28 March, 2024

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WikiLeaks:T.M.G.Chandrasekera Is A Key US Contact

By Colombo Telegraph –

“He is a key contact of the Press Section, always taking the trouble to assign the best in the station for interviews. Our press events in Colombo and outstations have been well taken care of by him.” the US Embassy Colombo informed Washington.

T.M.G.Chandrasekera

The Colombo Telegraph found the related cable from WikiLeaks database, which details T.M.G.Chandrasekera’s biographic data and justifies his nomination to “TV BROADCAST JOURNALISM” project. The cable is signed by the Ambassador Jeffrey J. Lunstead May 20, 2004.

The US Embassy wrote “Post nominates T.M.G. ‘Chandrasekera’ Deputy Director News and Current Affairs, Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation, for participation in subject project. Post confirms that this nomination has ‘full country team approval.’”

Under the subheading “START MEMO NOMINATING-JUSTIFICATION” they wrote “TMG Chandrasekera was introduced live programming via Rupavahini on the use and advantages of the Internet. As this was aired on national TV, the program reached the grassroots. A visiting lecturer at the University of Peradeniya, TMGC has conducted video program production workshop and has interviewed several top government officials including the president of Sri Lanka. He is a key contact of the Press Section, always taking the trouble to assign the best in the station for interviews. Our press events in Colombo and outstations have been well taken care of by him. This nomination has ‘full Country Team approval.’”

Related stories;

WikiLeaks: Poaddala Jayantha has been a key contact for the Embassy

WkiLeaks: Gota Authorized Paramilitary Operations – Sri Ranga

Read the cable below for further details;

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 COLOMBO 000840 

SIPDIS 

FOR ECA/PE/V/M ALISON MOYLAN/DEBORAH THOMPSON
ALSO FOR ECA/PE/V/R/N LARRY A. MOODY; SA/PD 

E.O. 12958:  N/A
TAGS: OEXC SCUL KPAO OEXC
SUBJECT:  FY 05 IV PROGRAM: SRI LANKAN NOMINEE FOR MRP
"TV BROADCAST JOURNALISM", APRIL 7-28, 2005.
PROJECT NO. E/VM-2005-0019 

REF:  COLOMBO 00765 

1.  Post nominates T.M.G. "Chandrasekera" Deputy Director
News and Current Affairs, Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation,
for participation in subject project.  Post confirms that
this nomination has "full country team approval." 

2.  Nomination is as follows:
START FIXED-FORMAT TEXT (PLEASE DO NOT EDIT):
: The following data is in a fixed format which enables
: automated processing in Washington and should not be
: edited except by means of the Post-EVDB software.
EXPORT-SOURCE: POST-EVDB
VERSION: 3.0.7
POST-EMAIL: tilakawardenac@state.gov
TRANSMITTING-POST: PAS  Colombo
TRANSMITTING-POST-ID: 2929
EXPORT-TYPE: BIO DATA
START NOMINATION:
ECA-OFFICE: E/VGN
PROG-AGENCY-NAME:
POST-PROJ-ID: 114
ECA-PROJ-NO: E/VM-2005-0019
PROJ-NAME: TV Broadcast Journalism -April 7-28, 2005
START MEMO PROJ-DESC: 

END MEMO PROJ-DESC:
PROJ-TYPE: Multi-Regional
PROG-TYPE: IV Grant Visitor
FY: 2004
DEPART-POST: 04/05/2005
SESSION-DATE: 04/07/2005
RETURN-POST: 04/30/2005
NO-OF-PART: 1
RANK-ORDER: 0
START MEMO POST-OBJ:
This nomination is in support of MPP goal on "Democratic
Systems and Practices"
END MEMO POST-OBJ:
START MEMO POST-RCMD: 

END MEMO POST-RCMD:
ECA-OFFICE-ID: 1039
PROG-AGENCY-ID:
PROJ-TYPE-ID: MRP
PROG-TYPE-ID: 29
NOMINATING-POST-ID: 2929
FUNDING-CNTRY-ID:
STATUS: N
ORIGINATOR: U
SUBJ-DISC: Broadcast Journalism
START BIO:
PREFIX: Mr.
F-NAME: Tennekoon
M-NAME: M. Gunawardena
L-NAME: CHANDRASEKERA
SUFFIX:
POSITION-CODE: 610
PRINCIPAL?: Yes
M-ADDR1: News Division
M-ADDR2: Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation
M-ADDR3: Independence Square
M-CITY: Colombo 7
M-STATE:
M-CNTRY: Sri Lanka
M-ZONE:
M-ZIP:
M-PHONE: (94-777) 726-4062
M-FAX: (94-11) 258-0134
M-EMAIL: tmgc@email.com
M-CNTRY-ID: CE
M-ADDRTYPE: B
GENDER: M
DOB: 11/12/1959
MAR-STAT: M
BIRTH-CITY: Ratmalgahaweva
BIRTH-CNTRY: Sri Lanka
CITIZ-CNTRY: Sri Lanka
RES-CNTRY: Sri Lanka
START MEMO POSITION:
Deputy Director, News and Current Affairs, Sri Lanka
Rupavahini Corporation (SLRC), December 2003- to date
END MEMO POSITION:
START MEMO OTHER-POSITIONS:
TV program presenter and moderator for live programs, 1995-
to date
END MEMO OTHER-POSITIONS:
START MEMO PREV-POSITIONS:
1995-2003 - Producer and Assistant Director, News and
Current Affairs, SLRC
1986-95 - Editor, Economic Review of Saturday Divaina
1986-95 - Editorial writer and feature writer of Saturday
Divaina and 

