Sri Lankan president cancels speech in London over protest fears
Mahinda Rajapaksa, accused of presiding over human rights abuses, will attend Commonwealth lunch with Queen
The Sri Lankan president, Mahinda Rajapaksa, and his wife, Shiranthi, at a diamond jubilee reception at Guildhall in central London. Photograph: Chris Jackson/PA
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.
Mahinda Rajapaksa, who has been accused of presiding over human rights abuses after allegations of war crimes by Sri Lankan armed forces, will still attend a lunch for the Queen, hosted by the Commonwealth secretary general at Marlborough House on Pall Mall.
