Reports say HC 'has dodged' summons by British authorities

First Secretary at the SLHC, Maxwell Keegel, told BBC Sandeshaya that HC Kshenuka Seneviratne was not summoned and therefore the question of her 'dodging' the summons does not arise.

He was commenting on a Sunday Times report that the HC Seneviratne has 'dodged' summons by the FCO to lodge an official protest over the alleged involvement of Sri Lanka government with sending renegade LTTE leader Karuna to UK.

'Fake' passport

The paper said HC Seneviratne had informed the FCO her inability to turn up on Tuesday 11 December.

There are regular exchange of views on different issues between the two countries. We do not reveal the details on these discussions Maxwell Keegel, First Secretary, SLHC

"There is no truth at all in that newspaper report," he told BBC Sinhala.com.

The main opposition, United National Party (UNP), accused the government of providing a 'fake' passport to the Vinayagamurthi Muralitharan alias Karuna.

International human rights watchdogs have called on Brtish authorities to charge Karuna for 'war crimes'.

'Tarnishing' international image

Ministries of Defence and Foreign Affairs has helped Karuna to obtain a fake diplomatic passport, UNP legislator Lakshman Kiriella said.

The former deputy foreign minister accused the government of discrediting Sri Lanka among international community.

In a confession to the British authorities, Karuna Amman has revealed the real situation in the east UNP MP Lakshman Kiriella

"In a confession to the British authorities, Karuna Amman has revealed the real situation in the east," Kiriella told journalists on Tuesday.

The HC official however did not confirm or deny that the British government has officially protested sending Karuna, who is accused of gross human rights violations, to UK using a fake passport.

Asked whether the UK government raised the issue of Karuna with the SLHC, the First Secretary repeatedly refused to reveal the details.

"There are regular exchange of views on different issues between the two countries. We do not reveal the details on these discussions," Maxwell Keegel said.