US Ambassador meets AKD 

• Duo discusses SL’s current political and economic issues during meeting 
• NPP leader highlights SL Govt. efforts to curtail democratic rights of citizens 
• Stresses need for UN intervention to address ongoing humanitarian crisis due to Israel and Palestine conflict 

U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka Julie Chung met with National People’s Party (NPP) leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) head office in Pelawatta yesterday. 

Taking to social media platform X, Chung said the parties discussed the current political and economic issues in Sri Lanka. “It is important to listen to diverse perspectives and engage with various political parties in a democracy,” she noted.

In a statement issued following the meeting, the NPP said its party leader articulated the party’s position that the economic difficulties encountered by the people of Sri Lanka have intensified as a result of the intervention of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

“The NPP representatives highlighted the government’s efforts to curtail the democratic rights of the people,

emphasising the postponement of local government elections and concerns surrounding the upcoming presidential election,” the statement added. 

The NPP said it also raised the necessity of an urgent United Nations intervention to address the ongoing humanitarian crisis resulting from the conflict between Israel and Palestine during their discussion with the Ambassador.

U.S. Embassy’s political officer Matthew Hinson, political expert Nazreen Marikkar as well as NPP members Vijitha Herath, and  Muditha Nanayakkara were present at the meeting.