Sirisena govt appoints seasoned diplomat as Northern Province Governor

The Tamil-controlled provincial administration has long accused the outgoing Governor of preventing them from functioning freely and running a parallel local government.

In his election policy statement, Mr. Sirisena had promised a local investigation into war crimes allegations against the government and Tamil Tiger rebels in the final stages of the fighting.

Sri Lanka’s newly-formed government has appointed a prominent diplomat as Governor to the Tamil-majority Northern Province.

Sri Lanka’s former Foreign Secretary H.M.G.S. Palihakkara will soon take charge as Governor, replacing retired major general G.A.Chandrasiri, according to a statement published on the government's official portal.

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) had, for long, been appealing to the Sri Lankan government to replace Mr. Chandrasiri – who has a military background – with a civilian governor for the province. Despite the party’s repeated requests, President Mahinda Rajapaksa reappointed Mr. Chandrasiri in July 2014, enabling him to continue in the same position.

Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran, had then voiced concern over the excessive powers vested in the Governor of the province who was reporting directly to the President. Despite holding elections to the Province in September 2013, and the Tamils democratically electing their Chief Minister, the Provincial Council was not allowed to function smoothly, according to TNA members.

Retd. Major General Chandrasiri’s replacement now, that too with a seasoned diplomat, signals a change in course of the Sri Lankan government under President Maithripala Sirisena’s leadership.

Mr. Palihakkara was former Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations. He retired as the Foreign Secretary of Sri Lanka in December 2006 after 38 years of civil and diplomatic service. He has also served as one of members of Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC), a commission of inquiry appointed by Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa in May 2010 following the end of the war, according to the statement.