A prominent Sri Lankan diplomat and non-military civil servant H. M. G. S. Palihakkara has been appointed as the Governor of the Northern Province, according to a statement published on the government’s official portal.

Palihakkara was former Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations. He has served on the Secretary-General’s Advisory Board on Disarmament Matters. He retired as the Foreign Secretary of Sri Lanka in December 2006 after 38 years of civil and diplomatic service.
 
He has also served as one of members of Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC).

Accordingly, former Foreign Secretary H.M.G.S. Palihakkara will soon take charge as Governor, replacing retired major general G.A.Chandrasiri.

“The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) had, for long, been appealing to the Sri Lankan government to replace Mr. Chandrasiri – who has a military background – with a civilian governor for the province. Despite the party’s repeated requests, President Mahinda Rajapaksa reappointed Mr. Chandrasiri in July 2014, enabling him to continue in the same position.

Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran, had then voiced concern over the excessive powers vested in the Governor of the province who was reporting directly to the President. Despite holding elections to the Province in September 2013, and the Tamils democratically electing their Chief Minister, the Provincial Council was not allowed to function smoothly, according to TNA members.” the Hindu newspaper said in a recent article.