Foreign Ministry silent on Sri Lankan High Commissioner’s ‘undiplomatic’ acts

Foreign Ministry has declined to comment on controversial acts by Maldivian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Masood Imad, which have been slammed by many as “undiplomatic”.

In an interview with Sri Lankan media outlet, Daily News, on last Wednesday, 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 the lack of understanding that Maldivians are also foreigners, similar to those with fair skin.

Citing immediate visa approval when submitted through third-party travel agents, the High Commissioner alleged immigration officials may be receiving some financial benefits when visa applications are submitted through travel agents as Maldivians are required to pay extra fees when applying for visas through them.

High Commissioner Masood warned that the Maldivian government will be forced to revise its visa policy concerning Sri Lankan professionals working in various sectors within the Maldives if the situation persists.

Masood’s remarks were met with stark criticism from a large number of people, including opposition figures and seasoned diplomats. In this regard, seasoned diplomats have slammed Masood’s actions as “undiplomatic”.

Amidst this, on Friday, Masood met with Namal Rajapaksa, a senior figure from Sri Lankan opposition party, Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), who is the son former Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The meeting was announced by Namal via a post on X.

A veteran diplomat with over 20 years of experience told Sun that it is not typical practice for diplomats posted abroad to meet opposition figures in the host country.

The diplomat further noted that since the present Sri Lankan government has strong backing from its citizens, and thus, a diplomat engaging with opposition figures would be improper. The diplomat added that even if such meetings are held, they usually coincide with presidential elections.

Sun has been seeking a comment from Foreign Ministry regarding the High Commissioner’s actions since Thursday. However, the Ministry has remained silent despite repeated calls and messages to its spokesperson. Hence, it is unclear whether any action has been taken against Masood regarding his actions as the Maldivian envoy to one of its closest neighbors.

Although the Ministry itself has not commented on the incident, Dr. Hala Hameed, a veteran diplomat and Secretary for Bilateral Affairs at the Foreign Ministry, voiced her disappointment over the manner in which the matter was taken to the media. She emphasized that a diplomat’s foremost responsibility is to respect the host nation and uphold the core principles of diplomacy.

Masood’s interview also raised concerns over the possibility of strained ties with Sri Lanka, further igniting criticism against the current administration for its poor foreign policy.

Maldives had strained relations with India at the onset of the current administration 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 resulted in a social media boycott of the Maldivian tourism industry in India which was endorsed by many influential figures including Bollywood celebrities. Subsequently, arrivals from India, which had been the top tourist market to the Maldives post-COVID-19 pandemic, plummeted significantly, adversely impacting Maldivian economy’s backbone, tourism.

The administration was then forced take measures to repair the strained relations which drew further criticism for their perceived irony. This included high-level visits between the nation, including a state visit from Indian Minister Narendra Modi who attended Maldives’ Independence Day events last year as the chief guest as the first foreign leader to do so.