Bar Association faults the government for not granting visas to IBAHRI delegation

Tuesday, 12 November 2013 01:34 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) has faulted the government for not granting visas to the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) delegation that was to attend a seminar in Colombo. BASL President Upul Jayasuriya in a statement said that the IBAHRI delegation was to attend a seminar on ‘Commonwealth Values and the Role of the Legal Profession. Gabriela Knaul, the first-ever UN Special Rapporteur for Judges and Lawyers, Dato Param Cumaraswamy, and a senior representative of the IBA, Alex Wilks were to address the seminar. “Their visas were applied for by letter dated 17 August 2013 by the Secretary, BASL along with a visa for Sadakat Kadri. The first three visas were issued whereas Sadakat Kadri was refused his visa. Visas that were issued bear the following ETA Nos. 130826PG1218467 - 130826PM1504191- Gabriela Knaul, 130826PG1218467 - 130826PM1504192- Paramasothi Cumaraswamy, 130826PG1218467 - 130826PM1504189 - Alexander Jeffrey Wilks.

“All three visas were granted on the basis of travel purpose as, Conference, Workshops and Seminars. At no stage has the BASL been written to by the Department of Immigration or any other agency of the government relating to any prior approval for the purpose of holding ‘special procedures’ applicable for the holding of seminars with the participation of foreign dignitaries,” Jayasuriya said. “It appears that the Ministry of External Affairs is acting with miscomprehension of facts on the grant of visas, which is a matter within the Controller of Immigration and not the Ministry of External Affairs. As per the communiqué issued by the Ministry of External Affairs, it appears the Ministry is unaware that the three visas have been granted. We have not requested for any assistance from the Ministry either in the form of logistics or accommodation. We have made all arrangements to go ahead with the seminar at a time the topic of discussion is most relevant to Sri Lanka,” he has added. External Affairs Ministry said in a statement earlier that it informed the Sri Lanka High Commission in London two weeks after visa application that visa cannot be granted as requested since the organisers of the conference had not followed the due process of obtaining approval from the Ministry with regard to hosting of seminars/conferences with international participation. The Ministry said it had made it clear that since the seminar had been scheduled to be held during the CHOGM 2013 week in Colombo, all the required resources will be fully utilised during this period and the Ministry will have logistics problems, especially in providing security to international participants and non-availability of hotels and accommodation facilities. The Ministry has further informed to the High Commission in London that a decision has been made to embargo the scheduling of visits and such events, during the period 20 October to 20 November 2013. The BASL however said the association was considering that it is their duty to make the voice of the legal profession heard at a time when Sri Lanka is taking over the Chair-in-office of the coveted Commonwealth Organisation, which has now been thwarted with the cancellation of the valid visas that have been issued to them by the Controller of Immigration.