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

270615Z Jan 06

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 06 COLOMBO 000159 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR ECA/PE/V/N-COLLEEN FLEMING/ERICKA DIGGINS; 
SA/PD 
 
E.O. 12958:N/A 
TAGS: OEXC SCUL KPAO OEXC
SUBJECT: SRI LANKAN NOMINEES FOR EDWARD R. MURROW PROGRAM 
FOR JOURNALISTS, SA, APRIL 3-21, 2006 
 
REF: STATE 224120 
 
¶1. Post nominates Ms. Zainab Ibrahim, Assistant Editor, 
Lanka Business Online, as principal nominee, and Ms. Namini 
Wijedasa, Assistant Editor, Sunday Island, and Ms. Dilshani 
Samaraweera, Senior Business Journalist, Lanka Business 
Online, as first and second alternate nominees 
respectively, for participation in the subject program. 
Post confirms that these nominations have FULL COUNTRY TEAM 
APPROVAL. 
 
¶2. Nominations are as follow: 
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: 194 
ECA-PROJ-NO: 
PROJ-NAME: Edward R. Murrow Program for Journalists, SA - 
April 3-21, 2006 
START MEMO PROJ-DESC: 
 
END MEMO PROJ-DESC: 
PROJ-TYPE: Regional 
PROG-TYPE: IV Grant Visitor 
FY: 2006 
DEPART-POST: 4/1/2006 
SESSION-DATE: 4/3/2006 
RETURN-POST: 4/24/2006 
NO-OF-PART: 3 
RANK-ORDER: 0 
START MEMO POST-OBJ: 
This nomination is in support of MPP goal "Supporting 
Democratic System and Practices." 
END MEMO POST-OBJ: 
START MEMO POST-RCMD: 
 
END MEMO POST-RCMD: 
ECA-OFFICE-ID: 1039 
PROG-AGENCY-ID: 
PROJ-TYPE-ID: RP 
PROG-TYPE-ID: 29 
NOMINATING-POST-ID: 2929 
FUNDING-CNTRY-ID: 
STATUS: N 
ORIGINATOR: P 
SUBJ-DISC: Electronic Publications 
START BIO: 
PREFIX: Ms. 
F-NAME: Zainab 
M-NAME: 
L-NAME: IBRAHIM 
SUFFIX: 
POSITION-CODE: 622 
PRINCIPAL?: Yes 
M-ADDR1: 37 Auburn Side 
M-ADDR2: 
M-ADDR3: 
M-CITY: Dehiwela 
M-STATE: 
M-CNTRY: Sri Lanka 
M-ZONE: 
M-ZIP: 
M-PHONE: (94-11) 273-4003 
M-FAX: 
M-EMAIL: 
M-CNTRY-ID: CE 
M-ADDRTYPE: H 
GENDER: F 
DOB: 12/18/1983 
MAR-STAT: S 
BIRTH-CITY: Dubai 
BIRTH-CNTRY: United Arab Emirates 
CITIZ-CNTRY: Sri Lanka 
RES-CNTRY: Sri Lanka 
START MEMO POSITION: 
Assistant Editor, Lanka Business Online, February 2005 to 
date 
END MEMO POSITION: 
START MEMO OTHER-POSITIONS: 
 
