The president of Open Society Foundations warned that Sri Lanka “has a history of diverting aid” and called on the International Monetary Fund to ensure the issue of corruption is “on the agenda” during negotiations.
“Sri Lanka has a history of diverting aid,” tweeted Mark Malloch-Brown, in response to a tweet about systemic corruption in Sri lanka.
“[The IMF] must acknowledge the reason the country is in this mess by putting this issue on the agenda during their visit,” he added. “Otherwise they risk bailing out corrupt politicians instead of people in need.”
Sri Lanka’s history of corruption stretches back several years, particularly with the ruling Rajapaksa regime.
Sri Lanka has a history of diverting aid. @IMFnews must acknowledge the reason the country is in this mess by putting this issue on the agenda during their visit. Otherwise they risk bailing out corrupt politicians instead of people in need. https://t.co/jlkfUGALiZ
— Mark Malloch-Brown (@malloch_brown) June 22, 2022
In the aftermath of the 2006 tsunami for example, Transparency International said that nearly half a billion dollars given to Sri Lanka in tsunami aid was unaccounted for, whilst a further US$600 million had been spent on projects unrelated to the disaster.
The Rajapaksas stand accused of personally misappropriating the funds.
We need your support
Sri Lanka is one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a journalist. Tamil journalists are particularly at threat, with at least 41 media workers known to have been killed by the Sri Lankan state or its paramilitaries during and after the armed conflict.
Despite the risks, our team on the ground remain committed to providing detailed and accurate reporting of developments in the Tamil homeland, across the island and around the world, as well as providing expert analysis and insight from the Tamil point of view
We need your support in keeping our journalism going. Support our work today.
For more ways to donate visit https://donate.tamilguardian.com.
