by Our Correspondent in Colombo
Sri Lanka’s parliamentary opposition had initially agreed unanimously to proceed with forming a select committee to investigate USAID’s activities in the country. However, following intervention by outgoing U.S. Ambassador Julie J. Chung, opportunistic politicians in the opposition backed down, effectively halting the probe.
According to sources, after an initial discussion, a secret follow-up meeting was held somewhere near the U.S. ambassador’s residence in Colombo. During this meeting, three key members of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), including a prominent parliamentarian, met with Ambassador Chung and reaffirmed their decision not to proceed with the investigation. Despite their earlier public stance, they assured the ambassador that the proposal for the select committee was merely a tactic for media sensationalism rather than a serious effort to scrutinize USAID’s activities.
Previously, Speaker of Parliament Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne had acknowledged plans to investigate global allegations surrounding USAID’s use of aid funds. MP Dayasiri Jayasekara, who raised the issue in Parliament, pointed out that MP Namal Rajapaksa had officially requested the Speaker to establish the select committee. Jayasekara highlighted concerns over the potential political ramifications, particularly given that former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa’s name had been mentioned in connection with the controversy.
