Ignoring TNA calls, President reappoints Northern Governor for second term

Saturday, 12 July 2014 01:57 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Chandrasiri’s five year term was to expire today
Another broken promise says Wigneswaran
Signals intent to pursue military relationship with Tamils says Northern CM

Major General GA Chandrasiri who was the Governor for Northern Province was reappointed to the post by President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday at the President’s office – Pic by Sudath Silva

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has reappointed a former military commander as Northern Province Governor, ignoring the strong objections of the Tamil National Alliance that is running the provincial administration in the formerly embattled region. He was sworn in as the Governor of Northern Province again by the President at Temple Trees yesterday, the Government Information Department said. “The Governor will hold office for a period of 5 year term as per the Sri Lankan Constitution. He was initially appointed as the Governor of the Northern Province on 12 July 2009, the very same day he retired from the Sri Lanka Army,” the official Government news portal said. The ex-military officer has served in the Northern Province as a commander during the war. Northern Province Chief Minister Justice C.V. Wigneswaran told Daily FT that the appointment signalled yet another broken promise from the Government. “I see this more importantly as an indication of the intent to pursue a non-collaborative, coercive, military led relationship with the Tamils,” the Chief Minister charged. He quipped that President Rajapaksa may have attempted to find a civilian among his officers, but had been unable to locate one “willing to blindly follow others.” “I am amused. The President gave me a promise on 2 January this year that he would change the Governor to a person without a military background, as soon as Mr. Chandrasiri’s term was over,” the Chief Minister asserted. Wigneswaran also congratulated Governor Chandrasiri, who he said had been expecting to join his family in Australia for “coming to the aid of the President.” The Northern Province Chief Minister who was elected to office in last September’s provincial election, made the appointment of a civilian as the Governor of the former conflict zone a major campaign issue. In the 10 months since the election, Wigneswaran has repeatedly accused Governor Chandrasiri of running a parallel administration in the Northern Province and hindering the work of the elected provincial administration.