Category: News

Daily Mirror reliably learns that Rohitha Bogollagama was handpicked as SL’s HC in the UK by the government to reach out to Tamil diaspora for reconciliation

– Bogollagama’s only foreign experience is that he served as the Foreign Minister under Mahinda Rajapaksa during the time of the civil war

– Once political appointees are posted in diplomatic missions, their children and relatives soon follow to serve as officers

– For Moscow in Russia which is a key posting, Sri Lanka has not appointed a career diplomat for two decades now

In recent years, Sri Lanka’s foreign service has made questionable and disappointing appointments especially to some of the key countries, resulting in an entire collapse of the foreign service system.

Infact, more and more political appointments are now dominating Sri Lanka’s foreign service while career diplomats and real talent are ignored while individuals with no knowledge on foreign service are appointed as Ambassadors and High Commissioners to key countries.

Their only talent is that they are favorites of the government leaders or ruling politicians. If that is not enough, some of these political appointees do not travel alone. Once they are set in their seats as Ambassadors and High Commissioners, their children and relatives soon follow to the foreign destinations to serve as officers to Sri Lanka’s foreign missions, with no benefit to Sri Lanka other than a blow to the taxpayers.A recent such appointment is that of Rohitha Bogollagama who has been appointed as Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to the UK, replacing well known career diplomat Saroja Sirisena.

Bogollagama’s only foreign experience is that he served as the Foreign Minister under Mahinda Rajapaksa during the time of the civil war. After this Bogollagama served as the Governor of the Eastern Province under Maithripala Sirisena’s regime.With no notable achievements even when he was the Foreign Minister, Bogollagama is well known for his lavish official visits overseas when he was the Minister, as reported in some media publications back then.The Sunday Times, in a report in 2008, citing one of his visits overseas said Bogollagama’s official trip to Brazil back then had cost the state an estimated Rs. 5 million, and included a vacation in beach resorts in Rio de Janeiro. Bogollagama was then due in New York to join the Sri Lanka presidential delegation in time for the UN General Assembly sessions and was booked to stay at New York’s Ritz-Carlton Hotel. The Sunday Times quoting reliable sources said the minister’s public relations officer and private security officer, who had been officially designated separate rooms, were scheduled to share a room, and the spare room was made available to Bogollagama’s daughter and her husband, who worked for the Sri Lanka embassy in Washington. Neither the minister’s daughter nor her husband were a member of the official Sri Lanka delegation.

“According to Foreign Ministry sources, the minister has made arrangements with the hotel to ensure that his daughter and son-in-law’s names will not appear in the hotel manifest. It is understood that similar arrangements had been made for the minister’s daughter when she visited other world capitals,” the Sunday Times reported back in 2008. This is just one instance when Bogollagama faced such allegations of lavish spending while on official visits overseas. Now with such allegations how did Bogollagama get selected to be Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner in the UK that too at a time when the country is struggling amidst an economic crisis?

The Daily Mirror reliably learns that Bogollagama was handpicked to the seat by the government in place of Saroja Sirisena who is expected to complete her stint and return to the country shortly.

The source said the government had selected Bogollagama as someone competent to engage with the Tamil Diaspora as the UK is a country with a sizable population of Sri Lankan Tamils and leads the core group of countries that moved the UNHRC resolution on Sri Lanka.However no further explanation was given on the government’s selection of Bogollagama.

Bogollagama will be the latest to join the list of political appointees serving in Sri Lanka’s foreign missions. Presently political appointees serve in important capitals including in New Delhi and Washington. For Moscow in Russia which is a key posting, Sri Lanka has not appointed a career diplomat for two decades now.

UK’s Developing Countries Trading Scheme is going live from June 19 giving tax free entry to 92 percent of traded goods, the British High Commission in Colombo said.

“The UK is Sri Lanka’s second largest export market and the DCTS demonstrates the UK’s continued interest in strengthening this trade relationship,” British High Commissioner Sarah Hulton said in a statement.

“We hope that Sri Lankan exporters will broaden their opportunities with the UK by making use of the wider number of products for which tariffs have been removed.”

The DCTS replaces the GSP+ trade access that was offered to Sri Lanka when the UK was part of the EU.

