[ H.M.G.S. Palihakkara with Ban Ki-Moon]
The Sri Lankan government has appointed a non-military civil servant as the Governor of the Tamil-dominated Northern Province.
A prominent Sri Lankan diplomat and former Foreign Secretary H. M. G. S. Palihakkara has been appointed as the Governor of the Northern Province, sources said.
Palihakkara will replace Governor G.A. Chandrasiri who was a retired major general of Sri Lanka Army and former Commander Security Forces Headquarters – Jaffna.
Chandrasiri, who was reappointed as governor in 2014 by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, was reportedly at loggerheads with the Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran.
Palihakkara had served as Sri Lankan Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva, and represented Sri Lanka at the UN Commission on Human Rights, UN Conference on Trade and Development and the Conference on Disarmament.
Meanwhile, Sri Lankan High Commissioner to Canada Chitranganee Wagiswara has been appointed as the Secretary to the Foreign Affairs Ministry.
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