Brigadier Priyankara Fernando, the Minister Counsellor (Defence) attached to the Sri Lanka High Commission in London has been reinstated in his position after the Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was forced to do so by a high-level politician in the country.
He was suspended from his position yesterday pending an inquiry after he was filmed making ‘throat-cutting gestures’ to alleged LTTE supporters who were protesting outside the Sri Lankan High Commission in London, on Sunday 4 February.
Sources say the Secretary of Foreign Affairs has been given an ultimatum by the politician who has asked the Secretary to either resign from his position or reinstate the Brigadier today. The Foreign Ministry is currently said to be working on the letter to reverse the suspension of the Brigadier.
Meanwhile, the Army Spokesman confirmed the reinstatement saying that he is now back to work. However, he also said an inquiry into the incident will be carried out.
However, inside sources claim that this situation could now become a diplomatic nightmare for Sri Lanka as the reinstatement of a suspended diplomat prior to the close of an investigation goes against diplomatic protocol.
British Parliamentarians Joan Ryan and Siobhain McDonagh had already lodged a formal complaint with UK's Secretary of State Boris Johnson calling to “withdraw Brigadier Priyanka Fernando’s diplomatic papers and expel him” from the United Kingdom.
Meanwhile, another video has also now surfaced on social media where the Brigadier can be seen engaging with the crowd prior to this incident. The group in the video is seen accusing the Sri Lankan government of settling Sinhalese people in Tamil areas while also saying Tamil Nadu fishermen are shot and killed by the country's forces. One protestor continues to harangue the Brigadier claiming that Sri Lanka has killed 500 Indian Fishermen while the Defence Attache is seen denying all the charges while inviting the protestors to visit the country and see the real situation.
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