nafeek.

The motion, which is reinforced with signatures of UNP Parliamentarians including Joseph Michael Perera, Ravi Karunanayake, Lakshman Kiriella, Niroshan Perera, Buddhika Pathirana, Akila Viraj Kariyawasam, Champika Premadasa and Anoma Gamage, challenges Minister Dilan Perera, highlighting Rizana Nafeek, a minor employed as a housemaid who was beheaded in Saudi Arabia recently after a brief judicial proceeding for a crime she is fully innocent of.

“The Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment, a legislated institution which is in the portfolio held by Minister of Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare Dilan Perera has failed to provide meaning full assistance to Rizana Nafeek. As a result she had to face death in an unfortunate way.

“The minister who should have directly held the responsibility, fraudulently managed the facts while issuing statements passing the responsibility to the Government of Saudi Arabia. Therefore we in this house have no confidence that Dilan Perera is capable of holding the position Minister of Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare,” the Opposition lawmakers stated in the motion.