by Mandana Ismil Abeywickrma
Courtesy: The Sunday Leader
(November 07, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) President Mahinda Rajapaksa has decided to postpone his UK tour to address the Oxford Union to December. The President’s decision to postpone the visit was made following objections raised by the Tamil diaspora in the UK. Members of the Tamil diaspora objected to the decision of the Oxford Union to invite the Sri Lankan President to address the Union. Rajapaksa was initially scheduled to make his speech today (7).
Due to the growing objection to his presence in the UK and the unpleasant incidents faced by External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris during his official visit to the UK last month, Rajapaksa decided against visiting the UK.
The Presidential Secretariat however, maintained that the visit has not been canceled, but postponed till December since the President had important issues to attend to in the country.
Director General of Public Communications at the External Affairs Ministry, Bandula Jayasekera on Friday (5) said the President’s visit to the UK has not been cancelled, but postponed till December.
Sources from the Presidential Secretariat said the government has decided to maintain that the President is pressed for time due to the busy schedule for November – second swearing in to office, a week of celebrations and the budget presentation.
Yet, when accepting the invitation extended by the Oxford Union in October, the President was aware of his schedule and made time for his address on November 7.
“The President’s visit has been postponed till December,” Jayasekera said.
Nevertheless, the term card of the Oxford Union posted in the Union’s official website, www.oxford-union.org/termcard, does not indicate that Rajapaksa would be making any address in the Union.
While the Michaelmas Term for 2010 ends on December 11, Rajapaksa’s name is not included in the term card among all other individuals who are scheduled to address the union. The speakers for December are Sir Ranulph Fiennes on December 2 and the President of the Maldives on December 3.
Given the current state of affairs, it seems that the President has cancelled his visit to the UK, while the Oxford Union has removed Rajapaksa from the list of speakers for the term.
The local media in October reported that the Oxford Union had invited President Mahinda Rajapaksa after commending his political leadership to end the 30-year war against LTTE terrorism.
This is the second time President Rajapaksa has been invited to address the Union. He made his first address in 2008, during the war against the LTTE.
The President of the Union, James Kingston, in his invitation to President Rajapaksa, had said: “Your successful conclusion of this 30 year military conflict ranks as one of the most significant acts seen by the world in recent years and, in conjunction with the Sri Lankan Society of Oxford, we humbly wish to use the occasion of your visit to present you with a mark of the Oxford Union’s respect for your accomplishment in fostering lasting peace.”
However, the commendation has been thrown to the wind in the current scenario, where serious objections raised by the Tamil diaspora who have accused the Sri Lankan President of committing alleged war crimes during the war last year has managed to win the day.
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