Dual citizenship: Gota says US can’t block individual rights

Gotabaya Rajapaksa

Former defence secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa said the matter of dual-citizenship was something personal to him and he did not think the US could block individual rights.

He said this in response to journalists at the Special High Court premises when they asked him about renouncing his dual citizenship and reports that he may not be allowed to do so.

Mr. Rajapaksa said he could either cancel or keep the dual-citizenship as it was something personal.

“It is something personal to me. As a personal matter, I can either get it removed or keep it. No one should make it an issue. No man can be kept tied. The US hails itself as the father of liberal democracy. So can they obstruct individual rights for any reason? They can’t,” he said.

When asked about contesting the presidential election, he said, “I have already said I’m ready,”

(Source: Daily Mirror – By Lahiru Pothmulla)