Prez asks SJB MP not to target Diana, who enabled them to enter Parliament

Immigration Chief says SJB MP Diana Gamage not a Sri Lankan Citizen

By Saman Indrjaith

Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena yesterday (06) assured the House that he would give a ruling on Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) National List MP Diana Gamage’s citizenship matter following a thorough examination of the issue at hand.

The Speaker gave this assurance when SJB MP Mujibur Rahuman demanded that the Speaker informed of the House of his stand as regards the issue raised by his colleague SM Marikkar on Monday.

Colombo district MP Marikkar on Monday told the House that Immigration and Emigration Controller in a letter addressed to the Secretary, Ministry of Defence has stated that MP Diana Gamage couldn’t be issued a Sri Lankan passport as she was a UK citizen.

According to the letter tabled in Parliament by MP Mujibur Rahuman Gamage has held British citizenship since 2004. She has been issued with UK passport bearing no 521398876.

“However she managed to get a Sri Lankan passport N 5091388 on January 24 2014. She has also obtained a diplomatic passport on November 5, 2018. He diplomatic passport carried the number O/L 5664794. It is not possible to issue a fresh diplomatic passport since she has not produced a document to prove that she has given up her UK citizenship,” the Controller has stated.

The Controller has also attached documents of visa applications forwarded by Gamage.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe who was at the chambers at that time said not to make MP Gamage’s passport issue a drama. “Gamage is the one who gave her party for you to come to Parliament. Therefore don’t make a passport affair an issue,” the President said.