SL Defence Attaché issue raised in British Parliament

2018-05-25

The issue of former Defence Attaché Brigadier Priyankara Fernando was raised by MP Hywel Williams in the British Parliament on Wednesday.

The MP asked Minister of State for Asia and the Pacific Mark Field what discussions he has had with Sri Lankan Foreign Affairs Minister since the return of the Defence Attaché of Sri Lankan High Commission in London.

State Minister Field said he met Minister Tilak Marapana on April 18 on the sidelines of the Commonwealth Summit and raised the Defence Attaché incident with him.

“The former Defence Attaché's posting to London was formally ended by the Government of Sri Lanka on April 15. No successor has yet been appointed,” he said.

Brigadier Fernando was the Defence Attaché of the Sri Lankan High Commission in London. He was summoned to Sri Lanka over the incident where he showed a throat-cut gesture towards a group of protesting LTTE supporters in London.