Controversy
In an interview with the Sri Lankan Daily news, Colonel Karuna, a former LTTE regional commander and a current Sri Lankan member of parliament, leveled claims of Norwegian support for the LTTE and the existence of an exchange of goods, including gifts such as TVs and large sums of money existed between Solheim and LTTE leadership. Solheim has denied the aforementioned allegations made against him and has complained that these accusations are the fabrications of the media. The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that they are surprised about the "obvious lies about Mr. Solheim". also stating that there is "no basis in reality" for the accusations. In an open letter to the editor of the Sunday Times newspaper, in reply to an article published on 15 April 2007, the Norwegian Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Hans Brattskar also "categorically refuted allegations made by a Norwegian national, who happened to be a convicted murderer and his organization Norwegians Against Terrorism, to the effect that Norway has funded terrorism." also stating that "Unfortunately, similar allegations based on the very same source, have lately also been published and broadcast by other parts of the Sri Lankan media." "Norwegians Against Terrorism" is a one-man band led by convicted murderer Falk Rune Rovik.
In May 2011, the Aftenposten stated that Norwegian Embassy personnel in Colombo have secretly aided LTTE personal out of Sri Lanka. This practice was defended by Erik Solheim, who stated that there is a long tradition in Norway for helping people at risk.
Read more about this topic: Erik Solheim
Famous quotes containing the word controversy:
“Ours was a highly activist administration, with a lot of controversy involved ... but I’m not sure that it would be inconsistent with my own political nature to do it differently if I had it to do all over again.”
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“And therefore, as when there is a controversy in an account, the parties must by their own accord, set up for right Reason, the Reason of some Arbitrator, or Judge, to whose sentence, they will both stand, or their controversy must either come to blows, or be undecided, for want of a right Reason constituted by Nature; so is it also in all debates of what kind soever.”
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