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Geoffrey Dobbs not allowed to enter country again, says Immigration Chief
The controversial British-born Australian citizen Geoffrey Dobbs, who started the Gale Literary Festival (GLF) was this week blacklisted and will not be allowed to enter the country again, Immigration and Emigration Controller Chulananda Perera said yesterday.
Geoffrey Dobbs at the launch of a past GLF
Mr. Dobbs arrived into the country on a scheduled Thai Airways flight early Friday but was instantly deported, Mr. Perera said. The naturalised Australian citizen is alleged to have disrespected the national flag by placing it in a reverse position and at half mast at a location in the Galle Fort during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in mid November, he added.
He said Mr. Dobbs is also alleged to have made disparaging remarks on the country’s human rights record and even slighted President Mahinda Rajapaksa and other ministers.
Mr. Dobbs left the country unannounced shortly after the CHOGM summit as the police began to build a case against him. “He apparently feared that he would be eventually jailed for his actions and utterances and therefore decided to leave the country,” Southern Province Governor Kumari Balasuriya told the Sunday Times.
She said according to information provided to her office and other authorities including the police and defence the Mr. Dobbs is also alleged to have made remarks bordering on threats to the well being of the President.
“During a brief telephone conversation with me shortly after the flag issue, Mr. Dobbs spoke of the country’s poor human rights record and threatened to bring the matter up with Britain’s Prince Charles. I responded that he was free to take up any matter even with Queen Elizabeth and reminded him that as a guest in this country he must respect local rules and culture instead of complaining.
“This man is a multi-millionaire owning some five up market boutique hotels in Galle and elsewhere in the South and he should be grateful that this country afforded him this opportunity for the past 15 years,” Mrs. Balasuriya said. She said that the alleged remarks by Mr. Dobbs were overheard by a three wheel operator who in turn informed the relevant authorities including her office.
Mr. Dobb’s business interests are presently being supervised by his partner, another British national.
Mrs. Balasuriya also firmly denied rumors and allegations that persons with vested interests were fuelling the case against Mr. Dobbs in a bid to own his lucrative business operations. “There is absolutely not truth in these allegations. The man was sent out purely for his actions and utterances and the case should end there,” she added.
On Friday the matter was also raised in Parliament by UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe.