UK MP Group's Controversial Visit To Sri Lanka At Murali's Invitation Cancelled After Criticism
April 12, 2014
An All-expenses-paid trip by UK MPs and Their Five partners, including business-class Travel to and From Sri Lanka, is canceled amid recriminations Cross-Party - Departure hours before, Channel 4 UK reports.
Muttiah Muralitharan
According Channel 4's Foreign Affairs Correspondent; " The trip, and All Its costs, would have been borne by the Sri Lanka-Based charity "Foundation of Goodness," Founded by legendary spin-bowler Muttiah Muralitharan . He is an ethnic Tamil, who has been criticised for his support for the Government . "
Quoting Conservative members of the group, Channel 4 said; the MPs would have met senior Sri Lankan government ministers and officials, including President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who stands accused of command responsibility for war crimes.
Channel 4 News said the sudden cancellation of their participation followed the intervention of a senior Labour front-bencher who strongly objected to what would have been a highly-controversial visit. The group of MPs was to have flown direct to Colombo from London Gatwick at 2.25pm on Thursday.
"Although the Sri Lankan government was not to have funded this particular trip, it has a long record of bank-rolling trips for British MPs, many of whom later staunchly defend the regime during parliamentary debates.Since January 2012, ten Conservative MPs have flown to Sri Lanka at Colombo's expense. "Channel 4 said.
An All-expenses-paid trip by UK MPs and Their Five partners, including business-class Travel to and From Sri Lanka, is canceled amid recriminations Cross-Party - Departure hours before, Channel 4 UK reports.
Muttiah Muralitharan
