As Sri Lankan war criminal turned President, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, continues his visit to Scotland during the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP26, Scottish Tamils continue their protest demanding justice for genocide.
In The Herald and The National political adverts were placed highlighting Sri Lanka’s attempt to pave over their atrocities with claims of environmental stewardship.
Responding to claims of climate leadership from Sri Lanka, Alan Keenan, Senior Consultant on Sri Lanka at the International Crisis Group stated:
"While Gotabaya presents himself as an environmental champion, his government's policies have in fact encouraged the destruction of precious forests and other natural resources by businesses with connections to the regime - and his crash course in organic farming has discredited the idea among farmers otherwise quite favourable to it".
He further added,
"It's essential to see the Sri Lankan government's sponsorship of the COP26 panel on nitrogen as part of their recently launched charm offensive with the UN and western governments, designed to prove they are good global citizens and to distract from the dangerously discriminatory and repressive policies they are pursuing at home and to undermine the UN Human Rights Council's calls for major reforms".
In Edinburgh, a digital van drove around the city carrying a photo of Rajapaksa and reading “Wanted for genocide”.
