Tuesday, 4 February 2014 00:02
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US Ambassador at Large for Women’s Issues Catherine Russell’s two day visit next week cancelled
Govt. says dates of visit clash with GL’s schedule
US Embassy expresses regret over refusal of visa
US envoy was to meet with women’s parliamentary caucus in Colombo
By Dharisha Bastians
The Sri Lankan Government has refused entry to a top US official, signalling a hardening of positions in Colombo ahead of the UN Human Rights Council Session in March where Washington is to sponsor a third resolution pushing the country to move forward on reconciliation and accountability.
This is the first time such a high-ranking US official has been denied a visa to enter Sri Lanka.
The move comes after the Government hit out against US Assistant Secretary of State Nisha Biswal who concluded a visit to the island last weekend, saying it was evident from her visit, those that preceded it from Washington and “intrusive” behaviour by other representatives of that country, that there was a desire to believe the worst of Sri Lanka and build on that premise to justify punitive action against the country.
US Ambassador at Large for Global Women’s Issues, Catherine Russell was scheduled to be in Colombo on 10-11 February for meetings with Government officials, the women’s parliamentary caucus and women’s organisations in the country. Ambassador Russell was also scheduled to travel to Jaffna during her two day visit.
Russell’s visa request had been officially submitted to the Ministry of External Affairs on 27 January and notice was given of the rejection on 31 January.
Highly-placed sources said the Sri Lankan Government had been notified of Ambassador Russell’s visit before the official application was made. Assistant Secretary Biswal had raised the issue of the Ambassador’s visa rejection at all of her meetings with Government officials, the sources added.
After the Government denied her entry, the US Embassy in Colombo has cancelled Ambassador Russell’s visit.
“It is regrettable that the Government of Sri Lanka has refused to grant a visa to Ambassador Catherine Russell for this trip. Ambassador Russell’s mandate is to promote stability, peace, and development by empowering women politically, socially, and economically around the world,” a Spokesman from the US Embassy in Colombo told the Daily FT.
The Spokesman added that the US would continue to raise important issues related to gender based violence, the impact that the conflict had on families (particularly female headed households), the need for greater economic empowerment by women and for greater political participation by women across Sri Lanka.
Ambassador Russell may be connected with women’s activists and parliamentarians via video conference during her visit in the region, the Daily FT learns from authoritative sources.
An External Affairs Ministry official confirmed that the US Envoy had not been granted a visa because there were problems with the date of her visit. The dates of Russell’s visit would coincide with a period in which External Affairs Minister G.L. Peiris would not be in the country to meet with the Ambassador, the official said. The Government was trying to reach consensus on mutually convenient dates, the official added.
Russell’s visit would have been the third high-ranking visit by a US State Department official since the beginning of the year, as Washington steps up engagement in the lead up the UNHRC sessions in Geneva.
US Ambassador at Large on War Crimes Issues Stephen J. Rapp visited Sri Lanka in January, while Assistant Secretary Biswal, who is the Obama Administration’s key focal point on South and Central Asian affairs, was here last week. At the end of her visit, Biswal said a deteriorating human rights climate, corruption, impunity and attacks on religious minorities was putting Sri Lanka’s democracy in jeopardy. Her comments irked the Government, which hit out at her remarks the very next day.
Media reports over the weekend indicated that Power and Energy Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi had taken issue with the US Ambassador’s attempt to conduct a meeting of all women MPs in Parliament at last week’s Cabinet meeting chaired by President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
