-Reported by Riyadh Collective
(Lanka-e-News -29.Sep.2024, 11.00 pm) Over the past few years, it has been observed that the ambassadors, officials, and staff working at Sri Lankan embassies abroad have operated as if they were beyond the reach of the Sri Lankan government.
As a result, the embassies have been functioning according to their own desires, disregarding policies, decisions, or circulars from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Sri Lankan Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, is a prime example. Despite the Ministry’s regulations, this embassy continues to operate in its own way. The previous ambassador, during his tenure, allegedly misused Sri Lankan government funds to install an elevator in a two-story house he rented in Riyadh, a move that went unnoticed by many. Despite spending millions of rupees on the house rental, the current ambassador did not even reside there. Instead, a new house was rented, resulting in more financial waste, with some of these funds reportedly pocketed. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs remains unresponsive and unaware of these ongoing misappropriations.
Furthermore, the former ambassador, while visiting the Makkah region for official or non-official duties, stayed free of charge at a hotel managed by a Sri Lankan named Ahmad Saween. In exchange for this favor, the ambassador secured a secretarial position for Saween's daughter at the embassy, bypassing all proper recruitment procedures of the Sri Lankan government. The woman, who has no educational qualifications, received the job solely due to her father’s connection to the former ambassador. She continues to work at the embassy, engaging in various fraudulent activities, and serves as the personal secretary to the new ambassador. Her diplomatic appointment raises questions, as she resides in the country with no apparent qualifications other than her ties to the former ambassador. Why does the Ministry of Foreign Affairs remain silent on these illegal appointments?
Moreover, domestic workers who arrive at the embassy's shelter after facing various issues are allegedly taken by force to serve at the ambassador's residence. This has been facilitated by the ambassador's mistress, who is said to act with his knowledge and support. These domestic workers are not only made to work in her household but are also reportedly coerced into sexual exploitation by her relatives. One such worker developed a sexually transmitted disease, and after her mother intervened, she was taken for medical treatment.
A total of nine people, including the ambassador’s secretary, were appointed to the embassy using false information, misleading the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. These locally recruited employees were selected not based on qualifications but due to their political connections and familial ties to the ambassador. This has contributed to the inefficiency of the embassy's operations.
Additionally, within the past three months, 17 employees, including officials, have been recruited despite not meeting the necessary qualifications. All these individuals were politically appointed and are close associates of the former Minister of Labour and Foreign Employment, Manusha Nanayakkara.
Until all these individuals are removed and qualified staff appointed, we will continue to monitor this situation closely. More irregularities and fraud occurring within this embassy will be exposed in the future, as we work to transform this embassy into a more efficient and capable institution, as hoped for by the patriotic Sri Lankan community working in Saudi Arabia.
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by (2024-09-29 18:59:48)
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