Mahinda Rajapaksa says western countries are refusing visas to Sri Lankan minister but issuing to ‘terrorists’

Srilanka's President Mahinda Rajapaksa this week grumbled that Western countries were refusing visas to Sri Lankan minister, but were issuing them to ‘terrorists’ – his word for Tamils who seek refuge abroad from his militarized rule.

“Some of these [Western] embassies even refused to grant visas to my ministers for official economic business, while they gave them to terrorists or suspected terrorists. All they need to say is that my government is persecuting them and claim refugee status,” he said.

Responding to accusations of his government’s abuses, he said critics were making money from leveling charges.

“These so-called activists and defenders of human rights and many NGOs are getting benefits, thanks to that [accusations].”

So much for reconciliation, peacebuilding and all that!

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has admitted that government ministers have been rejected visas by certain diplomatic missions of Western nations. He has claimed that the same Western nations have granted visas to terrorists.

In an interview given to Veronique Queffelec of France’s Entreprendre Rajapaksa has said that some Western diplomatic missions have refused to grant visas to ministers for official purposes, but had issued visas to terrorists and terrorist suspects.

Referring to the accusations leveled against the government by the media and various human rights groups, Rajapaksa has said that the opposition propaganda and people who want to win money through such means have manipulated most of these associations.

“These so-called activists and defenders of human rights and many NGOs are getting benefits, thanks to that,” the President has observed.

According to the President some Western diplomatic missions have denied visas to government ministers based on reports generated by such associations.

“Some of these embassies even refused to grant visas to my ministers for official economic business, while they gave them to terrorists or suspected terrorists. All they need to say is that my government is persecuting them and claim refugee status,” he has added.

In the interview Rajapaksa has also said that Sri Lanka acquired weapons from China, Russia, Hungary, India, Ukraine and Israel, adding, “It is no secret.” He has also noted that following the LTTE’s defeat, its remnants had fled to the UK and Canada, which did not act against the outfit’s unlawful activities in their soil

Kilde: Sunday Leader