IGP pulls out of controversial visit to Scotland

A controversial visit to Scotland this week by Sri Lanka’s police chief has been cancelled at the last minute after organisers appeared to bow to external pressure, The Scotsman reported. 

Sri Lanka’s Tamil minority has long accused police there of using torture to crush its independence movement. Inspector General Pujith Jayasundara was due to arrive in the UK today and spend the week at the Scottish Police College in Fife. 

His five-strong delegation was expected at Tulliallan Castle for talks on “the way that community policing is structured and delivered in Scotland”, a police spokesperson had said. However, on Friday night the Foreign Office said “plans for the delegation have changed and the visit is now no longer going ahead next week”. 

The visit was set to be contentious. Green Party MSP and ex-policeman John Finnie said he was concerned by “the reputational damage that can flow from repressive regimes having any form of relationship with our much- respected police service”. Scotland on Sunday understands socialist group Tamil Solidarity was planning a demonstration during Jayasundara’s visit. 

Influential British Tamil rapper M.I.A. was also about to call for protests. Sri Lanka’s police continues to be dogged by allegations of torture. This year a UN expert highlighted “distressing testimonies of very brutal and cruel methods of torture”, noting the Tamil community was “stigmatised and feels disenfranchised”.

Police Scotland said that all of the UK’s police assistance work in Sri Lanka is subject to robust risk assessment through the Overseas Security and Justice Assistance process.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said that any visit by foreign delegates to the Police Scotland training college is a matter for the Chief Constable.