The UN Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon, urged Sri Lanka to ensure that the upcoming presidential elections on January 8 was "inclusive, including for minorities".
"Obviously, we've seen the recent events in Sri Lanka, even those today and I think it makes the Secretary‑General's call for reconciliation and political dialogue that much more important and also his call to the Government to ensure that the elections are peaceful and that they're inclusive, including for minorities,” Ban Ki Moon's spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric was quoted by the Daily Mirror as saying to a press briefing this week.
Last month Sri Lanka's ruling United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) had criticised Ban Ki Moon for stating that he “strongly expects” the upcoming presidential elections to be “peaceful and credible” in a telephone conversation with Sri Lanka's External Affairs Minister GL Peiris.
Related articles:
Sri Lanka attacks UN Secretary-General over election comments (31 Dec 2014)
Ban Ki-moon 'strongly expects' peaceful conduct of elections (30 Dec 2014)
We need your support
Sri Lanka is one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a journalist. Tamil journalists are particularly at threat, with at least 41 media workers known to have been killed by the Sri Lankan state or its paramilitaries during and after the armed conflict.
Despite the risks, our team on the ground remain committed to providing detailed and accurate reporting of developments in the Tamil homeland, across the island and around the world, as well as providing expert analysis and insight from the Tamil point of view
We need your support in keeping our journalism going. Support our work today.
For more ways to donate visit https://donate.tamilguardian.com.