END MEMO PREV-POSITIONS:
START MEMO US-TRAVEL:
September 1999 - To cover president's participation at the
IMF - G 24 Summit
END MEMO US-TRAVEL:
START MEMO OTHER-TRAVEL:
Bangladesh - January 2004 - 12th SAARC Summit
Canada - 1999 - International Conference on Federalism
Scotland - 1997 - Commonwealth Summit
China - 1996 - To cover president's visit to China
END MEMO OTHER-TRAVEL:
START MEMO EDUCATION:
B.A. Hons. in Philosophy, University of Kelaniya, 1984
END MEMO EDUCATION:
START MEMO MEMBERSHIPS:
Member, Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association
END MEMO MEMBERSHIPS:
START MEMO PUBLICATIONS: 

END MEMO PUBLICATIONS:
START MEMO SPEC-CONSID: 

END MEMO SPEC-CONSID:
FIRST-LANG: Sinhala
ENGL-READ: 3
ENGL-SPEAK: 3
ENGL-COMP: 3
START MEMO NOM-POST-OBJ:
This nomination is in support of MPP goal on "Democratic
Systems and Practices"
END MEMO NOM-POST-OBJ:
START MEMO NOM-POST-RCMD: 

END MEMO NOM-POST-RCMD:
START MEMO VIS-OBJ: 

END MEMO VIS-OBJ:
START MEMO VIS-REC: 

END MEMO VIS-REC:
NOMINATING-OFFICER: Bruce A. Lohof
START MEMO NOMINATING-JUSTIFICATION:
TMG Chandrasekera was introduced live programming via
Rupavahini on the use and advantages of the Internet. As
this was aired on national TV, the program reached the
grassroots.  A visiting lecturer at the University of
Peradeniya, TMGC has conducted video program production
workshop and has interviewed several top government
officials including the president of Sri Lanka.  He is a
key contact of the Press Section, always taking the trouble
to assign the best in the station for interviews.  Our
press events in Colombo and outstations have been well
taken care of by him.
This nomination has "full Country Team approval." 

END MEMO NOMINATING-JUSTIFICATION:
NOM-OFF: Public Affairs
SPEAKER?: No
NOTIFY-EMB: Yes
MEDIA?: No
HOME-STAY: Yes
HOME-HOSP?: Yes
E-I-TYPE:
NOMINEE-ID: 153
PERSON-ID: 160
BIRTH-CNTRY-ID: CE
CITIZ-CNTRY-ID: CE
RES-CNTRY-ID: CE
FIRST-LANG-ID: SI
E-I-TYPE-ID:
NOM-POST-ID: 2929
NOM-FUNDING-CNTRY-ID:
NOM-STATUS: N
DS2019-ACTION: 1
DS2019-SUBJECT: 09.0402
SPONS-FUNDS: 0
SPONS-AGENCY1: DOS
USGOVT-AGENCY1: DOS
US-AGENCY-AMT1: 8000
USGOVT-AGENCY2:
US-AGENCY-AMT2: 0
INTL-ORG1:
INTL-ORG-AMOUNT1: 0
INTL-ORG2:
INTL-ORG-AMOUNT2: 0
VIS-GOVT-AMT: 0
COMMISSION: 0
OTHER-AMOUNT: 0
VIS-AMOUNT: 0
VIS-CAT: 5
END BIO:
END NOMINATION:
END FIXED-FORMAT TEXT: 

3.  Please advise acceptance of this nomination. 

LUNSTEAD
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Latest comments

  • 0
    0

    Well If TGM was nominated for interviewing the President
    then the US should consider building a monument for Richard De Sozsa, Prema Keerthi, Sivaram and Lasantha ( at least for the last few years of his work)

    • 0
      0

      You are wrong Mr SR, he was nominated because he was a US contact. This is the way they pay back. ;)

  • 0
    0

    Dear SR and RS,

    The program he was elected is called the “international leadership program ” and been organised by the U.S government every year.
    They invite various leaders from various sectors around the world to visit U.S and organise seminars to exchange their knowledge with eachother.
    * Mr SR even the late mr lasantha was a participant of this program (so as hundreds of journalist every year )

    *Ms.RS please re-consider your comment about TMG been a US contact because our honorable excellency president Rajapaksa was once a participant too ;) ahhh not forgetting our own opposition leader Mr Ranil Wickramasinghe aswell :P

    • 0
      0

      Hello G.Dinith,
      This is not the ILP program but “TV BROADCAST JOURNALISM” project. Read well friend. He is a US contact, that is what US Embassy cable says. So, I was not wrong to say this is a bribe. read the justification.

