If anyone were to ask who the finest diplomat to emerge from Sri Lanka in recent times after former Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar was, everyone knowledgeable about politics would answer without hesitation: Mahinda Samarasinghe.
The reason is that, just like Kadirgamar, Mahinda Samarasinghe is a politician who has left an indelible mark in several areas of international politics with Sri Lanka at the centre of his work. Following Sri Lanka’s victory in the war in 2009, when the country faced allegations of war crimes at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Mahinda Samarasinghe succeeded, for the first time in history, in uniting all countries and taking the matter to a vote, thereby defeating the resolution.
Subsequently, Mahinda Samarasinghe, who served as Foreign Minister during the government of Gotabaya Rajapaksa, later stepped down from that position and took up duties as Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to the United States.
During that period, when Sri Lanka was facing a severe crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic and later became bankrupt as a result of the economic crisis, Ambassador Mahinda Samarasinghe succeeded in securing a large amount of assistance for Sri Lanka from the United States. It was precisely because of his capabilities that Ranil Wickremesinghe, who came to power after Gotabaya Rajapaksa, also took steps to retain Mahinda Samarasinghe as the Ambassador to the United States.
Following Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s rise to power, many believed that Mahinda Samarasinghe would also have to bid farewell to his post as Ambassador to the United States. Although Anura Kumara Dissanayake took steps to recall all ambassadors to Sri Lanka, Mahinda Samarasinghe was among the few who were retained in their posts.
Since the JVP is a left-wing party, many had expected Sri Lanka to strengthen its relations with China and Russia. However, Mahinda Samarasinghe turned all those assumptions into mere speculation by taking the lead in establishing very close relations between the United States and Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s left-wing government.
Mahinda Samarasinghe also took steps to establish an extremely close relationship between President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Sergio Gor, the U.S. Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs and a close associate of Donald Trump.
Similarly, when the Trump administration imposed tariffs targeting Sri Lanka recently, Mahinda Samarasinghe took steps to reduce them from 44% to 19%. He also took the lead in securing a large number of U.S. Coast Guard helicopters and vessels for Sri Lanka from the United States.
However, despite carrying out such a significant amount of work for Sri Lanka, Mahinda Samarasinghe had decided to retire from his post at the end of this month, even though he still had more time remaining in his term. The ‘Rajya Rahas’ column was the first to reveal this information to the country.
However, during his tenure as Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to the United States, Mahinda Samarasinghe became well known for providing extensive assistance to Buddhist temples and Buddhist monks throughout the country.
As a result, following reports of Mahinda’s retirement, the Maha Sangha, representing all Buddhist temples in the Washington, D.C., area and California, took steps to organise a felicitation ceremony for Mahinda Samarasinghe last Saturday. The event was held at the Washington Buddhist Vihara.
The Washington Buddhist Vihara was founded by the late Venerable Madihē Paññāsīha Thera, a prominent Buddhist monk from Sri Lanka. This was the first occasion on which the Maha Sangha from the capital region and beyond had gathered to honour the service of a Sri Lankan ambassador departing the United States.
Addressing those gathered, Ambassador Samarasinghe shared his experiences and the challenges he faced during his tenure in Washington, D.C., and expressed his appreciation for the support extended by the Maha Sangha and the Sri Lankan community in successfully carrying out his duties. The Ambassador also reaffirmed his commitment to continuing to serve his motherland.
The event was organised under the guidance of the Chief Incumbent of the Washington Buddhist Vihara, Venerable Maharagama Dhammasiri Thera. Sixteen Buddhist monks, members of the Sri Lankan community and many well-wishers attended the ceremony.
However, during his speech, Mahinda Samarasinghe also took steps to reveal several important matters for the first time. He stated that no one had asked him to step down from his post and that he had decided to leave the position solely at his own request.
Furthermore, while delivering what was described as his final speech, Mahinda Samarasinghe also offered an indication regarding another major task he had carried out for the country. He said that Sri Lanka would hear another positive piece of news in the future regarding the 19% tariff.
Meanwhile, Mahinda Samarasinghe carried out another special duty last week. He presented the first copy of a coffee-table book published by the Sri Lankan Embassy in connection with the organisation of the 250th anniversary of the independence of the United States to Ms. Alison Hooker, the U.S. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs.
During the occasion, Ms. Hooker also took steps to convey special appreciation for the service rendered by Mahinda Samarasinghe to Sri Lanka during the recent critical period.
Mahinda Samarasinghe also met and held discussions with Mr. Paul Kapur, the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs. In addition, the most significant development was that Mahinda Samarasinghe met U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and held special discussions with him.
However, Mahinda is scheduled to return to Sri Lanka on the 31st of next month after completing his duties.
It is learnt that, following news of Mahinda’s return to Sri Lanka, several political parties and political leaders have already planned a number of discussions with him in an attempt to bring him back into politics. It is also learnt that some have already conveyed this to Mahinda through text messages.
However, according to information available to us, Mahinda has decided not to accept any of these proposals. The ‘Rajya Rahas’ column has also learnt that the government has already prepared a special position for Mahinda. However, it is learnt that Mahinda has not yet taken any decision regarding that proposal either.
Mahinda has decided not to limit himself to any political party or position, but instead to use the experience and relationships he has built over the years to provide the maximum possible assistance in addressing the problems faced by the country.
