Lankans in Frankfurt happy about consulate closure

by Harischandra Gunaratna

Lankan expatriates in Frankfurt heave a sigh of relief following government’s closure of Sri Lankan consulate there alleging that it had been a den of all vices.

“The consulate was known among Lankans as a den of vices. It was a known fact that consulate officials extorted money from Lankans who visited the consulate for various needs such as renewing the passports and to obtain documents,” a Frankfurt-based Lankan said.

“They used their official powers either to delay applications by Lankans for various services till they received their bribes,” he said.

Many employees of the now defunct Lankan consulate had been demanding money from them to perform their legitimate duties.

Businessman and long time resident Azad Shauketally said one common racket was when they had to get their passports renewed or required to obtain a new passport, which had to be done through the consulate, they were forced to bribe certain consulate staff with amounts ranging from 4,000 euros to 5,000 euros minimum.

Shauketally said, if the money was not paid to them, they would ensure their passports would not be renewed or a new one would not issued in Colombo.

He alleged that the racket took place in connivance with some Foreign Ministry officials in Colombo.

Another Lankan businessman in Frankfurt, Ravi Navaratnam said that Lankans living there had been forced to give bribes to consulate officials. “They would not process any application without taking the demanded bribes. Resisting would mean negative results,” Navaratnam said.

Another Tamil expatriate in Frankfurt said that some Tamil officials worked there used to collect money for various Tamil diaspora outfits. “We were happy to see the end of the LTTE since we thought that it would be the end of parting with our hard-earned money. Yet the practice of collecting money from Tamils still continues,” he alleged.

In 2018, the services of a consulate employee who had been taking money from the Lankan expatriates in Frankfurt was terminated and an inquiry was held by the External Affairs Ministry in Colombo.

The Lankans living there also allege that they have to pay extortion money to the Tamil diaspora though the LTTE was dliquidated in 2009 May, some employees of the consulate were hand in glove with this extortion ring.

Shasuketally alleged that all the information about the Lankan expats, specially Tamils were furnished to the extortion ring by some consulate employees.

On a decision taken by the Foreign Ministry, Lankan consulate in Frankfurt was shut down on Dec 31,2021 and services of all employees were terminated except for two female officers who would be posted to Toronto.