The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has directed 15 politically appointed ambassadors and high commissioners to return to Sri Lanka immediately. This announcement was made by Aruni Wijewardene, Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Among those recalled are former Chief Justice Mohan Peiris, who serves as the Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York; former Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama, the High Commissioner to the United Kingdom; former Ambassador Shenuka Seneviratne, the High Commissioner to India; Chitrangani Wagishwara, the High Commissioner to Australia; Rodney Perera, the Ambassador to Japan; former Air Force Commander Sumangala Dias, the High Commissioner to Malaysia; former Air Force Commander Sudarshana Pathirana, the Ambassador to Nepal; former Navy Commander Nishantha Ulugetenna, the Ambassador to Cuba; former Navy Commander Ravindra Wijegunaratne, the High Commissioner to Pakistan; and Udaya Indraratne, the Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates. Additionally, V. Kanakanathan, the High Commissioner to Kenya; Shimal Wickremesinghe, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s brother-in-law and the High Commissioner to Seychelles; and Mohammad Shahid, the Ambassador to Iran, have also been summoned back.
According to reports, career diplomats within the foreign service are expected to be appointed to these now-vacant posts in the near future.
