Colombo, November 27 (News 1st/newsin.asia): In an official statement, The Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) of Switzerland stated on Wednesday that that a local employee of the Swiss embassy in Colombo was detained against her will.
It further says that the local employee was threatened at length by unidentified men in order to force her to disclose embassy related information.
The release said that the Swiss authorities had been informed that a “serious incident” had occurred at the Swiss embassy in Colombo. The Statement further said that Switzerland regards this incident as a very serious and unacceptable attack on one of its employees.
It also noted that Switzerland promptly reported the incident to the Sri Lankan authorities and is demanding an immediate and complete investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The release also called for the perpetrators to be brought to justice and for the guarantee of the security of the Swiss representation in Colombo and its employees to be fully restored.
The statement read thus: “This message was conveyed today by the Swiss ambassador to Sri Lanka to Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena together with a diplomatic demarche”.
Furthermore, the Sri Lankan ambassador to Switzerland has been summoned to the FDFA, Switzerland’s foreign ministry.
Reacting to this, a top government source who did not want to be identified told newsin.asia that the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) officials met the Swiss Ambassador on Wednesday and requested further details. But the Swiss officials had no further details and the lady employee did not want to make a statement. The embassy, however, gave a sketch of the alleged abductor.
The CID is conducting a thorough investigation into the incident to get to the bottom of it. The police have said that they have no clue about the incident or the perpetrator.
The abduction had taken place in broad daylight somewhere in Colombo outside the embassy. The alleged abduction appears to have been amateurish.
Three days prior to this incident, Sri Lankan police Chief Inspector Nishatha de Silva, who had been investigating some highly sesitive cases had fled to Switzerland fearing departmental action for witch-hunting. Former Law Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe told The Island daily that he had brought this to the notice of the then President Maithripala Sirisena but no action was taken.
Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe has asked the Gotabaya government to get Nishantha de Silva extradited.
(The featured image at the top is that of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs)
