As a Scottish Tamil campaign for international justice ahead of Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s visit to Glasgow continues at full steam, a curious advert appeared in this weekend’s edition of The Herald.
“Fostering greater accountability, restorative justice, and meaningful reconciliation,” read one of the lines in the full page advert, which was headed with a photograph of the war crimes accused Rajapaksa.
It went on to claim there was “progress in the spheres of social, political, economy, security and restored democracy” in the North-East. Lord Naseby, a British politician described as an apologist for the Rajapaksa regime, was also quoted in the advert. Naseby has repeatedly come under criticism for his unabashed support for the Sri Lankan state, after it emerged he reportedly visited Sri Lanka 14 times between 2002 and 2017. A one-day visit to the island in 2012, cost more than Rs. 1 billion and involved the Commander of the Sri Lankan Air Force chartering a helicopter ride for the British Lord.
“The advert is a clear piece of Sri Lankan propaganda,” said one British Tamil activist. “Our sources indicate that this was instigated and published by the Sri Lankan High Commission in London.”
“At a time when Sri Lanka is facing a massive economic crisis and even Sinhala farmers are protesting, it’s sad to see Sri Lankan taxpayer funds spent on such feeble and false propaganda. This is a massive waste of taxpayer money, whitewashing a genocidal regime.”