Cablegate: Fy-2003 International Visitor Program:

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 COLOMBO 002188

SIPDIS

STATE FOR ECA/PE/V/F/A; ECA/PE/V/G/N-ASHIFFLETT;
SA/PD

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OEXC SCUL KPAO OEXC
SUBJECT: FY-2003 INTERNATIONAL VISITOR PROGRAM:
POST'S NOMINEES FOR SRI LANKA

REF: (A) STATE 50054, (B) STATE 32608

1. PAS COLOMBO REQUESTS FOR A FUNDED VOLVIS (TWO
INDIVIDUALS TRAVELING TOGETHER - ITT) PROGRAM ON
JUDICIAL PROCESS AND RULE OF LAW. POST NOMINATES
JUSTICE NISSANKA UDALAGAMA AND JUSTICE NIMAL
DISSANAYAKE, BOTH JUDGES OF THE COURT OF APPEAL OF
SRI LANKA, FOR PARTICIPATION IN A 14-DAY VOLUNTARY
VISITOR PROGRAM ON JUDICIAL PROCESS AND RULE OF LAW.
PLEASE ADVISE IF THIS PROJECT CAN BE ACCEPTED FOR
PROGRAMMING. THEY WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR PROGRAMMING
IN LATE DECEMBER OR EARLY JANUARY, AND COULD ARRANGE
THEIR TRAVEL ACCORDINGLY.

2. THE NOMINEES' BIO DATA, JUSTIFICATION AND PROGRAM
SUGGESTIONS IN EVDB FORMAT FOLLOWS.

EXPORT-SOURCE: USIS EVDB
VERSION: 3.0.0
POST-EMAIL: rscmb@pd.state.gov
TRANSMITTING-POST: PAS Colombo
TRANSMITTING-POST-ID: 2929
EXPORT-TYPE: BIO DATA
START NOMINATION:
USIA-OFFICE: E/VGN
PROG-AGENCY-NAME:
POST-PROJ-ID: 67
USIA-PROJ-NO:
PROJ-NAME: Single Country - Voluntary Visitors -
Judicial Process and Rule of Law
START MEMO PROJ-DESC:
This is a proposal for a 14-day funded voluntary
visitor program for two judges of the Court of
Appeal of Sri Lanka to observe the structure and
function of the American judicial system, including
its federal nature and its role in protecting human
rights; deepen the understanding of court
administration in particular and the criminal
justice system in the U.S. in general. It should
also include caseload management, computerization,
and the training of judges to adapt to new
technology.
END MEMO PROJ-DESC:
PROJ-TYPE: Single Country Project
PROG-TYPE: IV Grant Visitor
FY: 2003
DEPART-POST: 11/23/2002
SESSION-DATE: 11/18/2002
RETURN-POST: 12/10/2002
NO-OF-PART: 2
RANK-ORDER: 0
START MEMO POST-OBJ:
The Court of Appeal of Sri Lanka is equivalent to
the United States Court of Appeal. The nominees
are senior judges of the Court of Appeal who are
likely to be promoted to the Supreme Court of Sri
Lanka in the very near future. This project is
keeping with the broad Mission Program Plan Goal of
'Supporting human rights, democracy and the rule of
law in Sri Lanka.' It also supports 'Improving
understanding of U.S. policy and its underlying
context.' Post objectives in proposing this project
are to:
-- provide better qualified and knowledgeable judges
to serve justice without delay, thus enhancing the
faith of Sri Lankan citizens in the judicial system
and strengthening an independent judiciary as a key
element of democracy;
-- Ensure that the rule of law as practiced in the
U.S. is better understood by key members of the
judicial branch in Sri Lanka, encouraging them to
apply positive lessons learned from their U.S.
experience in administering justice in Sri Lanka;
-- provide speedier relief to victims of human
rights violations, political prisoners, detainees,
families of the disappeared and torture victims
through more efficient court system.
The two candidates nominated for this program are
well qualified both to participate fully in program
activities and to implement lessons learned upon
their return to Sri Lanka.

