The Foreign Ministry has directed the Sri Lankan mission in London to initiate follow-up action at the highest level into the alleged attacks on Lankan cricket fans by pro-LTTE thugs at the recent T20 World Cup finals at Lords, Foreign Secretary Palitha Kohona said yesterday.
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| Palitha Kohona |
“It is understood that the British authorities have initiated a judicial process into the matter while Sri Lankan High Commissioner Nihal Jayasinghe is being kept posted on the developments,” Dr. Kohona said.
He said the government was deeply concerned about the attacks and was confident that British authorities would arrest the culprits. “Apart from that there is little we can do now,” he said.
The Sunday Times last week reported details about the attack on the Sri Lankan fans.
It was the same case in the incident in Australia where two Sri Lankan students fell victim to a vicious acid attack by suspected LTTE goons about a month ago.
However, in that case, two people have been arrested and are facing charges. “This is an encouraging development and the Lankan mission in Canberra is closely monitoring the case,” Dr. Kohona said.
Immediately after the London attacks the Sri Lankan mission expressed dismay at what it described as the ‘lethargy’ on the part of the British police in dealing with the issue.
Sri Lankan fans including women returning after the T20 finals complained that they were beaten up by pro-LTTE thugs clad in shirts showing the Tiger emblem. The attack took place in the full glare of the police who failed to intervene despite pleas.
The British police maintained that the pro-LTTE gathering had been approved by the city authorities and therefore there was little they could do.
Meanwhile a festival of cricket organized by Sri Lankan Old Boys Associations in Britain is scheduled to be held in London next Sunday. |
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