FM ruffles feathers over Dpl posting

While two fundamental rights petitions have been filed in the Supreme Court asking to immediately cease all arbitrary political appointments to Sri Lankan missions abroad, there is now a rush at the Foreign Ministry to expedite these appointments in anticipation of a court ruling halting such appointments, Foreign Ministry officials charged. The officials charged that the latest to join the list of political appointees is Manoranee Silva, estranged spouse of the Chief Justice.

 "Her hurried appointment is believed to have been expedited to ensure that the Chief Justice would not sit on the bench that would rule on the fundamental rights petitions filed by two retired Foreign Service officers. Manoranee Silva is to be made the Deputy High Commissioner for Pretoria, South Africa, a post created in that capital for the first time.

"Until now there had been only a handful of Deputy High Commissioners in crucial stations such as New Delhi, Chennai and London. Isuru Balapatabadi, the son of a justice has already been posted to the Netherlands. His fiancee is a daughter of another justice raising concerns over a conflict of interests when these petitions are taken up," these officials charged .

Meanwhile, over a dozen career Foreign Service officers have been given postings within the course of last week with immediate effect. This too they allege is in anticipation of a court ruling which might order non career political affiliates to return to the country. By posting these career officers it could be argued that there are no more officers available to replace the political appointees and therefore allow them to remain in their current posts. Interestingly Minister Bogollagama addressing the staff of the Foreign Ministry on the 1st of the year had said that the discipline of the Foreign Service demands that career officers should serve in whichever capital they are posted to without any qualms, the officials also alleged.

The editor of The Nation newspaper Lalith Alahakoon has been also given a diplomatic posting, it was alleged. He joins a long list of journalists who have been given postings including Walter Jayawardene in London, Bandula Jayasekara, the Consul General in Toronto and Neville De Silva designated for Bangkok, the officials charged.

"This is in addition to Sisira Kothalawala, former DG of Rupavahini, Sunil Sarath Perera, former Chairman of SLBC, Sugeeshwara Senadira of the Government Information Department, Chandrapala Liyanage, former Director of Presidential Media Unit and numerous other loyalists who are already enjoying diplomatic postings," these officials also charged.

Informed sources said however that Alahakoon has still not accepted his appointment. "R.K.S Sureshchandra from the BOI is to be posted to one of the most vital stations as the Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN in New York.

Although politically appointed, this crucial mission is headed by former Secretary to the Foreign Ministry H.M.G.S. Palihakkara. Sureshchandra is only the latest of a long list of family and friends posted abroad by Minister Rohitha Bogollagama.

This astonishing list includes the posting of his brother- in-law, Palitha Ganegama as the Deputy High Commissioner to New Delhi which happens to be where his daughter Dilshani is studying. His Sister-in-Law, Jayathri Ranjani Samarakone has also been appointed Sri Lanka's High Commissioner to Singapore where Bogollagama's son Dakshitha is studying.

It is widely known that Aminda Rodrigo, the 24 year old son of a business tycoon whose only feasible qualification to be a diplomat is being the intended son-in-law of Bogollagama is posted to the politically vital capital of Washington DC. With the pressure from the new Obama Administration mounting on Sri Lanka on its human rights record and various other issues, young Rodrigo would no doubt rise to the occasion with his ample experience.

Aminda Rodrigo is not the only "offspring of the privileged" to be made a diplomat over night. One Oceanie De Silva whose aunt is said to have close  affiliations to even higher levels than Rodrigo is now posted as the Third Secretary to Malaysia. Bandula Athauda, Chameera Ranaweera, Premitha Bandara Tennakoon are a few others with politically powerful family connections, the officials alleged in an e-mail circulated among the Foreign Ministry staff.

 The e-mail contains a list of some of the recent political appointments to Sri Lankan missions abroad which are given below. These are in addition to the numerous individuals who have been appointed as Heads of Mission (Ambassadors, High Commissioners, PRUN etc.). All of them the officials allege have been selected based on political affiliations, nepotism and political loyalties.