END MEMO POST-OBJ:
START MEMO POST-RCMD:
The two judges nominated are judges of the Court of
Appeal of Sri Lanka with wide experience in the
judicial system in Sri Lanka. However, they have
not had any exposure to the U.S. judicial system or
to the American society. Therefore, the program
should focus on the structure and function of the
American judicial system, including its federal
nature and its role in protecting human rights. The
participants should gain exposure to the use of
modern information technologies in administration of
the judicial system, caseload management and the
training of judges to adapt to new technology. The
program should also be designated to deepen their
understanding of court administration in particular
and the criminal justice system in general.
END MEMO POST-RCMD:
USIA-OFFICE-ID: 1039
PROG-AGENCY-ID:
PROJ-TYPE-ID: SCP
PROG-TYPE-ID: 29
NOMINATING-POST-ID: 2929
FUNDING-CNTRY-ID:
STATUS: N
ORIGINATOR: P
SUBJ-DISC: Administration of Justice

3A. JUSTICE NISSANKA UDALAGAMA
START BIO:
PREFIX: Mr.
F-NAME: Nissanka
M-NAME: Kumara
L-NAME: UDALAGAMA
SUFFIX:
PRINCIPAL?: Yes
M-ADDR1: Court of Appeal of Sri Lanka
M-ADDR2: Superior Court Complex
M-ADDR3: Hulftsdorp Street
M-CITY: Colombo 12
M-STATE:
M-CNTRY: Sri Lanka
M-ZONE:
M-ZIP:
M-PHONE: (94-1) 433-445
M-FAX: (94-1) 433-466
M-EMAIL: nisanga@sol.lk
M-CNTRY-ID: CE
M-ADDRTYPE: B
GENDER: M
DOB: 12/09/1941
MAR-STAT: M
BIRTH-CITY:
BIRTH-CNTRY: Sri Lanka
CITIZ-CNTRY: Sri Lanka
RES-CNTRY: Sri Lanka
START MEMO POSITION:
Judge of the Court of Appeal, June 1999- to date
END MEMO POSITION:
START MEMO OTHER-POSITIONS:

END MEMO OTHER-POSITIONS:
START MEMO PREV-POSITIONS:
1991-99 - High Court Judge (served in Central and
Sabaragamuwa Provinces)
1982-90 - District Judge (served in Monaragala,
Mannar, Maho, Ratnapura and Kandy)
1976-81 - Magistrate (served in Tissamaharama,
Anuradhapura and Kuliyapitiya)

END MEMO PREV-POSITIONS:
START MEMO US-TRAVEL:
No
END MEMO US-TRAVEL:
START MEMO OTHER-TRAVEL:
Cambridge, U.K. (September 1998) - Participated in
the 13th International Symposium on Economic Crime
Kathmandu, Nepal (January 2001) - Attended the Asia
Pacific Advisory Forum on Judicial Education in
Equality Issues

END MEMO OTHER-TRAVEL:
START MEMO EDUCATION:
Senior School Certificate, 1958
General Certificate of Education (Advanced) Level
examination, 1960
Attorney-at-Law, Sri Lanka Law College, 1968
END MEMO EDUCATION:
START MEMO MEMBERSHIPS:

END MEMO MEMBERSHIPS:
START MEMO PUBLICATIONS:

END MEMO PUBLICATIONS:
START MEMO SPEC-CONSID:

END MEMO SPEC-CONSID:
FIRST-LANG: Sinhala
ENGL-READ: 4
ENGL-SPEAK: 4
ENGL-COMP: 4
START MEMO NOM-POST-OBJ:

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:
Justice Udalagama entered the Sri Lankan judiciary
as a Magistrate in 1976. He was promoted a District
Judge in 1982 and then a High Court Judge prior to
his appointment to the Court Appeal of Sri Lanka.
He is like to be promoted to the Supreme Court of
Sri Lanka, the highest court in Sri Lanka, in the
near future. Even after the retirement at the age
of 65 these senior judges are called in to serve in
many important commissions and other statutory
bodies and continue to play a key role in the
judicial process and rule of law.
END MEMO NOMINATING-JUSTIFICATION:
NOM-OFF: Public Affairs
SPEAKER?: No
NOTIFY-EMB: Yes
MEDIA?: No
HOME-STAY: No
HOME-HOSP?: Yes
E-I-TYPE: ELEO
NOMINEE-ID: 98
PERSON-ID: 102
BIRTH-CNTRY-ID: CE
CITIZ-CNTRY-ID: CE
RES-CNTRY-ID: CE
FIRST-LANG-ID: SI
E-I-TYPE-ID: E
NOM-POST-ID: 2929
NOM-FUNDING-CNTRY-ID:
NOM-STATUS: N
END BIO:

