US Ambassador in Lanka ‘deeply disappointed’ by US Capitol riots

COLOMBO: Last week’s “appalling scene” at the US Capitol has left US Ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Maldives Alaina B, Teplitz deeply disappointed, the diplomat said in a statement.

“American democracy, as in Sri Lanka and the Maldives, rests on the strength of its institutions and system of checks and balances” said Teplitz.

“Our institutions have been tested and proved resilient through the years – but recent events remind us, once more, that democracy needs constant tending and renewal by leaders and citizens alike,” she said.

The ambassador posted her statement on her official Twitter, which was in turn quote-tweeted by the US Embassy in Colombo.

According to Economy Next, the statement stopped short of assigning blame to any one party or political cause for the January 6 riots in Washington D.C., an incident that attracted global attention and drew widespread, bipartisan condemnation in the US. Nor did it acknowledge the deep polarisation in American society that commentators on both sides of the political divide have said the riots were a manifestation of.

“As Americans, we strive to form ‘a more perfect union.’ That aspiration lays bare our imperfections, even as it promises a body politic that is more fair, equitable and diverse,” said Teplitz.