Sri Lanka seeks expulsion of UNICEF staff: officials

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.

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