Invitation to a "White Party" in Unawatuna causes an uproar. And rightly so!
A Russian organizer planned a party that was reserved exclusively for white guests. The flyer with the addition "Face Control: White" triggered a shitstorm on social media. The event was condemned as racist and discriminatory and was ultimately canceled.
It was about face control: white, not about the dress code: white. pic.twitter.com/blnAmzCx2g
- National Green Front Sri Lanka 🇱🇰 (@ngfsrilanka) February 25, 2024
Connection to Russia and Ukraine
Both the bar owner and the organizer of the party are from Russia. The Unawatuna region is currently home to many Russian citizens who have moved to Ukraine due to the war there. Sri Lanka have fled.
Statement by the Russian Embassy: Smokescreens and distortions
The Russian embassy in Sri Lanka has responded to the "Whites Only" party in Unawatuna with a statement. They apologize for the "white" dress code and the confusion it caused.
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Distortion of the facts - as we know it from Russia
However, this representation of the message ignores the clear wording of the flyer that advertised the party. It clearly states "Face Control: White". This leaves no other conclusion than that the party should only be accessible to white guests.
The Russian embassy's argumentation is therefore nothing more than an attempt to distort the facts and conceal the party's racist orientation. It is a tried and tested pattern of Russian propaganda to manipulate information and whitewash reality.
The Russian Embassy also emphasizes that it strongly condemns any form of racial discrimination and nationalism and is therefore currently conducting a special military operation in Ukraine.
Exit order for Russians and Ukrainians
The Sri Lankan tourism authority responded to the incident with an order requiring all Russian tourists with a visa to leave the country within two weeks. This regulation also applies to Ukrainian nationals.
Uncertainty about implementation
However, the actual implementation of the exit order remains to be seen. Sri Lanka's President Ranil Wickremesinghe made it clear that the tourism authority cannot decide on the issuing of visas alone. The final decision on the requirement for Russians and Ukrainians to leave the country is currently under review.
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That is typically Russian. They think they are the new master race. Not only in Sri Lanka but all over the world. They are also unpleasantly conspicuous in Bali by not respecting the people or the culture. But that's what the fascist Putin is doing. Disgusting!
They could also be Germans in Mallorca and Spain in general, in Thailand, in Bulgaria, in Turkey or Italy... The Germans are very unpleasant everywhere, no respect for the respective cultures, let alone learning another language ect... and with our (De)nglish we embarrass ourselves everywhere anyway...