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.
See The Sunday Leader’s report here
“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!
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