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Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has received one of Bolivia’s highest awards from President Evo Morales and the State Assembly, for the Sri Lankan’s ‘contributions to peace and democracy ‘.
Rajapaksa receiving the award is the first time that a foreign Head of State has been awarded the “Parliamentary Order to the Democratic Merit – Deputy Marcelo Quiroga Santa Cruz”, one of the Bolivian state’s highest awards.
Accepting the award, Rajapaksa said,
“Despite many challenges, my country has been successful in addressing several post-conflict humanitarian issues.”
Following on from his previous remarks in Bolivia, where he criticised "foreign interferences", Rajapaksa went on to add,
“We are saddened by a growing practice at the international level to adopt double standards in respect of the application of human rights. My country is legitimately proud of its achievements, within a very short period, in restoring the democratic rights and freedoms of our people in areas that were ravaged by terrorism.”
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