World Tyrants Will Join The Queen At Taxpayer-Funded Meal
By Uvindu Kurukulasuriya
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
The Queen has come under criticism for inviting tyrants to celebrate her Diamond Jubilee. Last week it was about Middle Eastern monarchs. Swazilanders and Bahrainians joined human rights campaigners in a protest on Friday 18, May outside Buckingham Palace against the invitations to royal dictators from around the world to the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee dinner.
Human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell has condemned the Queen’s decision to invite “dictator monarchs” to her Diamond Jubilee celebrations this. She will host the royal autocrats for lunch at Windsor Castle and for dinner at Buckingham Palace.
“It is outrageous that the Queen has invited royal tyrants to celebrate her Diamond Jubilee. She should not host the monarchs of countries such as Brunei, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Swaziland and United Arab Emirates. All of them preside over regimes that abuse human rights,” said Peter Tatchell, Director of the human rights campaign group, the Peter Tatchell Foundation.
“Inviting blood-stained despots brings shame to our monarchy and tarnishes the Diamond Jubilee celebrations. It is a kick in the teeth to pro-democracy campaigners and political prisoners in these totalitarian royal regimes. The invitations should be withdrawn immediately, as a mark of respect for those who have been murdered, arrested, jailed and tortured,” he added.
This week a protest was launched against inviting Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa. “The celebrations will be long, grand and varied, and one of the flagship events will be a private luncheon in London on the 6th of June with the Prime Minister, the Foreign Secretary … and a war criminal…The President of Sri Lanka, Mahinda Rajapaksa, a man against whom the UN have found credible allegations of responsibility for the murder of civilians, and who leads a government that oversaw the disappearance of 32 people this March alone, will join the Queen and other heads of state at the taxpayer-funded meal. Make sure this doesn’t happen,” the Campaign Director UK based ‘Sri Lanka Campaign’ said.
Giving an interview to this writer he said, “The Queen, the Prime Minister, the Foreign Secretary and President Rajapaksa would be in attendance as would other commonwealth heads of state – but we haven’t been told who. Indeed they have made very little information available about this lunch and we have had to find things out the hard way.”
“We also don’t know exactly how much the lunch itself will cost. We have been told that the Jubilee celebrations will cost a total of around £12 million to the taxpayer and potentially about £1.3 billion to the economy in total – mostly as a result of the extra holidays. However these figures don’t include the costs of security, policing and logistical arrangements. For Mahinda’s visit this will be covered by the British at a direct cost to the British taxpayer and could be the biggest direct cost.”
The situation is further complicated by the fact that the Queen, the Prime Minister, the Foreign Secretary and President Rajapaksa will all be at this lunch as guests of the Secretary General of the Commonwealth and so it is likely that the Commonwealth Secretariat will pay a share – perhaps most or all – of the non policing costs. This is taxpayers’ money too of course – the money of taxpayers in all Commonwealth nations. The Commonwealth Secretariat has a budget of £15 million but doesn’t specify how much they spend on hospitality. All this money comes from Commonwealth nations (i.e. taxpayers) based upon their ability to pay. For example, that the UK will bear 31percent of the cost, Sri Lanka 1 percent and India 4 percent.
“So we know it’s a very expensive lunch with lots of security costs which is being funded by the taxpayer but we don’t know how much it will cost and whether it is the UK taxpayer or all Commonwealth taxpayers – and they are not making that information available,” he said.
Peter Tatchell said, “Buckingham Palace’s refusal to confirm the guest list is arrogant and anti-democratic. As the Head of State of a democratic nation, the Queen should be transparent and accountable to the public. This secrecy and evasion is the enemy of democracy. The vast majority of the British people would not want the Queen to wine and dine these vile dictators.”
“I should also add that while we did mention the fact that it is a taxpayer funded lunch and we didn’t think that was an appropriate use of funds (either UK funds or Commonwealth funds) we have other, ethical objections to the lunch as well,” added the Campaign Director ‘Sri Lanka Campaign’. Edward Mortimer, the Chairperson of the Sri Lanka Campaign, who is a former speechwriter to Kofi Annan said, “In the light of the credible allegations of war crimes against the Sri Lankan President, and the brutality of his regime towards minorities, human rights defenders, and independent journalists, we would urge the Queen not to break bread with him.” “Many in the international community have been working hard to bring the Sri Lankan Government back towards respect for human rights and the rule of law. At this moment it is absolutely vital that we keep the pressure on; this is not the moment for treating the President of Sri Lanka to pomp and pageantry,” he added.
