Ex-navy Chief and former Colombo VC among 6 named for top posts

By Shamindra Ferdinando

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s government has chosen former Foreign Secretary Ravinatha Ariyasinha to head the Sri Lanka mission in the US.

Ariyasinha, a veteran career diplomat will replace another career officer Rodney Perera, who received the appointment in June 2019. Rodney is a son of late veteran UNPer Paul Perera.

Perera was appointed in place of Prasad Kariyawasam, nearly two years after the latter was brought back to Colombo as Secretary to the Foreign Ministry.

Ariyasinha, who had been Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative in Geneva at the time the previous yahapalana administration co-sponsored an Accountability Resolution 30/1 in respect of the conflict and post-conflict period, will appear before the newly constituted Parliamentary High Post Committee (PHPC).

In the wake of Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s victory at the November 2019 presidential election, the administration brought in one-time Navy Commander Admiral Jayanath Colombage as the Foreign Secretary. Colombage replaced Ariyasinha.

The PHPC headed by Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena comprises 18 lawmakers, with the SLPP having a clear majority therein. The Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) is represented by Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka, Thalatha Atukorale and Rishad Bathiudden, leader of the All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC).

JVPer Vijitha Herath represents the National People’s Power in the PHPC.

A spokesperson for the SJB told The Island that Sri Lanka proposed to change the head of the mission at a time the country was under pressure to finalize the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact. The lawmaker pointed out that a four-member committee headed by Prof. Lalithasiri Gunaruwan appointed by the current dispensation strongly opposed the MCC Compact in its present form.

The US also wants consensus on Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) in the wake of the previous government extending the Acquisition and Cross Servicing Agreement (ACSA). The then President Maithripala Sirisena authorized ACSA, first entered into in 2007 for a ten-year period by the Rajapaksa administration.

Office of the Secretary General of Parliament on Wednesday, Sept 9, announced Ariyasinha’s appointment coming before the PHPC soon. According to the statement, representations in respect of altogether six diplomatic postings could be made till September 23.

In addition to parliament clearinghouse’s posting to Washington, the Office of the Secretary General of Parliament announced nomination of former minister Asoka Milinda Moragoda (High Commissioner designate to India), former VC of the Colombo University Professor Kshanika Hiriburegama (Ambassador designate to France), one-time Foreign Secretary Dr. Palitha Kohona (Ambassador designate to China), US-based real estate agent Vishramal Sanjiv Gunasekera (Ambassador to Japan) and recently retired Navy Commander Piyal de Silva (Ambassador to Afghanistan).

The Office of the Secretary General of Parliament announced the decision on Moragoda amidst continuing protests against the former minister’s appointment. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa recently declared that appointments made following careful consideration wouldn’t be changed under any circumstances.