- Mangala Samaraweera
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Mangala Pinsiri Samaraweera (Sinhala:මංගල පින්සිරි සමරවීර ) MP (born April 21, 1956) is a Sri Lankan 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.[1]
Contents
Personal life
Samaraweera is the son of Mahanama Samaraweera, who was a Cabinet Minister of Local Government, Housing, Posts and Telecommunications in Sirimavo Bandaranaike'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.
Political career
He was the Sri Lanka Freedom Party 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.[2] 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.
See also
- List of political families in Sri Lanka
References
- ^ Daily Mirror, SLFP (M) unveils ‘policy’
- ^ "Sri Lankan president reshuffles cabinet", Xinhua (People's Daily Online), January 29, 2007.
External links
- Mangala Samaraweera's Official Website
- Mangala for democratic leadership in SLFP
- UNESCO Executive Board
- Parliament profile
Political offices Preceded by
Anura BandaranaikeMinister of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka
2005–2007Succeeded by
Rohitha BogollagamaParliament of Sri Lanka 14th Parliament • Members of the 14th Sri Lankan Parliament Members Current membersBy length of service • Youngest members • Longest-serving members everWomen and
minority membersSri Lankan Tamil members • Sri Lankan Moor members • Other minority members • Lady membersLeaders Prime Minister (list) • Speaker of the Parliament (list) • Deputy Speaker and Chairman of Committees (list) • Deputy Chairman of Committees (list) • Leaders of the House • Leaders of the Opposition • Chief Government Whips • Chief Opposition WhipsParliament Secretariat Secretariat leadersSecretaries-General (list) • Deputy Secretary General (list) • Assistant Secretary General (list)DepartmentsSerjeant-at-Arms • Administration • Legislative Services • Finance and Supplies • Hansard • Co-ordinating Engineer • Catering and Housekeeping • Information Systems and ManagementPowers,
procedure
and customsPowersLegislative Power of the Sri Lankan ParliamentCommitteesSelection • House • Standing Orders • Parliamentary Business • Public Accounts • Public Enterprises • Privileges • Public PetitionsItemsMace • Chair • BarHistory Building of Parliament Sri Lankan Parliament BuildingMiscellaneous Historic Sri Lankan legislature • Parliaments • DistrictsWebsite: Parliament of Sri Lanka Categories:- 1956 births
- Living people
- Foreign Ministers of Sri Lanka
- Government ministers of Sri Lanka
- Sri Lankan politicians
- Sinhalese people
- Sri Lankan Buddhists
- Old Royalists
- Alumni of the Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design
- Members of the 9th Parliament of Sri Lanka
- Members of the 10th Parliament of Sri Lanka
- Members of the 11th Parliament of Sri Lanka
- Members of the 12th Parliament of Sri Lanka
- Members of the 13th Parliament of Sri Lanka
- Members of the 14th Parliament of Sri Lanka
- Sinhalese politicians
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