Top British official’s Sri Lankan visit postponed
December 5, 2010 12:13 pm
Top British official Alistair Burt, Secretary of State of Foreign and Commonwealth office for South Asia, has cancelled his scheduled trip to Sri Lanka and Maldives, political sources confirmed to Ada Derana.
However the Press Trust of India (PTI) also revealed today that the visit which was planned to take place next week was postponed indefinitely, following protests against the UK in Sri Lanka after the cancellation of President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s speech at the Oxford University.
Alistair Burt was due to visit the island nation alongside his tour of two other countries in the region -- Bangladesh and Maldives.
“Over the past few days we have been discussing the possibility of altering the dates of the proposed visit due to parliamentary pressures in the UK,” PTI quoted an official of the British High Commission here. “We hope to re-arrange these visits as soon as possible.”
Burt’s visit was postponed after hundreds of pro-government supporters led by a Cabinet Minister tried to storm the British High Commission to protest what they called the UK’s support to Tamil separatists.
The protest erupted a day after President Rajapaksa was stopped from addressing students at the UK’s prestigious Oxford University and Channel 4 aired footage of widespread human rights violations allegedly by Sri Lankan armed forces in the closing stages of the decisive war against Tamil Tigers.
“Down with UK’s Sri Lankan Policy,” and “Don’t Support Terrorists”, shouted the marchers led by Housing Minister Wimal Weerawansa, outside the British High Commission, on Friday.
However the Press Trust of India (PTI) also revealed today that the visit which was planned to take place next week was postponed indefinitely, following protests against the UK in Sri Lanka after the cancellation of President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s speech at the Oxford University.
Alistair Burt was due to visit the island nation alongside his tour of two other countries in the region -- Bangladesh and Maldives.
“Over the past few days we have been discussing the possibility of altering the dates of the proposed visit due to parliamentary pressures in the UK,” PTI quoted an official of the British High Commission here. “We hope to re-arrange these visits as soon as possible.”
Burt’s visit was postponed after hundreds of pro-government supporters led by a Cabinet Minister tried to storm the British High Commission to protest what they called the UK’s support to Tamil separatists.
The protest erupted a day after President Rajapaksa was stopped from addressing students at the UK’s prestigious Oxford University and Channel 4 aired footage of widespread human rights violations allegedly by Sri Lankan armed forces in the closing stages of the decisive war against Tamil Tigers.
“Down with UK’s Sri Lankan Policy,” and “Don’t Support Terrorists”, shouted the marchers led by Housing Minister Wimal Weerawansa, outside the British High Commission, on Friday.
