COLOMBO (AFP) — The Sri Lankan government on Friday called for the expulsion of staff of the United Nations children's fund, accusing them of overstepping their legitimate functions, the foreign ministry said.
UNICEF country chief Phillipe Duamelle was called to the foreign ministry on Thursday, where officials "expressed serious concern" over the agency's participation at a public protest in June, the ministry said in a statement.
"The Country Representative was requested to take appropriate action against the staff members who participated in the demonstration including the withdrawal of the concerned international staff," the foreign ministry said.
The government also asked UNICEF to dismiss its local UNICEF staff who joined the demonstration outside the main railway station in Colombo, the ministry said.
A local human rights group had organised the peaceful protest to condemn the killing of two Red Cross workers by unidentified gunmen.
UN officials have said that Sri Lanka was among the most dangerous places for aid workers to work in the world.
Tens of thousands of people have died since the Tamil Tigers rebels launched a campaign for independence for the Tamil minority in the majority Sinhalese nation in 1972.
UNICEF officials said four of their international and local staff took part in the June rally, and that an internal investigation was under way.
"The UNICEF chief admitted some of his staff had taken part in the demonstration and assured that it would not be repeated in the future," the foreign ministry said.
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