Mangala Samaraweera
Encyclopedia
Mangala Pinsiri Samaraweera (Sinhala:මංගල පින්සිරි සමරවීර ) MP
(born April 21, 1956) is a Sri Lanka
n politician and current member of parliament who served as the Cabinet Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2005 to 2007. He created a stir in Sri Lankan politics when he was sacked as a minister by President Mahinda Rajapakse in 2007, after which he formed a new political party called the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (Mahajana) Wing which merged into the United National Party
in 2010.
's government, and Khema Samaraweera, a member of the Matara Urban Council. A graduate in Clothing Design and Technology from St. Martin's School of Art in London
, he served as a design consultant to the National Design Center of Sri Lanka prior to his political career. He has remained a lifelong bachelor.
chief organizer for Sri Lanka's southern city Matara
since 1983 and Assistant Secretary of the SLFP Coordinating Secretary of the Mother’s Front.
He first entered the Parliament of Sri Lanka
as a representative of the Matara District in 1989, and was appointed the Minister of Post & Telecommunications in the cabinet of President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga in 1994. He also served as the Minister of Urban Development, Construction and Public Utilities in the same Cabinet after a reshuffle and was later given the Deputy Minister of Finance portfolio.
Following the election defeat of his party in 2001, he was made the Chief Opposition Whip and the Treasurer of the SLFP. In 2004 he became the Minister of Ports, Aviation and Media in the new cabinet of President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga.
In June 2005, after conflicts with Kumaratunga, he dropped the Media Ministry, but remained Cabinet Minister of Ports and Aviation. He became the campaign manager for Presidential candidate and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse. When Rajapakse won and took office in November 2005, he surprised many by appointing Samaraweera to the additional post of Foreign Minister
instead of Prime Minister; Samaraweera maintained his other posts.
In late January 2007 Samaraweera was replaced as Foreign Minister, but remained Minister of Ports and Aviation. On 9 February 2007, he was sacked from the cabinet together with ministers Anura Bandaranaike
and Sripathi Sooriyarachchi
after falling out with the president. He then went on to create a new political party, the SLFP (Mahajana) wing.
Parliament of Sri Lanka
The Parliament of Sri Lanka is the 225-member unicameral legislature of Sri Lanka. The members of Parliament are elected by proportional representation for six-year terms, with universal suffrage. Parliament reserves the power to make all laws...
(born April 21, 1956) is a Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
n politician and current member of parliament who served as the Cabinet Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2005 to 2007. He created a stir in Sri Lankan politics when he was sacked as a minister by President Mahinda Rajapakse in 2007, after which he formed a new political party called the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (Mahajana) Wing which merged into the United National Party
United National Party
The United National Party, often referred to as the UNP ), , is a political party in Sri Lanka. It currently is the main opposition party in Sri Lanka and is headed by Ranil Wickremesinghe...
in 2010.
Personal life
Samaraweera is the son of Mahanama Samaraweera, who was a Cabinet Minister of Local Government, Housing, Posts and Telecommunications in Sirimavo BandaranaikeSirimavo Bandaranaike
Sirimavo Ratwatte Dias Bandaranaike was a Sri Lankan politician and the world's first female head of government...
's government, and Khema Samaraweera, a member of the Matara Urban Council. A graduate in Clothing Design and Technology from St. Martin's School of Art in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, he served as a design consultant to the National Design Center of Sri Lanka prior to his political career. He has remained a lifelong bachelor.
Political career
He was the Sri Lanka Freedom PartySri Lanka Freedom Party
The Sri Lanka Freedom Party is one of the major political parties in Sri Lanka. It was founded by S.W.R.D Bandaranaike in 1951 and, since then, has been one of the two largest parties in the Sri Lankan political arena. It first came to power in 1956 and since then has been the predominant party in...
chief organizer for Sri Lanka's southern city Matara
Matara, Sri Lanka
Matara is a city on the southern coast of Sri Lanka, 160 km from Colombo. It is one of the largest cities in Sri Lanka. It was deeply affected by the Asian tsunami in December 2004.-History:...
since 1983 and Assistant Secretary of the SLFP Coordinating Secretary of the Mother’s Front.
He first entered the Parliament of Sri Lanka
Parliament of Sri Lanka
The Parliament of Sri Lanka is the 225-member unicameral legislature of Sri Lanka. The members of Parliament are elected by proportional representation for six-year terms, with universal suffrage. Parliament reserves the power to make all laws...
as a representative of the Matara District in 1989, and was appointed the Minister of Post & Telecommunications in the cabinet of President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga in 1994. He also served as the Minister of Urban Development, Construction and Public Utilities in the same Cabinet after a reshuffle and was later given the Deputy Minister of Finance portfolio.
Following the election defeat of his party in 2001, he was made the Chief Opposition Whip and the Treasurer of the SLFP. In 2004 he became the Minister of Ports, Aviation and Media in the new cabinet of President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga.
In June 2005, after conflicts with Kumaratunga, he dropped the Media Ministry, but remained Cabinet Minister of Ports and Aviation. He became the campaign manager for Presidential candidate and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse. When Rajapakse won and took office in November 2005, he surprised many by appointing Samaraweera to the additional post of Foreign Minister
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka
The Minister of Foreign Affairs is an appointment in the Cabinet of Sri Lanka. The post was created in 1978 when the former Ministry of External Affairs and Defence was separated into two ministries...
instead of Prime Minister; Samaraweera maintained his other posts.
In late January 2007 Samaraweera was replaced as Foreign Minister, but remained Minister of Ports and Aviation. On 9 February 2007, he was sacked from the cabinet together with ministers Anura Bandaranaike
Anura Bandaranaike
Anura Priyadarshi Solomon Dias Bandaranaike was a Sri Lankan politician, served as Speaker , and in several cabinet ministries as Foreign Minister briefly in 2005, Minister of Higher Education , Minister of Tourism , Minister of National Heritage and Leader of the Opposition...
and Sripathi Sooriyarachchi
Sripathi Sooriyarachchi
Sripathi Sooriyarachchi was a Sri Lankan cabinet minister, member of parliament, lawyer and wrestling champion. He was fired from his cabinet position after he accused Sri Lanka's president Mahinda Rajapaksa of entering into an accord with LTTE. He had alleged he faced death threats...
after falling out with the president. He then went on to create a new political party, the SLFP (Mahajana) wing.