Britain assured Rajapaksa diplomatic immunity: Times of India

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 01 December 2010, 12:44 GMT]
The Times of India on Wednesday reported that the Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa was visiting UK on an assurance that he has diplomatic immunity against any attempt to arrest him in UK. In the meantime a Tamil diaspora activist spearheading legal suits against Tamil genocide urged Tamil organisations and media not to give false hopes to the diaspora Tamils as if Rajapaksa's arrest was something imminent urging all concerned to concentrate on credible action on legal front.

The Times of India published a report by journalist Ashis Ray who cited British Foreign Office as saying "he [Mahinda Rajapaksa] will have immunity like that of any diplomat".

It was the Times of India which broke the story one month ago that Mr. Rajapaksa cancelled his trip fearing arrest in the UK. On the same day, Rajapaksa's office said the trip was not cancelled, but postponed to December.

More than 500 Diaspora Tamils, weaving Tamil Eelam flags, protested against Rajapaksa, when he landed at Heathraw airport Monday night. The visiting SL President with diplomatic immunity was escorted out of the airport through a secret exit.

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