Mangala Samaraweera

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Mangala Pinsiri Samawareera (born April 21, 1956) is a Sri Lankan politician who was the Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2005 to 2007. He was Sri Lanka Freedom Party organizer for Sri Lanka's southernmost city Matara since 1983. Assistant Secretary of the SLFP Coordinating Secretary of the Mother’s Front. Member of Parliament, Matara District (SLFP) from 1989 to date. Appointed the Minister of Posts & Telecomm nations in the cabinet of President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga. Also served as the Minister of Urban Development, Construction and Public Utilities in the same Cabinet after the reshuffle. Appointed the Deputy Minister of Finance in addition to the portfolios mentioned above. Chief Opposition whip and the Treasurer of the SLFP from 2002 – 2004. In 2004 he became the Minister of Ports, Aviation and Media in the cabinet of President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga.

In June 2005, after conflicts with Kumaratunga, he dropped the Media Ministry, but remained Minister of Ports and Aviation. He became the campaign manager for Presidential candidate and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse. When Rajapakse won and took office in November 2005, he surprised many by appointing Samaraweera to the additional post of Foreign Minister; Samaraweera maintained his other posts.

In late January 2007 Samaraweera was replaced as Foreign Minister, but remained Minister of Ports and Aviation.^[1] On 9th February 2007, he was sacked from the cabinet together with ministers Anura Bandaranaike and Sripathi Sooriyarachchi after falling out with the president of Sri Lanka.

Samaraweera has graduated in Clothing Design and Technology from St. Martin's School of Art in London and served as a design consultant to the National Design Centre of Sri Lanka prior to his political career.

Samaraweera is the son of late Mahanama Samaraweera, Cabinet Minister Cabinet of Sirimavo Bandaranaike, and Khema Samaraweera, a member of the Matara Urban Council. Mr. Samaraweera was born in 1956 and is a bachelor.