“Sri Lanka is well positioned to supply the UK due to increasing demand for sustainable, fair-trade, and healthier products,” the statement said.

“With more flexible rules of origin it is easier for least developed countries to trade with Sri Lanka without losing tariff-free status, increasing the potential for supply chain development.”

UK’s Trade Partnerships programme (UKTP) will also provide technical assistance to almost-ready-to-export small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by the International Trade Centre (ITC).

The programme will provide trade promotion technical assistance to a selected number of Sri Lankan SMEs, preparing them to participate successfully in international trade fairs,” the statement said.

The UKTP is expected to improve th visibility of Sri Lankan producers, equip exporters with the necessary tools and knowledge, and facilitate their entry into new markets.

Indian Navy Submarine ‘Vagir’ and the Pakistan Naval Ship (PNS) ‘Tippu Sultan’ are both docked at the Colombo Port.

Vagir, which is the latest indigenous Kalvari-class submarine of the Indian Navy, is on an operational visit to Colombo from 19-22 Jun 2023 to commemorate the 9th edition of International Day of Yoga (IDY) under the theme of ‘Global Ocean Ring’.

The Commanding Officer of the Indian Naval submarine, Commander Divakar. S will call on Commander Western Naval Area, Rear Admiral Suresh De Silva. Further, during the submarine’s visit the vessel would be open for visitors and school children.

The High Commission of India in coordination with Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre is scheduled to organize a grand event at Colombo Port to celebrate IDY on 21 June 2023 with participation of senior defence hierarchy and personnel from Indian and Sri Lanka Navies.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan ship is one of the four Type 054A/P Class Frigates built by Hudong Zhonghua Shipbuilding, China.

It is a multi-mission frigate fitted with highly sophisticated and state of the art weapons/ sensors including long range air surveillance radar, 3D radar, vertical launched SAMs, towed sonar/ decoys, long range super Sonic SSM, torpedoes and advanced EW systems. These systems provide PN with enhanced offensive-defensive combat capabilities to deter all forms of maritime threats.

United National Party (UNP) member Rohitha Bogollagama has been appointed as Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom (UK).

The former Foreign Minister’s new appointment is effective from August 01, 2023.

Rohitha Bogollagama served as the Cabinet Minister of Foreign Affairs from January 28, 2007.

He later lost his seat in Parliament after being defeated in the General Elections held in April 2010.

Rohitha Bogollagama also briefly served as the Governor of the Eastern Province from July 2017 to December 2018.

The Sectoral Oversight Committee (SOC) on National Security has urged the Foreign Ministry to intervene to dispute the international travel bans imposed on military personnel.

At a recent meeting chaired by Dr. Sarath Weerasekera, the parliamentary committee noted that these travel bans affects the moral of the respective military personnel.

In response to the concern, Foreign Secretary explained that through the ambassadors and at high-level discussions, the Foreign Ministry has consistently conveyed the position of Sri Lanka on this matter to the respective governments of those countries.

The Foreign Secretary also pointed out that they have also requested the respective governments to reconsider their decisions on this regard.

The SOC on National Security directed the Foreign Secretary to put together all relevant facts and convey to the respective ambassadors to challenge the travel bans imposed on the island nation’s military personnel.

They also directed the Foreign Ministry to give publicity that Sri Lanka is strongly contesting the travel ban as it is in violation of the Geneva Convention as the island nation has had a non-international armed conflict as proved by both Darusman and OICL reports.

The SOC chairman mentioned that Canada Parliament had presented a motion and approved unanimously that Sri Lanka had committed genocide against Tamil people. Hence, the committee requested the Foreign Secretary to take necessary actions to strongly communicate to other countries that Sri Lanka is not accountable for such claim made.

The committee also questioned regarding the current attempts of right-sizing of Sri Lanka Army and withdrawing army camps in certain rural sacred areas and its impact on National Security.

The Defence Secretary assured that withdrawing the army does not affect for national security, regional security, and sacred places security. Ministry of Defense practices “right-sizing” not the “down-sizing” and no impact of Right sizing of Sri Lanka Army he said.

Furthermore, the committee also took into account of creating harmony among ethnic groups and directed the respective officials to take actions accordingly.