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Sri Lanka is like a US punch bag - Rajapaksa

Addressing members of the Foreign Correspondents Association of Sri Lanka, Sri Lankan president, Mahinda Rajapaksa, outlined that there was no need for the United Nations to adopt a resolution calling for an international inquiry in Sri Lanka.

Speaking to journalists that report for foreign media outlets, he said,

“We are taking measures locally, there is no need for a resolution. The whole resolution, we are uncomfortable with. There should not be a resolution at all."

"This is like Cassius Clay using a school boy as a punching bag."

Rajapaksa said that he did not understand why the US is pushing for an international investigation, when asked for the reason, saying only “God knows why".

External Affairs Minister Gamini Lakshman Peiris echoed his sentiments.

"We feel acutely uncomfortable by the pressure brought on us by a powerful country," he said.

Rajapaksa further went on to claim that he was committed to investigating allegations of wrong doings by security forces.

"I advocated investigations into disappearances in 1989 and 90 (during an uprising by Sinhalese Marxist rebels). Even today, I believe in it (human rights)," Rajapakse said.

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