Former Minister Mangala Samaraweera who was receiving treatment at a private hospital in Colombo for Covid infection passed away this morniing.
Mangala Samaraweera was 65 years old at the time of his death.
Mangala Pinsiri Samaraweera, a renowned politician in the history of Sri Lankan politics, was born on April 21, 1956 in Matara.
Mangala Pinsiri Samaraweera, better known as Mangala Samaraweera, was the Minister of Finance from 2017 to 2019, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, for two terms from 2005 to 2007 and 2015 to 2017
He served as a politician for over 30 years in his career until his retirement from politics in 2020.
Mangala entered politics from the Sri Lanka Freedom Party in 1983 and entered Parliament in 1989 representing the Matara District and he was appointed Minister of Post and Telecommunications in the cabinet of President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga in 1994.
He was also the Assistant Secretary of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party for some time.
In June 2020, he announced that he would not contest the 2020 parliamentary election which was held on 5 August 2020 and urged the public to not vote for his preferential number and revealed that it would be impossible to remove his name from nomination list. On 9 June 2020, he also announced that he would step back and quit parliamentary politics.
Born to Mahanama Samaraweera and Khema Padmawathi Samaraweera née Amaraweera, his father was a cabinet Minister of Local Government, Housing, Communications, Posts and Telecommunications in Sirimavo Bandaranaike's government and his mother served as a member of the Matara Urban Council.
Educated at Royal College, Colombo and at Walthamforest College, London, he gained a BA in Clothing Design and Technology from St. Martin's School of Art in London, he served as a design consultant to the National Design Center of Sri Lanka and served as a visiting lecturer in the Institute of Aesthetic Studies, University of Kelaniya.
Before his death was officially confirmed on 24 August 2021, rumours of his death started circulating on social media from 18 August. When unconfirmed reports surfaced last week that Samaraweera passed, sources close to him said he was in fact on the mend and was responding well to treatment.
Samaraweera was also known for being a staunch defender of minority rights and a vocal proponent of liberal democracy. He often courted controversy, being one of a handful of Sri Lankan politicians to openly challenge cultural norms and their self-appointed purveyors.
Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, whose election as president in 2005 Samaraweera was instrumental in, said Sri Lanka has lost a great leader.
Many local and foreign political figures have taken to their official social media accounts to express their grief over the tragic departure of their political colleague.
Expressing his condolences, SJB and opposition leader Sajith Premadasa tweeted: “Dear Mangala Samaraweera, you were a man of the age who respected humanity and was committed to the vision you believed in according to your conscience. May you attain Nibbana!”
The United National Party (UNP), of which he became a member after defecting from the Rajapaksa camp, said Mangala Samaraweera was a loyal servant of Sri Lanka, having served the public nearly 40 years.
“The services rendered by Samaraweera to the people of Matara and the country have and will be enjoyed by numerous generations. He built his career on the principles of democracy and Ffeedom, values that he fought to ensure all Sri Lankans enjoyed,” the party said.
Mangala Samaraweera was 65 years old at the time of his death.
Mangala Pinsiri Samaraweera, a renowned politician in the history of Sri Lankan politics, was born on April 21, 1956 in Matara.
Mangala Pinsiri Samaraweera, better known as Mangala Samaraweera, was the Minister of Finance from 2017 to 2019, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, for two terms from 2005 to 2007 and 2015 to 2017
He served as a politician for over 30 years in his career until his retirement from politics in 2020.
Mangala entered politics from the Sri Lanka Freedom Party in 1983 and entered Parliament in 1989 representing the Matara District and he was appointed Minister of Post and Telecommunications in the cabinet of President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga in 1994.
He was also the Assistant Secretary of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party for some time.
In June 2020, he announced that he would not contest the 2020 parliamentary election which was held on 5 August 2020 and urged the public to not vote for his preferential number and revealed that it would be impossible to remove his name from nomination list. On 9 June 2020, he also announced that he would step back and quit parliamentary politics.
Born to Mahanama Samaraweera and Khema Padmawathi Samaraweera née Amaraweera, his father was a cabinet Minister of Local Government, Housing, Communications, Posts and Telecommunications in Sirimavo Bandaranaike's government and his mother served as a member of the Matara Urban Council.
Educated at Royal College, Colombo and at Walthamforest College, London, he gained a BA in Clothing Design and Technology from St. Martin's School of Art in London, he served as a design consultant to the National Design Center of Sri Lanka and served as a visiting lecturer in the Institute of Aesthetic Studies, University of Kelaniya.
Before his death was officially confirmed on 24 August 2021, rumours of his death started circulating on social media from 18 August. When unconfirmed reports surfaced last week that Samaraweera passed, sources close to him said he was in fact on the mend and was responding well to treatment.
Samaraweera was also known for being a staunch defender of minority rights and a vocal proponent of liberal democracy. He often courted controversy, being one of a handful of Sri Lankan politicians to openly challenge cultural norms and their self-appointed purveyors.
Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, whose election as president in 2005 Samaraweera was instrumental in, said Sri Lanka has lost a great leader.
Many local and foreign political figures have taken to their official social media accounts to express their grief over the tragic departure of their political colleague.
Expressing his condolences, SJB and opposition leader Sajith Premadasa tweeted: “Dear Mangala Samaraweera, you were a man of the age who respected humanity and was committed to the vision you believed in according to your conscience. May you attain Nibbana!”
The United National Party (UNP), of which he became a member after defecting from the Rajapaksa camp, said Mangala Samaraweera was a loyal servant of Sri Lanka, having served the public nearly 40 years.
“The services rendered by Samaraweera to the people of Matara and the country have and will be enjoyed by numerous generations. He built his career on the principles of democracy and Ffeedom, values that he fought to ensure all Sri Lankans enjoyed,” the party said.
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