Pro-JVP Media Minister Persuaded to Resign

UNCLAS COLOMBO 001020

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR S/ES, INR/MR, PA
SA/INS (CAMP, DEAN) SA/PD (SCENSNY, ROGERS, STRYKER);
SSA/PAS

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958:N/A
TAGS: KPAO PTER EAID OIIP PREL CE
SUBJECT: Pro-JVP Media Minister Persuaded to Resign



1. (SBU) Summary: Aviation, Ports and Media Minister
Mangala Samaraweera resigned from the media portfolio today
amid speculation the President had asked him to do so due to
his alleged favoritism towards the Janatha Vimukthi
Peramuna(JVP),the government's Marxist/Sinhala nationalist
junior alliance partner. End summary.


2. (SBU) A long time confidant of the President and former
national organizer of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP),
Mangala Samaraweera returned to the Media Ministry when
President Kumaratunga's alliance won re-election in April

2004. Although Samaraweera is an SLFP member, he
sympathized with the JVP and, in fact, was instrumental in
facilitating the alliance between the JVP and SLFP. He
allegedly favored pro-JVP media, and spoke out against the
proposed Joint Mechanism with the LTTE to the Sunday
Lankadeepa (Sinhala sister paper to the mainstream
independent Daily Mirror). In April, the President
appointed Minister of Finance Sarath Amunagama to keep tabs
on the Media Ministry and Samaraweera. Recently, the
President tasked two current confidants, Harim Peiris,
Director General of Relief, Rehabilitation and
Reconstruction, and Eric Fernando, Director General of the
Presidential Media Unit, to spearhead a campaign to educate
the public about the virtues of the Joint Mechanism.
According to a report in the Sunday Times, Peiris and
Fernando, without informing Samaraweera, arranged to hold
daily meetings with the President and Media Ministry
Secretary W.B. Ganegala.

SIPDIS

3. (SBU) Comment. Speculation in media circles abounds
that Samaraweera's resignation may be part of a larger
cabinet reshuffle within the next few days as the
President's final decision on the Joint Mechanism
approaches. She may have viewed Samaraweera, allegedly
biased towards the JVP, as a liability in her efforts to
convince the public of the necessity of signing the accord.
End Comment.
Lunstead