Meekail attributes govt’s “irresponsible” foreign policies to Sri Lanka visa difficulties

Main opposition MDP’s South Galolhu MP Meekail Ahmed Naseem, on Thursday, attributed the current administration’s “irresponsible” foreign policies to the difficulties faced by Maldivians in obtaining Sri Lankan visa.

In an interview with Sri Lankan media outlet, Daily News, on Thursday, Maldivian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Masood Imad slammed poor visa facilitations for Maldivian nationals traveling to Sri Lanka.

Maldivian travelers do not generally need to apply for a visa in advance to visit Sri Lanka, as they are granted an on-arrival visa. However, those intending to stay for longer durations or to live in the country are required to obtain the appropriate visa.

In his interview, High Commissioner Masood questioned why Maldivians traveling to Sri Lanka are receiving “step-motherly” treatment by Sri Lankan immigration officials.

In this regard, the High Commissioner Masood claimed that Maldivian nationals are forced to wait in long queues from 9:00am to 5:00pm to obtain their visas. He particularly expressed concern over lack of understanding that Maldivians are also foreigners, similar to those with fair skin.

“I am perplexed as to why officials only consider those who arrive in Sri Lanka with fair skin as visitors,” he was quoted by the media outlet.

Meekail shared the news report by a local media outlet reporting on the interview via a post on X, in which he slammed the current administration for its “irresponsible” foreign policies. He also questioned whether diplomacy is practiced through the media.

“They better not start ‘Lanka Out’,” he jokingly added, referring to the ‘India Out’ campaign by the current administration when they had been the opposition.

Elaborating on his comments while speaking with Sun, Meekail expressed his belief that high commissioners should communicate with each other regarding diplomatic issues rather than taking it to the media. He also criticized High Commissioner Masood’s ‘fair skin’ remarks, deeming it inappropriate.

“This is something which should have been concluded over a phone call,” he added.

Currently, around 1,800 Maldivian residents live in Sri Lanka, a significant drop from approximately 15,000 before the COVID-19 pandemic. The economic downturn in Sri Lanka following the pandemic led many Maldivians living there to return or move to other countries.

Notably, the current administration’s foreign policy has been heavily criticized since the beginning. Relations with India were particularly strained early on, due to the ‘India Out’ campaign during the administration’s time in opposition and derogatory remarks made by three deputy ministers about Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This led the administration to take remedial measures, which drew further criticism for their perceived irony.

Foreign aid to the Maldives has also declined sharply over the two years of the current administration, with most of the aid projected in the budget not materializing. Critics attribute this shortfall to the perceived failures of the administration’s foreign policy.