  • 0
    0

    Dear Renuka,

    He went representing the “TV BROADCAST JOURNALISM” field, above mentioned parties went representing the political field etc.
    what ever the sector is every one was invited by the The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State.
    if you want more information please refer their web site

    http://exchanges.state.gov/ivlp/

    • 0
      0

      I just searched his name in the web link you have given, but no match . anyway it doesn’t make any difference either.Read the cable; //He is a key contact of the Press Section, always taking the trouble to assign the best in the station for interviews. Our press events in Colombo and outstations have been well taken care of by him. This nomination has ‘full Country Team approval.// It is the justification. Pakkali kam keereema and thorathuru deema. LOL
      This the way they bribe.

  • 0
    0

    another spy. when USA say a key contact that is more than enough to understand… grow up guys

  • 0
    0

    Let me put this in correct perspective, as I was in Colombo’s American Embassy from 1970 through 1995 as ,first, public affairs specialist, and in the last 15 years, as political specialist. The embassy’s puublic affairs office or the political office nominate Sri Lankan personalities in arts, culture, trade/commerece, political and media who are not necessarily known to them but who have potential to influence the Sri Lankan society, policymakers or those who assist policymakers. They are sent to the US on many programs such as International visiter Program on which Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa went as one of my nominees, and other programs funded by the State Department. Whenn they return, ofcourse, the embassy maaintain close contacts with them, something called public diplomacy any foreign country does for its own benifit, although Sri Lanka does not know what public diplomacy means. ‘Potential Leaders List’ is another devise to recognize future leaders to manitan close repport. Sri lanka, at this crucial time needs to learn these manoevers. – Daya Gamage

  • 0
    0

    Thank you Mr Gamage to your expleninig of diplomatic verstion to Kradbord Hero

  • 0
    0

    telegraph editor.my self also works at rupawahini newsdesk. this tmg is divaina weliweriya repoter. his friend is ex rupawahini director genaral m jayasigha alias ala jayasingha.. tmg was app.by him. we knoe he passed somany govt information to top unp henchman and embassy people… minister sripathi suriaracchi found that and transfers to computer division the he met vindya tissera of u.s media and passed inf. now after londtime we thank for you about this expose

  • 0
    0

    Dear Mr.SR,

    Our honorable excellency president Rajapaksa ,former priminister Mr.Rathnasiri Wickramanayake,Mr.Ranil wickramasinghe were participants of this programme.

    Please refer the below link for more information.And i guess Mr.Daya Gamage’s explanations will clear of your doubts.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Visitor_Leadership_Program.

    And also these kind of misconfusions happen for the people who like frogs in the well.

    So better think twice before criticizing one’s character .

  • 0
    0

    If I may add to this civilized discourse, public affairs, public diplomacy and strategic communication are the solid pillers of any nation’s dealinginggs with the outside world. A nation’s policymakers need to understand the past policy successsess and failures to expect future policy goals by using those THREE PILLERS. Unfortunately, Sri Lanka doesn’t seem to have understood the importance of these techniques very well used by the United States through its State Department and US Agency for International Development (USAID). Various State Department-funded programs are well used by the United States based on its most valued ‘in house’ researche and developed Potential Leadership List. Sri Lanka’s external affaairs ministry and the presidential secretariat need to identify US government, US congressional influential personalities to develop and establish contacts. If they had identified them Sri lanka would not have faced the calamity it is facing today in the international arena with the pro-LTTE groups having the last word. DAYA GAMAGE

  • 0
    0

    dear sirs. i also works at u.s unformation. this dayagamage is a henchman,, u.s autharities select only people who suppoted them so many years ago u.s selected another divaina man his name is daya fernando this crook supply inf. to embassy. today he is in u.s with his family. even saman wagaarachchi and chandrasiri katydeniya the two media kman also settle in u,s why they passed information

  • 0
    0

    govt nespapers said that nimalaka, uvindu. poddala are tratiors so what about t.m.g chandrasekara.. pl ask ramawickrama of rupawahini. about this tmg.. how he works tmg is ex priest he cut so many nhecks in rupawahini senior people how he bought cars,, if sripathi suriaracchch is alive he will expose all the thigs of tmg

  • 0
    0

    sir please inquire that mervyn silva and tmg episode its a plan by tmg to visit u.s with his family. we know that mervyn never hit tmg. but this man said mervyn hit him and inform sirasa goons . who are the people take mervyns gold chain .editor why dont you expose this plans

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