3B. JUSTICE NIMAL DISSANAYAKE
START BIO:
PREFIX: Mr.
F-NAME: Nimal
M-NAME: Edward
L-NAME: DISSANAYAKE
SUFFIX:
PRINCIPAL?: Yes
M-ADDR1: Court of Appeal of Sri Lanka
M-ADDR2: Superior Court Complex
M-ADDR3: Hulftsdorp Street
M-CITY: Colombo 12
M-STATE:
M-CNTRY: Sri Lanka
M-ZONE:
M-ZIP:
M-PHONE: (94-1) 433-466
M-FAX: (94-1) 433-466
M-EMAIL:
M-CNTRY-ID: CE
M-ADDRTYPE: B
GENDER: M
DOB: 04/23/1943
MAR-STAT: M
BIRTH-CITY:
BIRTH-CNTRY: Sri Lanka
CITIZ-CNTRY: Sri Lanka
RES-CNTRY: Sri Lanka
START MEMO POSITION:
Judge of the Court of Appeal, December 1999- to date
END MEMO POSITION:
START MEMO OTHER-POSITIONS:

END MEMO OTHER-POSITIONS:
START MEMO PREV-POSITIONS:
April 1991 - Nov. 1999 - High Court Judge
Nov. 1981 - 1988 - District Judge
October 1976 - October 1981 - Magistrate
END MEMO PREV-POSITIONS:
START MEMO US-TRAVEL:
No
END MEMO US-TRAVEL:
START MEMO OTHER-TRAVEL:
Netherlands (1990) - Attended a study tour on
Social, Cultural Impart and Other Aspects of Sri
Lankan Children Adopted by Foster Parents
Halifax, Canada (1997) - Participated in a training
program for judges conducted by the Commonwealth
Judicial Institute
New Delhi, India (2001) - Attended a seminar on
Justifiability of Social and Economic Rights,
conducted by the UNHCR

END MEMO OTHER-TRAVEL:
START MEMO EDUCATION:
Attorney-at-Law, Sri Lanka Law College, 1967
END MEMO EDUCATION:
START MEMO MEMBERSHIPS:

END MEMO MEMBERSHIPS:
START MEMO PUBLICATIONS:

END MEMO PUBLICATIONS:
START MEMO SPEC-CONSID:

END MEMO SPEC-CONSID:
FIRST-LANG: Sinhala
ENGL-READ: 4
ENGL-SPEAK: 4
ENGL-COMP: 4
START MEMO NOM-POST-OBJ:

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:
Mr. Dissanayake has been a judicial officer since
1976. starting from the bottom of the judicial
service as a Magistrate he rose to be a District
Judge and then a High Court Judge prior to his
appointment to the Appeal Court. He is likely to be
appointed to the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka in the
very near future. A voluntary Visitor program on
American judicial system will provide the necessary
exposure for him to understand the American system
and to be familiar with the many legal aspects are
treated in U.S. courts. He could use the additional
knowledge he would acquire through this program to
push for judicial reforms necessary in Sri Lanka.

As stated previously, even after the retirement at
the age of 65 these senior judges are called in to
serve in many important commissions and other
statutory bodies and continue to play a key role in
the judicial process and rule of law.

END MEMO NOMINATING-JUSTIFICATION:
NOM-OFF: Public Affairs
SPEAKER?: No
NOTIFY-EMB: Yes
MEDIA?: Yes
HOME-STAY: Yes
HOME-HOSP?: Yes
E-I-TYPE: ELEO
NOMINEE-ID: 99
PERSON-ID: 103
BIRTH-CNTRY-ID: CE
CITIZ-CNTRY-ID: CE
RES-CNTRY-ID: CE
FIRST-LANG-ID: SI
E-I-TYPE-ID: E
NOM-POST-ID: 2929
NOM-FUNDING-CNTRY-ID:
NOM-STATUS: N
END BIO:
END NOMINATION:

4. PLEASE ADVISE IF THIS PROJECT CAN BE ACCEPTED AND
THE PROGRAM DATE AVAILABLE.
WILLS

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