President cancels speech in London over protest fears

Guardian.co.uk: The president of Sri Lanka has been forced to cancel a keynote speech in the City of London after concerns about the threat of large demonstrations by Tamil rights groups.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who was in London to attend the Queen Elizabeth’s diamond jubilee celebration held talks with a group of British Parliamentarians at the Sri Lankan High Commission in London. Pix by Sudath Silva

Mahinda Rajapaksa, who has been accused of presiding over human rights abuses after allegations of war crimes by Sri Lankan armed forces, did however attend a lunch for the Queen, hosted by the Commonwealth secretary general at Marlborough House on Pall Mall.

Hundreds of Tamil and human rights campaigners gathered outside Marlborough House in central London in opposition to Rajapaksa’s presence at the meal. The Sri Lankan president was jeered as he swept through the main gate in a Range Rover. His car did not carry a flag because of security concerns. The Queen spent a brief moment with Rajapaksa and appeared to fleetingly shake hands with him as she met guests at a reception in the Blenheim Saloon, inside Marlborough House.

Rajapaksa was seated on the table directly to the Queen’s left with Babli Sharma, wife of the Commonwealth secretary general; the Namibian president, Hifikepunye Pohamba, and his wife; and New Zealand’ prime minister, John Key, and his wife.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa during his meeting with Commonwealth Secretary General K Sharma

Rajapaksa had been set to give the keynote speech at a special diamond jubilee meeting of the Commonwealth Economic Forum on Wednesday morning, but the event’s organisers, the Commonwealth Business Council, stated on its website: “After careful consideration, the morning sessions of the forum … will not take place.” Tickets to the event cost £795 plus VAT. A spokesman for Scotland Yard said it had agreed to guarantee the president’s security but the CBC had “decided it was not in their interest to stage the event” because of the extent of the policing required and the likely disruption to the City of London. Fred Carver, the campaign director of the Sri Lanka Campaign, welcomed the news, calling it a testament to the movement.

“It is absolutely not appropriate for President Rajapaksa to be feted by the Queen at the behest of the Commonwealth secretary general,” said Carver. “It is likely Assad learned some lessons from the way the international community tolerated [many more] civilian casualties in Sri Lanka. What lessons will Assad learn from seeing how quickly the international community rehabilitates those responsible?” Sen Kandiah, founder of the British Tamil Forum, said: “Common sense has prevailed. There is now enough evidence that allegations of war crimes in Sri Lanka lead directly to the president himself. That is why British government officials are reluctant to meet him. He is not welcome here.”