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cloud over visa issuance to the Netherlands Foreign Ministry spokesperson Himali Arunathileke told The Sunday Times the Ambassador had given an assurance this matter would be looked into and necessary action taken. Meanwhile the visa applicants who had highlighted the corruption charges have requested the Foreign Affairs Department in the Hague to send officials from the Netherlands for the investigations saying they had no faith in the Embassy officials stationed in Colombo. The matter was brought to the notice of the Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry the Netherlands Foreign Affairs Department and their Foreign Minister. It involved instances where visa applications of persons of repute were allegedly delayed or rejected. Two of them alleged this happened after bribery attempts by an embassy official had failed. A few notable persons whose visa applications were rejected include Rtd. Lt. Col. Mahinda Gamini Ratwatte, a food exporter R. L. Wickremesinghe having regular dealings with the Netherlands and a well-known businessman's son Dinesh Sellamuttu. The applicants claim they had furnished all the necessary documents including evidence of their financial standing and details of their sponsors in the Netherlands. The Sunday Times spoke to the Netherlands Ambassador in Sri Lanka and to the applicants whose visas had been rejected. Lt. Col. Mahinda Ratwatte's passport showed he was a frequent traveller abroad mainly for leisure activities. He charged that his Shenegen visa application was made in August for a tour of the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and France with a Netherlands based business partner who was also his sponsor. "I produced proof of my financial standing. My bank statements and four credit cards with a large credit limit. I was carrying 4,000 dollars with me for my travel expenses and proof was supplied", Mr. Ratwatte said and alleged the rejection came after a phone call by an Embassy official asking for Rs. 300,000 if the visa was to be processed 'easily'. "I was told the matter could be expedited if the money is handed over to the visa officer", Mr. Ratwatte said. "I was also asked what airline I was travelling on, I replied it was on KLM with a complimentary ticket. I was told by the officer I had to purchase a ticket using the visa card, from a travel agency and at that point was told the matter can be expedited if I pay Rs. 300,000", Mr. Ratwatte said. He said he was later informed that his visa had been refused and that the documents were not in order. R. L. Wickremesinghe an exporter of coconut food products to the Netherlands was another applicant whose visa application was rejected. He had submitted his application in mid September to obtain a Schengen visa for a business related visit to the Netherlands and France. He too alleged he was asked for a cash payment of Rs. 500,000 if the visa application was to be expedited. "Later when my visa was rejected I was shocked to find out that they had even stamped my passport with the red seal which mars my credibility as a traveller", he said. "I was invited by PUM, a Netherlands government organization. Hotel accommodation details were provided and travel arrangements made with KLM, the Royal Netherland Airline. All these details were forwarded to the Embassy", Mr. Wickremesinghe said. Meanwhile following the visa rejection Mr. Wickremesinghe had written to the Consular Affairs Department in the Netherlands complaining about the bribery allegations and informed the department of two intimidating anonymous telephone calls from the Embassy in Colombo asking him to withdraw his application. Meanwhile senior lawyer Dilrukshi Dias Wickremesinghe who had planned a trip to Europe and wanted to obtain the Schenegen visa in September said she had to withdraw her application because the procedure appeared to be too much of a hassle. "Being very busy with work and my travelIing I had only four days for my visa application to be processed. I explained my position and also that I had obtained a Shenegen visa through the Netherlands Embassy two years ago where it had been convenient the last time", Ms. Wickremesinghe said. " Apparently the Embassy had problems with the reliability of my sponsor who is a lawyer working for the World Court in the Netherlands and with an established legal career and background", she said and added she was thus forced to withdraw the application and cancel her travel plans. A well-known Colombo Tamil businessman's son also stated that his visa was rejected. "I was going on holiday to England and had already obtained my visa in two days without any hassle. I intended to stop over in the Netherlands and approached the Embassy for a visa. I was asked the reason I was going to the Netherlands and I replied 'on holiday'. Obviously my passport had proof of my previous travels", says Dinesh Sellamuttu. The Sunday Times interviewed the Netherlands Ambassador, Mrs. Susan Blankhart and Peter Trimp, Head of Operational Management and Consular Affairs regarding the visa rejections and the allegations of bribery. The Ambassador said that following a request made by the Foreign Ministry to look into the matter, investigations were carried out by the Embassy. She said the accusations of bribery were apparently made out of sheer frustration. When asked if reasons were given for the refusal of visas the Ambassador maintained that it was the usual practice keeping with embassy regulations to give a general reason such as 'documents incomplete' . Dismissing allegations of corruption levelled at the Embassy, the Ambassador said there could be more than one reason why a visa was not granted to a person. Asked the manner in which the investigations were carried out, the Ambassador said her embassy had conducted a 'full inquiry'. She dismissed the requests by visa applicants for the investigations to be carried out by officials from the Netherlands. The Netherlands Ambassador said she took the corruption allegations 'very seriously' and claimed however that 'it is not up to them' (meaning those affected by the alleged mishandling of their visa applications) to decide who should carry out the inquiry. The Ambassador admitted however that two years ago Anna Vanselm, a high ranking Dutch Embassy official was found guilty of corruption charges and sentenced to jail in the Netherlands. "We have done our part. We have carried out investigations. There the matter rests", Ms. Blankhart said the Embassy was only informed of corruption charges after the visa applications of the persons concerned were rejected. Ms. Blankhart rejecting the alleged bribery charge against a male embassy officer stated that 'there is only one male officer who is authorised to make calls concerning the dates the applicants should come to the Embassy. According to her 'there is no question of him making such a request'. She claims the officer concerned is new and he 'could not have said such a thing' explaining that the place he sits in is an open place where the staff of the Embassy including high-ranking officials move about freely. The Ambassador when asked if she meant there were no genuine Sri Lankan travellers with enough financial assets and with no intention of making an alien country their home, was quick to state that 'of course the Embassy was interested in tourism and genuine travellers' and repeated that 'of course they must be genuine travellers'. The Ambassador also refuted allegations of discourtesy and derogatory treatment by the Embassy officials handling the visas of Sri Lankans, who wished to visit the Netherlands. |
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