Maldives’ government releases statement on Thursday evening after Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s arrival in Maldives, after he had departed.
The government had refused to make any comments on Rajapaksa’s arrival in Maldives regardless of the repeated questioning by the media. He had arrived in Maldives late on Tuesday night, in a private jet with his wife and two bodyguards. Foreign Ministry had said on Wednesday morning that they had no comment to give regarding Rajapaksa’s visit to the country.
Despite repeated media probing, Maldives government remained silent for up to 12 hours after Rajapaksa had flown to Singapore via private jet. Mihaaru news reported that media officials that had kept close connections with journalists had refused to answer their phones when contacted.
Rajapaksa had sent in his resignation via email after he had safely arrived in Singapore.
President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, who had returned to Maldives last night after completing the Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, had turned a deaf ear to the questions aimed at him on the issue by the journalists that had met him at Velana International Airport. His security had moved the media away while he got into his car from the VIP lounge of the airport.
Refusing to answer any of the questions the local media had asked, Maldives’ Foreign Ministry said in their statement that they had provided diplomatic clearance to Rajapaksa, and his wife Loma Rajapaksa. They had stayed in Maldives as transit passengers, according to the ministry.
However, Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs had made a statement shortly after Rajapaksa had arrived in the country. Answering to local media, they confirmed the first couple’s arrivals and said that it was a private visit, and they had not provided them with political asylum. They further clarified that they were not in the business of providing political asylum.
Rajapaksa had arrived in Maldives after his request to enter several other countries, including USA and India, was denied. His initial plan to go to Dubai fell through after an approximately 24 hour long stand off with the staff at Bandaranaike International Airport, who had refused to provide him VIP services.
Rajapaksa and his wife were to initially fly to Singapore via Singapore Airlines. However, he had to take a Saudi Airlines’ flight on Thursday morning, due to security reasons.
Rajapaksa arrived in the Maldives after thousands of Sri Lankans called for his resignation.
Since his resignation after arriving in Singapore, the presidential powers are currently held by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.
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