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Australia voices support for development project in Sri Lanka despite human rights concerns

Photo credit: ColomboPage

Australian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, David Holly called on Sri Lanka President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Monday to voice support for development in Sri Lanka despite ongoing concerns over Sri Lanka’s human rights record.

Holly spoke on the potential for Sri Lanka to emerge as a centre of higher learning and potential export market hub in the South Asian region, highlighting the 75 years of friendly relations between the countries before announcing a donation of medical equipment to aid in Sri Lanka’s COVID-19 plight.

Rajapaksa requested technical assistance from the Australian Government regarding the recent cargo ship fire that caused the worst environmental disaster in the island's history.

In April, the Tamil Refugee Council criticised the Australian government for overlooking the “new warnings that the political situation in Sri Lanka is deteriorating” and supplying Sri Lankan police with five aerial drones. They added that the Australian government’s silence on alleged human rights abuses may “aid its ongoing oppression and persecution of Tamils”.

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