Sri Lanka presidential candidate’s citizenship challenged
A Sri Lankan court said Monday that it would hear a petition challenging presidential hopeful Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s citizenship.
The Court of Appeal set a hearing for Wednesday on a petition filed by two civil activists who claim that Gotabaya has not lawfully obtained his Sri Lankan citizenship after living in the U.S for many years.
Civil rights activists Chandragupta Thenuwara and Gamini Viyangoda had filed the petition, seeking an order declaring Gotabaya a non-citizen as he prepares to file a nomination for the Nov. 16 presidential election.
They allege that Gotabaya renounced his Sri Lankan citizenship in 2003 and two years later regained citizenship in an irregular manner.
Gotabaya returned from the U.S in 2005 to help with his brother Mahinda Rajapaksa’s presidential campaign. He was appointed defense secretary after his brother’s victory.
If Gotabaya loses, he could be disqualified from the election because Sri Lankan law doesn’t permit dual citizens or non-citizens to hold office.
Gotabaya was a dual citizen of Sri Lanka and the United States. His spokesmen have repeatedly said that he has renounced his U.S. citizenship.
Mahinda Rajapaksa is a former strongman who ruled Sri Lanka from 2005 to 2015. Gotabaya, serving as his brother’s defense chief during that period, played a key role in bringing a bloody end to Sri Lanka’s 25-year civil war in 2009.
However, he was a feared defense official and has been accused of condoning rape, torture and shadowy disappearances of critics. But he is considered a hero among most of the ethnic majority Sinhalese for his role in ending the war.
Gotabaya is facing two lawsuits in the U.S., one in the killing of a prominent newspaper editor and another involving the torture of a youth under his watch. He also faces a corruption case in Sri Lanka in which he has been accused of misappropriating $191,000 in state funds for the construction of a memorial for his parents. He has denied the allegations.
Gotabaya, 70, is considered a front-runner in the presidential election, with his popularity increasing following the Easter Sunday attacks that killed more than 260 people in Sri Lanka.
With the government facing mounting criticism for failing to prevent the attacks, Gotabaya’s hardened reputation and vow to ensure national security has made him a strong candidate.
The April 21 attacks on three churches and three hotels were carried out by two local Muslim groups inspired by the Islamic State group.
Both Thenuwara and Viyangoda have been actively campaigning for democracy, good governance and establishing the rule of law in Sri Lanka.
During the previous 2015 presidential election, the duo played key roles in the opposition campaign and helped the opposition candidate defeat the reelection bid of Mahinda Rajapaksa.
(AP)
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Where were these activists when Gota was the defence minister, and heavily involved in the war?
Nobody was disputing his citizenship then; even the LTTE and their supporters kept quiet.
If, as the author of this article states, “Thenuwara and Viyangoda have been actively campaigning for democracy, good governance and the rule of law in Sri Lanka”- WHAT have they been doing for the last 4 years? Sleeping?
The simplest thing would be to request the The Embassy of America to give a letter stating the status of Mr. Gotabaya, either the he is still a citizen of the United States or Not so simple why are all these so called pundits Experienced politicians and educated legal profession gentleman doing this
God save my banana Republic
Dear Cocerned,
The US Embassy will not issue such a letter.
When a Oath of Renunciation is received, it is transmitted by US IRS to all Courts of Law and Tax Collection Agencies for advice regarding the Applicant’s legal and pecuniary obligations to the US Govt.
A letter accepting the renunciation will be issued only if ‘all clears’ as issued by Legal and taxation Authorities.
This could take more than a year.
It seems many doesn’t like Gota to be in power. All the crooks had to hide if he is in.
Anyway lets wait and see, law is always law.
If in any such situation Gota is not able to contest there will be a backup plan so no worry.
Things which are planned will be still valid.
backup plan will be to keep power in the family that is all its is obvious nothing secret