27 September 2021 08:58 am Views - 1467
Newly elected Norwegian Labour Party MP, Sri Lankan born Kamzy Gunaratnam says she will ask the new Norwegian government to continue engagement with Sri Lanka.
Speaking at a virtual media conference last night (Sunday), Gunaratnam said that she does not believe that boycotting Sri Lanka is the way forward.
“I don’t believe in boycott. There needs to be investments. Only that will ensure employment,” she said.
Gunaratnam said that she is also prepared to meet President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, if invited, for talks.
She said that Norway must continue to assist Sri Lanka through trade, education and in other ways.
Responding to a question posed by Daily Mirror, Gunaratnam said that she will also discuss with her party and the new Norwegian Foreign Minister, as well as the Norwegian Ambassador in Sri Lanka and see how best Norway can assist Sri Lanka.
However, she noted that she will also call for a war crimes investigation in Sri Lanka saying without answers there cannot be closure.
She said that the war crimes investigation must be external and not internal.
Gunaratnam said that Sri Lankans must also decide the best solution for Sri Lanka and not any foreign country. She said that Sri Lanka must not wait for foreign pressure to work on a solution.
The newly elected Norwegian MP also said that minority rights in Sri Lanka must be protected.
As a Norwegian MP she said that her main focus in the Norwegian Parliament will be to push for equality in Norway.