Mahinda Rajapaksa was elected as the President of Sri Lanka on Friday, the 18th November 2005. Subsequently, Gotabaya was granted the dual citizenship on Monday, the 21st November 2005.
by Victor Ivan
I have thoroughly studied the cases filed against Gotabaya Rajapaksa by Gamini Viyangoda and Prof. Thenuwara in connection with his identity cards and travel documents. My conclusion is that he has no right to contest the presidential election.
He has violated citizenship laws and Immigration & Emigration laws have been violated.
He had obtained his old identity card on December 21, 1976. Its number is 491724021V. Passport number N5384975. He was granted American citizenship on January 31, 2003.
According to the citizenship law if a person who obtains citizenship in a foreign country he will automatically lose citizenship of Sri Lanka. He arrived in Sri Lanka during the 2005 Presidential Election on a temporary tourist visa as an American citizen.
Mahinda Rajapaksa was elected as the president on Friday, the 18th November 2005. Subsequently, Gotabaya was granted the dual citizenship on Monday, the 21st November 2005. This has happened at a rapid pace when no minister in charge has been appointed. In his application for dual citizenship, Gotabaya has identified himself as a computer engineer. Therefore, the application can be considered as a short document with false information.
Despite his American citizenship, he also obtains the new Sri Lankan National Identity Card (194917210010) issued in 2016. The names of the electoral registers for the years 2017, 2018 and 2019 have been registered using the invalid old identity card number (491724021V) while the new identity card has been obtained by violating the law. It is also a serious offence.
Gotabaya also obtained his Sri Lankan passport (N192600594) despite his American citizenship. They are all serious offences and cannot be regarded as unintentional wrongdoings. According to the law in this country, he cannot contest the presidential election.
Victor Ivan is a senior journalist who is the founder-editor of Ravaya, a weekly newspaper and author of numerous books on Sri Lanka.
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