It is clear that the Human Rights community in UK is going to use this opportunity to protest against world leaders presiding over a variety of human rights abuses such as war crimes, detention without trial, torture, the denial of free speech, restrictions on press freedom, discrimination against women, oppression of minority faiths, homophobic persecution, ill-treatment of guest workers and the violent suppression of peaceful protests. “The invitations are a shocking misjudgement. They show the Queen is out of touch with the humanitarian values of most British people. She’s putting royalty before human rights,” said Peter Tatchell. The Sri Lanka Campaign is of the opinion that the Royal household is very sensitive to negative publicity around the jubilee. The British Royal Family has recently introduced ways for you to give them people’s opinions. The Sri Lanka Campaign wants people to use these channels such as Queen’s Twitter @British Monarchy, Facebook, ‘The British Monarchy’ and other websites to tell them that the Queen should not be celebrating her jubilee in the company of war criminals.
“There is a good chance that this will be successful but, even if he does come, it is important that we register our strong objection. At least President Mahinda will not be able to portray his visit as a public relations triumph,” the Campaign said
uvindu@journalist.com
Come on mate, on what basis is the queen to differentiate between tyrants and heroes. One man’s hero is another man’s villain. All these people have been installed in office with the connivance and processes within the existing culture of that nation. This may be democratic, hereditary, cast driven or pure sycophancy.
What the queen is trying to do is show some respect for these nations without any personal bias.
The fault does not lie with the queen; it lies within the culture of these nations.
As far as Sri Lanka goes, we did elect our leaders.
Royal family members in Britain are no strangers to violence. Many of them have taken part in all sorts of wars run by USA-UK axis. A lot of them are blood stained in The Falklands, Iraq, Afganistan and Libya etc. They love hunting. Killing is fun.
Brits better not invite Tony Blair (blood stained in Iraq) or David Cameron (blood stained in Libya). Both are complicit in torture and illeagal arrest (Enhanced interrogation/water boarding and extra-ordinary rendition/kidnapping).
This is no defence of the dismal human rights record of the MR regime in Sri Lanka. In any case, MR should stay away from UK out of free will. MR was humiliated along with Sri Lanka by Brits during his last attempt to visit UK.
Sri Lankans as a people deserve more respect.
PS: Most people who scream for MR’s head are die-hard backers of LTTE terror in Sri Lanka. They could not care less for human rights. They just want a roundabout way to Ealam dream in Sri Lanka. In other words. Tamil ethno-nationalism is their cause. Do not be deceived.
It’s not the Queen who invites tyrants, it’s the UK Government. The Queen is a constitutional monarch and does what the Government tells her to do. The Government is more concerned about business contracts and arms deals than Human Rights. Human Rights concerns are only used for criticizing other countries like Sri Lanka.
These POMMY”S should go back and check their history before calling the kettle black. Such hypocrites!!!!!
Dear Sunday Leader, I am quite ashamed of the fact that my Queen and my country entertained some leaders of countries that have demonstrated appalling humans rights violations.
I have made my protest clear, and my support for the truth in your country remains the same.
Kind Regards
Annie
Mahi boy has no gits to refuse the Queen, in line with his anti-western hype
Britain is also a treacherous nation for aiding and abetting in the slaughter of innocent people in Iraq and Afghanistan.
This journalist should be shot, he has not only sided with anti Sri Lanka campaign to descredit Sri Lanka but has he taken the time to verify the fact given to him by the people he interviewd re credible war crimes allegation …. QUOTE
UN have found credible allegations of responsibility for the murder of civilians UNQUOTE. These are not journalists, traitors against Sri Lanka, we havejust won a bloody war and I for one is very proud to be a Sri Lankan, you dont win wars giving candy to children …… ask the US about Hiroshima and Nagasaki
i believe that Her Excellency the Queen has not lost her mind and will start cancelling some of the invitations posted to Some of the Leaders who don’t qualify to attend.
Frederica Jansz of the Sunday Leader covers anything of Uvindu Kurukulasuriya of the Colombo Telegraph.
Uvindu Kurukulasuriya of the Colombo Telegraph covers anything of Frederica Jansz of the Sunday Leader.
What is this inter-marriage going on for the last many months?
I totally agree with your protest to this event!
This is a shame to know that a head of the mother of democracy and the nation that gave Christianity to the world denies its vales by inviting leaders that are murderous and ruthless, she is slapping the face of democracy and christien vales such as healing the sick helping the poor and so on……..
This is not only a disgrace on vales set by the genarations of honourable people of her nation but also a rejection of values for fame.
