Over 100 civil society activists, including leading academics, researchers and religious leaders have written to the High Post Committee of Parliament, urging the oversight body to reject the nomination of Rajapaksa ideologue Dr Dayan Jayatilleke as Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to the Russian Federation.
In their letter to the Committee, 108 civil society activists, academics, researchers and grassroots organisations pointed out that when Dr Jayatilleke was sent on diplomatic postings to Geneva and Paris – when the Rajapaksa administration was in power – he had furthered a personal agenda which had detrimental consequences to Sri Lanka among its important allies in the world.
The activists claimed that Dr Jayatilleke had denounced the very concept of Yahapalanaya and members of the ruling coalition.
“He has stood stoically against democratic reform and reconciliation initiatives, repeatedly attacking progressive ministers and leaders of the current Government for making concessions to victims of war through releasing lands and setting up the Office of Missing Persons,” the strongly worded letter states.
“We note that Dr Jayatilleke’s ideology and the ideology that shaped the January 8 2015 movement for change are poles apart,” the civil society activists said in their representations to the High Post Committee.
In their letter, the activists noted that with the political change in 2015, it was heartening to see the Government of Sri Lanka rebuilding bridges with the international community and engaging in a constructive manner to further the interests of Sri Lanka, not the whims of particular individuals, the letter to the Committee added.
The activists said this shift had been recognised by the international community, which resulted in President Sirisena being invited to events such as the prestigious Group of Seven (G7) summit in Japan and Anti-Corruption Summit in the United Kingdom both in 2016.
“This hard work of rebuilding Sri Lanka’s image and reputation to be a truly democratic and plural country where all citizens are equal and a country that values its international standing can be damaged with the promotion of individuals who were not only apologists of the previous Government but also, to date, its most ardent champions,” the letter said.
“It is in this context we question the nomination of Dr Jayatilleke to a senior diplomatic post,” the letter noted. Among the signatories are Prof. Arjuna Parakrama, Prof. Jayadeva Uyangoda, Prof. Carmena Guneratne, Ven. Mahagalkadawala Pugnasara Thero, Bishop Kumara Illangasinghe, Dr Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu, Dhanesh Cassie Chetty, Mangalika Fernando, Bhavani Fonseka, Sandya Ekneligoda and Visaka Dharmadasa. Many of the signatories to the letter to the Committee are strong backers of President Sirisena’s candidacy in 2014.
On June 12, the High Post Committee issued a public notice that it would examine the suitability of individuals nominated to top Government posts, which named Dr Jayatilleke as the Government’s Ambassador Designate to Russia. In its public notice, the Committee calls for representations with regard to the nominations to be made to the committee by memoranda, on or before June 26.
Upon news breaking of his nomination, Dr Jayatilleke announced on his official Facebook page that he had been invited to take up the post. “I accepted, and have been nominated, but nothing has been finalised,” he said.
Dr Jayatilleke also added, in reply to a comment on Facebook, that he had accepted the invitation with the “knowledge, blessings and encouragement of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.”
Dr Jayatilleke remains to date, a strong advocate for the former President. In an opinion column published on June 22, 10 days after his designation as Ambassador to Moscow was formally announced by the High Post Committee, Dr Jayatilleke advocates for the reform of the 19th Amendment to the constitution – the Unity Government’s most monumental achievement to date – to allow former President Rajapaksa to contest the presidency again.
He wrote: “The surest option to stop this March of the Dark Forces would be for the Parliament to revisit and modify the 19th amendment so as to enable Mahinda to contest the Presidency.”