Wednesday Nov 06, 2024
FT
Wednesday Nov 06, 2024
Friday, 12 April 2019 00:05 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa will return to Sri Lanka today to a rousing welcome by his supporters.
Rajapaksa’s spokesman Milinda Rajapaksha told Daily FT that special arrangements had been made to receive the former Defence Secretary once he lands in Sri Lanka.
Rajapaksa travelled to the US on 26 March and was served notice on two separate cases while in the US on Sunday. One case was filed by the daughter of form Editor of the Sunday Leader Lasantha Wickrematunge and a second by Canadian Tamil Roy Samathanam claiming torture.
Members of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), whose de facto leader is Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa, had organised a ceremony at Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) to welcome the arrival of Rajapaksa. During the ceremony, a religious program will also be held.
Rajapaksa is due to address his supporters at BIA and explain his future plans and possibly touch on his political plans as well.
Rajapaksa’s spokesman said that the former Defence Secretary would continue with the scheduled “Eliya” meetings and public speeches that were planned prior to his visit to the US.
The first post-New year public speech of Rajapaksa’s will be held on 20 April in Dehiwala followed by a second public speech on 21 April in Bandaragama.
Rajapaksa holds dual citizenship and recently announced that he would renounce his US citizenship, which is a prerequisite to running for the Presidential election. The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) had expressed its concern over the two lawsuits filed against Rajapaksa claiming that it was a move to prevent him from renouncing his US citizenship and being a Presidential candidate.
