DAYAN BOOTED OUT-HARDLINE TAKE OVER?

Dayan Jayatilleka , Sri Lanka's permanent representative to the UN in Geneva, has been told to go home by Aug 20. HE WAS SACKED ON JULY 17TH.

HE TOOK OVER IN 2007 AND IN MARCH 2008 GIVEN AN EXTENSION UP TO MAY 2010. BUT NOW HE IS SACKED THAT TOO INTIMATED BY A FAX, SENT BY AN ASSISTANT SECRETORY.

“I have been sacked, basically. No reasons given. I have been asked to return by August 20 and my contract terminated by that date,” he said. “The fax was from Foreign Ministry and quoted the Foreign Minister. No, I have neither tried to nor intend to take the matter up with the President, because I have not been a failure in my job; I have succeeded and produced positive results and my record should speak for itself. I have not been given any reason by anyone, for this sudden decision,” he added.

Earlier this week media reports claimed that Foreign Minister had asked the envoy to return to Sri Lanka next month as his term would not be extended. They claim that the reason for this sudden recall was the fact that the Foreign Minister was unhappy over some of the decisions taken by Jayatilleka in recent times.

THERE ARE ALSO MEDIA REPORTS WHICH SUGGEST THAT THIS DECISION IS BECAUSE OF SINHALESE HARDLINERS. Some media also suggest that there were rumours that certain foreign delegations had complained against Jayatilleka when they met President Mahinda Rajapaksa on the sidelines of the Non Aligned Movement Summit in Egypt. There was also strong speculation that his stance on the implementation of the 13th Amendment — and the heated debate that ensued — caused his dismissal. There is also an Israel angle to his exit.

Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to the UN in New York HMGS Palikkara is also recalled.

EARLIER THERE WERE REPORTS THAT SANATH FONSEKA WAS NOT HAPPY BY HIS ELEVATION AND WAS GIVEN JUST ONE HOUR TO ACCEPT. BUT RECENT NEWS SUGGEST SANATH IS WORKING ON MASSIVE STRUCTURAL CHANGES IN ALL THREE FORCES. HE IS EXPECTED TO INTEGRATE ALL THREE FORCES MOSTLY IN MODEL OF ISRAEL.

Vasantha Karannagoda FORMER NAVAL COMMANDER WHO EXPECTED AN ELEVATION AS CHIEF OF DEFENCE , BUT NOW A NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR[ HE IS THE 104TH ADVISOR] IT SEEMS EXPRESSED HIS DISPLEASURE BY RECEIVING THE APPOINTMENT LETTER IN LEFT HAND. A TAMIL SITE SAYS THAT HIS WIFE IS CLOSE TO RAJAPAKSE'S WIFE AND BECAUSE IF THIS HE MAY SOON GET A BETTER DIPLOMATIC POSTING SOON.

THERE IS ALSO NEWS THAT THE EX Sri Lanka's Chief of Defence Staff Don Pereira MAY GET AN IMPORTANT DIPLOMATIC POSTING SOON.