Sunday Times 2
Govt urged to step up support for Palestinian cause
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UN's Hanaa Singer addressing the gathering. (Pix by Nilan Maligaspe)
The Sri Lanka Committee for Solidarity with Palestine (SLCSP) held a panel discussion on ‘End Asia’s last colony, justice for Palestine’ to mark the UN Day for Solidarity with the Palestinian People on November 29. The event was held at the Olympus auditorium, Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies.
The gathering was addressed by Palestine’s Ambassador Dr Zuhair Hamdallah Dar Zaid, Academic and activist Kusum Wijetilleke, SLCSP President Bimal Ratnayake and VP Ameen Izzadeen. UN Resident Representative Hanaa Singer read out the solidarity day message of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
A resolution was adopted at the event, requesting the Sri Lankan government to step up its support for the Palestinian cause in keeping with its stated policy of proactive and progressive Non-Alignment. Expressing concern over the international community’s failure to impose tough sanctions on Israel for its continuous defiance of UN resolutions, the resolution also urged the world community to take punitive measures to compel Israel to end its occupation of Palestine, oppressive policies, and human rights violations.
