Saturday
20th Apr 2024
Dhivehi Edition
The disgraced President of Sri Lanka, Gotbaya Rajapaksa, has been granted safe haven in the Maldives, courtesy of Parliament Speaker Mohamed Nasheed and President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.
TMJ first made the revelations back in May, when sources reported that the influential Rajapaksa clan was attempting to secure a safe passage out of the Sri Lankan crisis.
Nasheed and the Government of Maldives had denied the expose at the time. Nasheed lambasted the article as a ‘grave disservice to the profession of journalism’.
On Wednesday, international media sources reported that Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his family had made the journey from Sri Lanka to the Maldives on a military aircraft. They were first denied permission to land by air traffic control at Velana International Airport. Nasheed, CNN reported, had intervened to grant access.
CNN also reported that Nasheed was not available for comment.
Rajapaksa, his wife and two bodyguards flew on a Sri Lankan Air Force plane the Sri Lankan Air Force confirmed in a statement on Wednesday. “Under the provisions of the Constitution and on a request by the government, the Sri Lanka Air Force provided a plane early today to fly the president, his wife and two security officials to the Maldives,” the statement said.
Sources report that the US Embassy had refused to grant him a visitor visa. Rajapaksa had given up his dual US citizenship to run for presidency – rendering him ineligible for a visitor visa.
The Indian government reportedly refused permission for a Sri Lankan military plane carrying the president to land at an Indian civilian airport.
He had attempted to flee on Monday night as well. Officials said immigration staff prevented the president from going to the VIP area of the airport to stamp his passport. Rajapaksa reportedly missed four flights to the United Arab Emirates, and he, his wife and a dozen other family members and close aides spent the night at a nearby military base.
On arrival in Velana International Airport, Rajapaksa was welcomed by Parliament Speaker Nasheed. Officials at the airport confirmed that the arrivals were ushered into VIP terminal and then escorted elsewhere.
The decision to grant safe passage to Rajapakse proved to be unpopular, both in Sri Lanka and the Maldives. Several have called on the government for their complicity in the case.
When questioned, Ministry of Foreign Affair’s Communications Director Miuvan Mohamed claimed ignorance on the matter. So far, the Government of Maldives is yet to issue a statement.