“Most British People” don’t give a rat’s @ss about HR issues in places that they don’t know about, don’t concern them and are full of natives anyway..
1.3 billion for this old hag
thats crazy dood
Down with Liz. Why do the brits entertain this inbred lot.
Uvindu,
What you say is correct.
But this a “Public Relations Exercise” and a “One Time in One’s Life” event not only for the Monarchy but also for all invitees.
Many tyrants who plundered their nations’ wealth, have their ill gotten funds in british banks and in british real estate.
Many survive on british largesse of foreign aid, and on top class british education of their progeny.
The decision of whom to invite and the criteria deserving such invitations, is a political one.
The Monarchy is far above politics.
The Prime Minister and the Queen’s advisers will decide.
Whether Pomp and Pagentry should override Human Rights, is a tough decision.
And what is this Uvindu fellow doing in London.? Getting someone else to write articles in English? Is he worried that he will be sent back since he lef t the country on a bogus claim. It is a shame to publish his artcles
Peter Tatchell Foundation. ? Queen or the British govt probably haven’t heard of this foundation. In UK there are many one man , two man, and many people foundations but they dont take any notice if it isnt worth while giving prominence to them by noticing the org. tamil orgs in UK are worth noticing to them because they carry block votes and there is of course the possibility of having a foot hold in eeelam where ever (may be in India) if ever they happen to establish it.
Men like Peter Tachell could keep batting for the Tamil Tiger terrorists who nearly destroyed the SriLankan nation, but SriLanka would march ahead with the civilised world. It would be a great honour for the Queen to have guests like President Mahinda Rajapakse who have successfully defeated the most brutal Tamil tiger terrorists and restored human rights of the Srilankan citizens to live without the threat of these brutes. May distructive people like Peter Tachell fail in their dark endeavour of reintroducing terrorism to Srilanka or anywhere else for that matter. We could only guess why this man is so interested in distorting facts and supporting a bunch of war criminals. He must take serious note of what happened to Charles Taylor of Liberia for aiding and abetting terrorists to commit crimes in a neighbouring country.
“All of them preside over regimes that abuse human rights…..”
Oh! my God Mr. Thatchell, you don’t have to go too far to look at your nation’s human rights record. Just drive to Liverpool and visit the Museum of Slavery and find out for yourself who the real human right violators are.
“Inviting blood-stained despots….” Who are they Mr. Thatchell? All that we know is you the Great Britain have wiped your clean eh!
I am no fan of Mr. Rajapakse and, I am no promoter of human right violations.
But, please apprecitae the fact that he got rid of one of the worst terrorist groups in the world, something that you all cannot even dream of with all your sophisticated technology and all that. And tell us where you fought one war without civilian casualities
Simply, what right do you British slave-traders and war-mongers have to talk about human rights and blood stained hands? Kindly go and read the history books first – Please!
This wicked woman and her ancestors created torrorism in many poor countries and looted them by force. No wonder she invited like minded people!
I see no problem with the queen dining and wining with despots as the British themselves are guilty of crimes against humanity in providing armaments to these despot regimes.These hypocrits are using occations like this to further their agenda.
To counter Sri Lanka’s President’s presence, the critics can invite ‘Prabhakaran’ whom they seem to have forgotten.
I feel pity on these Ignorarant protestors,
Queen does what she want and she is the queen fo 60 yrs
If you tell that the Queen should not be celebrating her jubilee in the company of war criminals the Queen herself will be absent from the celebrations. And why this Uvindu is worried about British tax payers money? My concern is it is Sri Lankan tax payers money in the form of commonwealth contribution, that has been spent to celebrate the Queen’s birthday. How much will the commonwealth spend to celebrate the silver jubilee of President Rajapakse in 2030.
ONE TYRANT HOSTING A PRIVATE FUNCTION TO FEED OTHER TYRANT’S.PROBLEM IS WHO ENDED UP GETTING THE TAB!!. IF THE HISTIRY IS CORRECT THEY SHOULD BE ON TRIAL FOR THE CRIMES THEY HAVE DONE.WELL THAT IS HISTORY. HELP OF THE HISTORY EDUCATION THEY CAN WRITE A NEW HISTORY.
What do you expect from a ‘royal’ family that has been living off the sweat and blood of the British people for generations?
So far no news, whether George Bush, Obama,Tony Blair, Cameron invited for this. They all are responsible for killing innocent civilians of Iraq, Afghanistan and Libyans. They all are war criminals, gentlemen war criminals
The queen is, now, no better than the company she has chosen to lie down with. as blood is thicker than water, I wonder if this royal retard has similar hormones in her