The Prime Minister of New Zealad has said he is 'definitely going to Sri Lanka' despite growing oppposition to his visit, and the detention of a New Zealand MP in Colombo last week.
Prime Minister John Key stated that it "just happens to be that Sri Lanka is the host of the summit in 2013" confirming that he would not boycott the summit.
Adding that "there is no mechanism" for him to act on Sri Lanka's human rights abuses, he added,
Prime Minister John Key stated that it "just happens to be that Sri Lanka is the host of the summit in 2013" confirming that he would not boycott the summit.
Adding that "there is no mechanism" for him to act on Sri Lanka's human rights abuses, he added,
"The appointment as chair took place effectively when they were named as the host back in Perth in 2011 . . . and practically speaking the main function of the chair is . . . to host the meeting that's taking place this week".Foreign Minister Murray McCully also announced he will travel to the North-East, but Amnesty New Zealand's executive director Grant Bayldon said,
"It's going to be very difficult for people to speak to McCully without endangering themselves".Green MP Jan Logie, who was also detained in Colombo alongside Australian Senator Lee Rhiannon, also commented on the PM's decision, saying,
"They're about to, unless we intervene, appoint an accused criminal as the head of the institution".
"This country should never have been given the chance to chair the CHOGM meeting while those in power at the time of gross human rights violations have been able to avoid justice, and that is more apparent to me than ever".