When the National People’s Power government came to power, there were many social media posts that misled the society about their decision and certain actions. Recently, the circulation of such false notes has intensified due to various incidents. Sometimes it appears that those posts have a negative effect on individuals as well. This is an investigation of the facts we have done regarding such a series of social media posts.
Social Media Posts
Various notes are circulating on Facebook and WhatsApp social media these days stating that the government of the National People’s Power has given the opportunity to the popular singer Nadika Guruge’s wife to participate in this years Commonwealth Head of Governments Conference on the basis of their friendship, spending millions.
FB | Archive | FB | Archive | FB | Archive
These notes further state that since this year’s Commonwealth Conference was held in Samoa, an island nation near Australia, without sending an officer named Chitrangani Wageeswara from the Australian High Commissioner’s office, they have sent the wife of Mr. Nadika Guruge, who works as the British High Commissioner. The National People’s Power Government has been accused of having to spend a lot of money for that purpose and misusing public money on the basis of friendship.
This allegation has been made due to Mr. Nadika Guruge’s support for the National People’s Power in the presidential election.
We decided to make an inquiry about this.
Fact Check
This year’s Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2024 was held in Apia, Samoa from 21st to 26th of October under the theme, “One Resilient Common Future: Transforming our Common Wealth”. At the press conference announcing the decision of the Cabinet meeting held on 22nd October, Cabinet Press Secretary Minister Vijitha Herath informed that President Anura Kumara Dissanayake or the ministers will not be participating in this Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. He mentioned there that he could not participate in this conference because of the responsibilities of the cabinet and the upcoming elections.
He mentioned that a delegation consisting of several senior officials of the British High Commission and officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will be participating in the conference.
Here, here and here is how the main stream media in the country have reported on that.
In addition to this, we have investigated whether there have been any incriminating media reports indicating that Mrs. Manori Mallikarachchi, the wife of veteran singer and musician Mr. Nadika Guruge, is participating as an official among the British High Commission officials for the Commonwealth Conference. However, we could not see that the mainstream media has made such a report. But we could see that such accusations were reported on the websites SL Story News and Gossip Kade.
We made an inquiry in this regard with the media section of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. They said that Mr. Nadika Guruge’s wife, Manori Mallikarachchi has been working as a diplomatic officer for 21 years. She was appointed to the British High Commission a few years ago and is currently working as the Deputy High Commissioner. The media section of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told us that her appointment was not made under a new National People’s Force government and that she participated as a diplomatic officer.
They further noted that since Britain had been instrumental in the creation of the Commonwealth and Britain as a country is directly involved in the conference, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs decided to have the representatives of the British High Commission participate as more suitable representatives than the representatives from the Australian High Commission to participate in the Commonwealth Conference. Also, they told us that the decision was not taken because Mr. Nadika Guruge supported the National People’s Force. Even for previous conferences, diplomats from the British Hight Commission have participated.
However, during our investigation regarding Ms. Manori Mallikarachchi, we found that she has been working as the Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs since 2022, and has been working as the Deputy High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to Britain since 2023. In that regard, you can refer to the official news of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Government published at that time here and here.
We also inquired about this incident from the media section of the National People’s Power. They also stated that this decision was taken based on the existing relationship between the Commonwealth and Britain, as the Commonwealth was created from the former colonies of Britain. They further said that a group of representatives including the Secretary of the Ministry of Finance participated in discussions with the International Monetary Fund after the National People’s Power government was appointed, and a former member of the United National Party, Mahinda Samarasinghe, participated as the leader. He participated in it as the American Ambassador to Sri Lanka. The National People’s Power media division stated that the relevant officials were appointed regardless of identity or party affiliation.
More information about the British and Commonwealth Conference can be found by visiting the websites of BBC Sinhala and The Commonwealth.
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Google News | TikTok
Conclusion
This investigation shows that as the President and the ministers are unbale to attend the Commonwealth Conference, officials from the British High Commission and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs participated and among those officials, the wife of musician Nadika Guruge participated as the British Deputy High Commissioner in Sri Lanka. Also, this decision has been taken because the Commonwealth has a closer relationship with Britain than Australia. Accordingly, it is clear from all the facts that Mr. Nadika Guruge has not sent his wife to represent the Commonwealth on the basis of supporting the party (NPP) during the election period. Additionally, the social media posts and news that states, the wife of Mr. Nadika Guruge, as the Deputy British Secretary General, participated at a higher cost on the basis of friendship are false.
