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
Suren Raghavan / May 9, 2012
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)
/
Renuka Siriwardena. / May 9, 2012
You are wrong Mr SR, he was nominated because he was a US contact. This is the way they pay back. ;)
/
G. Dineth / May 10, 2012
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
/
Renuka Siriwardena. / May 10, 2012
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.
/
G. Dineth / May 10, 2012
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/
/
Renuka Siriwardena. / May 10, 2012
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.
/
Nana / May 10, 2012
another spy. when USA say a key contact that is more than enough to understand… grow up guys
/
Daya Gamage / May 10, 2012
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
/
TMG / May 11, 2012
Thank you Mr Gamage to your expleninig of diplomatic verstion to Kradbord Hero
/
kalumbandara / May 11, 2012
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
/
D.A / May 11, 2012
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 .
/
Daya Gamage / May 11, 2012
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
/
janaka fernando / May 12, 2012
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
/
nishantha perera / May 13, 2012
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
/
sudesh chandrasiri / May 13, 2012
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
/