22 Facts About Mangala Samaraweera

Mangala Samaraweera was the first openly gay politician in Sri Lanka.

Mangala Samaraweera served as Minister of Finance from 2017 to 2019, and as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, for two terms from 2005 to 2007 and 2015 to 2017.

Mangala Samaraweera created a stir in Sri Lankan politics when he was sacked as a minister by President Mahinda Rajapaksa in 2007, after which he split from the Sri Lanka Freedom Party to form his own wing, which later merged with the United National Party in 2010.

Mangala Samaraweera was born on 21 April 1956 in Matara, Sri Lanka, the son of Mahanama Samaraweera and Khema Padmawathi Amaraweera.

Mangala Samaraweera's father was a cabinet Minister of Local Government, Housing, Communications, Posts and Telecommunications in Sirimavo Bandaranaike's government and his mother served as a member of the Matara Urban Council.

Mangala Samaraweera entered politics from the Sri Lanka Freedom Party as its chief organiser in Matara in 1983.

Mangala Samaraweera was introduced as Khema's boy when he was appointed as SLFP's chief organiser.

Mangala Samaraweera later became the SLFP party's Assistant Secretary and Coordinating Secretary of the Mother's Front.

Mangala Samaraweera served as human rights campaigner in the 1980s during when Ranasinghe Premadasa was the President of Sri Lanka.

Mangala Samaraweera first entered the Parliament of Sri Lanka as a representative of the Matara District in 1989, and he was appointed Minister of Post and Telecommunications in the cabinet of President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga in 1994.

Mangala Samaraweera served as the Minister of Urban Development, Construction and Public Utilities in the same Cabinet after a reshuffle and was later given the Deputy Minister of Finance portfolio.

Mangala Samaraweera became the campaign manager for Presidential candidate and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse.

In late January 2007, Mangala Samaraweera was replaced as Foreign Minister, but remained as Minister of Ports and Aviation.

Mangala Samaraweera then went on to create a new political party, the SLFP wing.

Mangala Samaraweera later became a vocal critic of Rajapaksa family and Rajapaksa government after being ousted by Mahinda Rajapaksa from his cabinet.

On 12 January 2015, Mangala Samaraweera was again appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs under newly elected President Maithripala Sirisena.

Mangala Samaraweera was reported to have played a major role in the break up of the United National Party and led the formation of Samagi Jana Balavegaya.

Mangala Samaraweera resigned from the position of Finance minister as of 17 November 2019 only hours prior to release of the general election results.

Mangala Samaraweera criticised Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith in 2018 for Ranjith's comments on human rights and, in 2019, blamed Ranjith for visiting a Buddhist monk who was fasting.

Mangala Samaraweera was accused of using Sri Lanka Transport Board buses to transport and locate voters for the 2019 Presidential election during his tenure as finance minister.

Mangala Samaraweera died on 24 August 2021 at the age of 65 due to COVID-19.

Mangala Samaraweera was diagnosed with COVID-19 despite being fully vaccinated with both doses.