Political diplomats recalled for polls work

Several political appointees working as heads of diplomatic missions are being recalled, apprently to handle various aspects of President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s election campaign, authoritative sources said. They include Admiral Thisara Samarasinghe, High Commissioner in Canberra; Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda, Ambassador to Japan; Bandula Jayasekera, Consul General in Sydney; Lakshman Hulugalle, Deputy High Commissioner in Canberra; and Udayanga Weeratunga, Ambassador to Russia.

The sources said some of them had flown in and out of the country. While here, they are entitled to four-star accommodation at public expense. They are also being paid overseas allowances and expenses during their extended duty leave for which no reason has been made public.Others in the External Affairs Ministry have been kept in the dark about the comings and goings of these selected political appointees. The EAM officials became aware of their presence only when they met them in corridors, one official said.

It is not known which heads of missions will go in and out of the country in this manner in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, it is also learnt that the leave of all other heads of missions — except those recalled for these special, unspecified purposes to Colombo — has been cancelled till the Presidential election on January 8. They have been instructed not to leave their posts. This means that even those who had been planning to take leave during the festive season must now stay behind.

The Sunday Times learns that some second tier political appointees in foreign missions may soon be heading back for election work. “Those being recalled are the more active ones who are closer to the regime,” one source said. Some graduates recently recruited to the EAM as development officers were also being politically mobilised, other sources said.