The Sri Lanka High Commission confirmed that President Mahinda Rajapaksa will not attend the World Islamic Economic Forum due to unavoidable circumstances, and not because of protests.
PETALING JAYA: With various Indian groups objecting to the visit of Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa to Malaysia early next month for an international forum, it has now been confirmed that Rajapaksa will not be coming after all.
This has been confirmed by the Sri Lankan High Commission’s media affairs counselor, Rizvi Hassen.
“President Rajapaksa will not be coming due to unavoidable circumstances,” said Rizvi in an email correspondence to FMT.
Mahinda was invited to attend the World Islamic Economic Forum (WIEF) in Johor Baru from Dec 4 to 6.
The invitation however had sparked off protests from leaders of the Indian community here.
The Sri Lankan leader’s absence however, is not due to the various protests by political and non-political entities, said Rizvi.
“It is not due to the protests. The decision (to not attend the WEIF) was decided before the protests took place,” said Rizvi.
On Friday MIC Youth sent a protest memorandum to the Foreign Affairs Ministry objecting the planned visit by Mahinda.
Separately a committee was also set–up by Penang Deputy Chief Minister P Ramasamy to object Mahinda’s presence here.
Yesterday, Sri Lanka War Victim Concerned Team (Api) protested in front of the Sri Lankan High Commission over the proposed visit. MIC Youth members also lodged a police report against Mahinda for alleged war crimes.
The Indians in Malaysians who are largely made up of ethnic Tamil have been expressing their displeasure due to Mahinda’s role in quashing the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in 2009 after a 26 year civil war.
It was reported that some 100,000 civilians including 40,000 of Tamils were killed while more than 300,000 people were displaced during the long-standing conflict.
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