Associated Press,  Thu Feb  2 07:39:36 EST 2006
The Sri Lankan government on Thursday named Nimal Siripala de Silva, a veteran politician and a lawyer, to head the government's team at the upcoming peace talks with Tamil Tiger rebels.

Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera announced the appointment at a news conference but declined to give any other details.

``He will be the leader of the Sri Lankan delegation,'' Samaraweera said.

The talks, stalled since April 2003, are to be held later this month in Switzerland after Norway, which has acted as a peace-broker in the conflict, convinced both the parties to resume talks after spiraling violence killed at least 150 people since December. No firm date has been announced.

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- The Academic

This a is a man, who in his various ministrial positions in previous governemnts used those positions to bring all his kinsmen(and women) and many others, mainly to France and other europeen countries-of cause for a certain some of money in return- They all applied and many of them - including his own brothers and sisters and in laws-  received refugie status and still living very well in France and other countries. If nessasory I can even name a few in France!!!!!!. He is nothing but a passer in the police jargon. I understand that the french governement will never issue him a french entry visa unless as a minster.

So long live peace process with this kind of a guy.

I wonder whom he will bring this time cause all his kinsmen are in France and england.


God save Sri Lanka(governement and the majorityof the population!!)

i think Nimal siripala silva is a good choice.we have to understand that mahinda has got limited choice becas half of pa is represented by jvp. then other most pa mps r henchmen of chandrika. he tried to import GL from unp. it didnt work. so mahinda has got limited resources. nimal is not a bad choice. but he is not the best. mahinda cant send wimal or champaka to discuss wt tigers. any way atleast mahinda need good advicers who can understand the tiger motives & who has got understand of federal, unitary power devoliution & constitution.nimal is not a chavunist type of politician. sometimes he will b also o.k. anyway something is always better than nothing.

rawana wrote:

i think Nimal siripala silva is a good choice.................
.......................constitution.nimal is not a chavunist type of politician. sometimes he will b also o.k. anyway something is always better than nothing.

Rawana, I am bit puzzled about your comments. Are you saying it is better so send someone instead of noone. In your assessment GOSL delegation hasn't got any good negotiators?

Ok, let Siripala be the team leader as HE does not have much choice among the present day politicians.
But will the team consist of some educated capable people ideally some of those who took parrt in previous talks?

LankanExile wrote:

rawana wrote:

i think Nimal siripala silva is a good choice.................
.......................constitution.nimal is not a chavunist type of politician. sometimes he will b also o.k. anyway something is always better than nothing.

Rawana, I am bit puzzled about your comments. Are you saying it is better so send someone instead of noone. In your assessment GOSL delegation hasn't got any good negotiators?

CBK had Dr Jayantha Dhanapala, a career diplomat for negotiation.
Did CBK had a better sense than Mahinda mama ?

dear exile
GL & jayayntha dhanapala r best choice. they have got more knowledge in power devolution. some times nimal is also o.k if he can have good advisers. but we must give our utmost support to any peace move by mahinda.any person can bring the peace if he is realy commited. most important question is during negotiation is power devolution under the federal system & disarmerment of ltte, withdrawing army from NE & smooth transfer for power to democratic forces in NE. the big question is whether we r going to demerge the east from north. this is up to the east people. but SL central govt should controll the tricomalee becas it represnt less tamil people. otherwise it will b a sensitive issue.nimal can handle people. we need a small axe to cut a big tree.

rawana wrote:

but SL central govt should controll the tricomalee becas it represnt less tamil people.

why trinco only. what about other parts of north. in election rallies mahinda mama complained that he cannot even go to killinochchi. r these guys going to sell off north to the sun goat?

dear negombo
under a federal solution we have to share the power.but trincomalee is stratagic location & it represnt  only 25% of tamil people. therefore cental govt should fully controll the trincomalee.we should establish a big naval & military base in trincomalee. it is very important & strategic location. all r eyeing at it.we must protect the trinco at any cost.

rawana wrote:

under a federal solution we have to share the power.

you must be kidding. how many times mahinda mama & comrades told us no federal solution but devolution under a unitary state.

Negombo wrote:

rawana wrote:

under a federal solution we have to share the power.

you must be kidding. how many times mahinda mama & comrades told us no federal solution but devolution under a unitary state.

dear negombo
howmany times mahinda told us he is gonna abolish ranils peace treaty &expel the noraway & bring the honurable peace. these people say waht ever to get the power. but when they exicise power they have to eat all the rubbish they deliver in elecion paper & go for the reality. mahinda says unitary, ltte says eelam. both may end up in federal sacrificing their unitary &eelam. thats what we want, no defeat for mahinda, no defeat for vp, but all end up in some solution. i was critical on mr when he had chosen the war. if he choose the peace i will support him at my best.  ideas r arrows. we need a bow. we shouldnt care the bow is ranil or mahinda, becas ultimately public get the benefit. we shouldnt b blind followers like
 " kapuwath kola patai or nil patai"

Dear negombo
when we blindly adopt a religion, theory, a political vision, literary dogma we become automation. we cease to grow.

Nimal Siripala de Silva may be better than Anura Bandaranaike but I can't think of anyone else he maybe better than. Even Fernandopulle would be better than Nimal. This is a joke. The peace process at best will drag on, or at worst will flop within the first few rounds. The only thing Nimal is capable of is getting elected and abusing his position. If Mahinda couldn't delegate, why couldn't he take it on himself. Besides there are many able and willing Sri Lankans (who are not politicians) who can head the delegation professionally and who will provide a much better return to the country. I feel we have already lost a golden chance by putting forward an imbecile with nothing to show to his credit to warrant such an honor.

Romeo wrote:

Nimal Siripala de Silva may be better than Anura Bandaranaike but I can't think of anyone else he maybe better than. Even Fernandopulle would be better than Nimal. This is a joke. The peace process at best will drag on, or at worst will flop within the first few rounds. The only thing Nimal is capable of is getting elected and abusing his position. If Mahinda couldn't delegate, why couldn't he take it on himself. Besides there are many able and willing Sri Lankans (who are not politicians) who can head the delegation professionally and who will provide a much better return to the country. I feel we have already lost a golden chance by putting forward an imbecile with nothing to show to his credit to warrant such an honor.

WE shouldnt pessimsitic of nimal, we will  put behind his past & put our weight behind mahinda & erik solheim to achieve the peace. nimal may b not best. but he will deliver mahindas peace vision in geneva. this is no time to critizise oppostion leader or nimal, but save the Nation from division by devolution &democracy.

rawana wrote:

Dear negombo
when we blindly adopt a religion, theory, a political vision, literary dogma we become automation. we cease to grow.

who said so ?
JVP is growing. analyse last few elections.