MP status only for Rajapaksa in Japan

Arequest for protocol and other assistance by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa during a ten-day “private visit” to Japan was rejected by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Only courtesies extended to an MP were afforded to Rajapaksa and parliamentarians in his entourage, a Foreign Ministry source said yesterday. An official in the Sri Lanka Embassy in Tokyo, and not the Ambassador received them, the source added.

Udith Lokubandara, Private Secretary to the former President, wrote to Foreign Secretary Chitranganee Wagiswara asking her to “facilitate for VIP Lounge access and protocol assistance for this visit at Colombo, Hong Kong and Tokyo.”

Accompanied by 23 others, including security personnel led by Major Neville Wanniarachchi, the entourage left early on Friday on Cathay Pacific flight CX 520 from Colombo to Hong Kong and thereafter to Tokyo on flight CX 501 from the same airline. The ticketing for the trip has been done by a Havelock Road travel firm owned by Parliamentarian Lohan Ratwatte. He is also accompanying Mr. Rajapaksa.

Last month, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs not only heeded a request by Rajapaksa for protocol assistance but also paid his return Business/ First Class air fare from Colombo to Dubai and Kampala. This was when he travelled for the inauguration of President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda.

This time, however, the invitation for the Japan visit has come from Jayantha Hettiaratchi, who has signed as organiser of the Japan Friendship Association and Save Japan Social Support Organisation (See facsimile on this page).

The invitation is on a letterhead from Saori Exports of 256 Yokobori, OhiraMachi, Tochigi-Shi, Tochigi-Ken, Japan. The company exports used trucks and machinery to Sri Lanka. The letter says there are events “related to extending a helping hand by Sri Lankans, offering financial assistance to those affected by the earthquake in Japan.” It says that they would “honourably invite former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the fifth President of the Democratic, Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka under whose patronage the event will take place.”

Yet, the Sunday Times learnt that the visa applications had been made on the grounds that Rajapaksa and party were travelling to attend a temple ceremony.

Those in President Rajapaksa’s entourage are Wimal Weerawansa MP, Janaka Wakkumbura MP, Rohitha Abeygunawardena MP, W.M. Subash Weerasinghe, Ven. Getamanne Gunananda Thera, Ranjith Priyantha Weerasinghe, Udith Sanjaya Lokubandara, Kelum Priyankara, Viraj Lalantha, Laksiri Wijewardhana and Lahiru Damith.

In addition, ten members of Rajapaksa’s security detail are accompanying him. They are Sampatha Waduge Mahendra, Buddhika Gunasekera, Pradeep Samantha, Sarath Chandra Gunathilake, Rohita Gayan Karunaratne, Jayarathne Banda, Kamal Dharmapriya Pathirana, Ajith Samaraweera and Weerasekera Arachchilage Sumanasekera.

Rajapaksa and party are due to return to Colombo on June 21.