END MEMO OTHER-POSITIONS: 
START MEMO PREV-POSITIONS: 
2000-January 2005 - Reporter, Lanka Business Online, 
END MEMO PREV-POSITIONS: 
START MEMO US-TRAVEL: 
None 
END MEMO US-TRAVEL: 
START MEMO OTHER-TRAVEL: 
Dubai, UAE - 1983-85, lived with parents 
India - 2004 (two weeks), holiday 
END MEMO OTHER-TRAVEL: 
START MEMO EDUCATION: 
Diploma in Journalism and Mass Communication, Sri Lanka 
Foundation Institute, 2001 
Diploma in International Affairs, Bandaranaike Centre for 
International Studies, 2003 
Final Year - Bachelor of Science Degree, Open University of 
Sri Lanka 
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: Tamil 
ENGL-READ: 4 
ENGL-SPEAK: 4 
ENGL-COMP: 4 
START OTHER-LANGS: 
OTHER-LANG: Sinhala 
OTHER-LANG-ID: SI 
READ: 3 
SPEAK: 3 
COMP: 3 
END OTHER-LANGS: 
START MEMO NOM-POST-OBJ: 
This nomination is in support of MPP goal "Supporting 
Democratic System 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: Philip A. Frayne 
START MEMO NOMINATING-JUSTIFICATION: 
Zainab Ibrahim is one of Sri Lanka?s most serious and 
committed young journalists.  At Embassy press conferences, 
Zainab is always the best prepared and asks the most 
pertinent questions.  She contributes balanced and timely 
pieces to Lanka Business Online, one of the most sought- 
after commercial news sources in Sri Lanka.  Zainab 
displays maturity beyond her years, and will certainly rise 
to the top of her profession with additional experience. 
Participation in this program will enable Ms. Ibrahim to 
better hone her already good reporting skills. 
 
END MEMO NOMINATING-JUSTIFICATION: 
NOM-OFF: PD 
SPEAKER?: No 
NOTIFY-EMB: Yes 
MEDIA?: No 
HOME-STAY: No 
HOME-HOSP?: Yes 
E-I-TYPE: 
NOMINEE-ID: 267 
PERSON-ID: 280 
BIRTH-CNTRY-ID: TC 
CITIZ-CNTRY-ID: CE 
RES-CNTRY-ID: CE 
FIRST-LANG-ID: TC 
E-I-TYPE-ID: 
NOM-POST-ID: 2929 
NOM-FUNDING-CNTRY-ID: 
NOM-STATUS: N 
DS2019-ACTION: 1 
DS2019-SUBJECT: 09.0401 
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: 
START BIO: 
PREFIX: Ms. 
F-NAME: Namini 
M-NAME: Nimilamalee 
L-NAME: WIJEDASA 
SUFFIX: 
POSITION-CODE: 622 
PRINCIPAL?: No 
GENDER: F 
DOB: 10/25/1976 
MAR-STAT: M 
BIRTH-CITY: Colombo 
BIRTH-CNTRY: Sri Lanka 
CITIZ-CNTRY: Sri Lanka 
RES-CNTRY: Sri Lanka 
START MEMO POSITION: 
Assistant Editor, Sunday Island, 2001 to date 
END MEMO POSITION: 
START MEMO OTHER-POSITIONS: 
Stringer for NHK (Nihon Hoso Kyokai), Japan, 2001 to date 
END MEMO OTHER-POSITIONS: 
START MEMO PREV-POSITIONS: 
2000-2001 - Correspondent, Associated Press 
1998-2000 - News Editor, Midweek Mirror/Daily Mirror 
1994-1998 - Journalist, The Island 
1996-99 - Freelanced as a news presenter/reporter for 
Capital Radio Colombo 
END MEMO PREV-POSITIONS: 
START MEMO US-TRAVEL: 
2003 (two months) - Recipient of Dag Hammarskjold 
Fellowship of the UN Correspondents' Association 
END MEMO US-TRAVEL: 
START MEMO OTHER-TRAVEL: 
Malta - 2005 - To cover Commonwealth Heads of Government 
meeting 
Berlin, Germany - December 2005 - Represented Sri Lanka at 
an international conference organize by Friedrich Ebert 
Stiftung 
London, U.K. - 2004 - Intern, Communications and Public 
Affairs Division of the Commonwealth Secretariat 
France - 1999 ? Three-month holiday 
European Countries - 1990 - Holiday 
Bahrain - 1982-91 - Lived with parents 
END MEMO OTHER-TRAVEL: 
START MEMO EDUCATION: 
Bachelor of Arts, University of Kelaniya, 2003 
END MEMO EDUCATION: 
START MEMO MEMBERSHIPS: 
 
END MEMO MEMBERSHIPS: 
START MEMO PUBLICATIONS: 
Contributed several articles to 'LMD,'  'Business Today,' 
(English monthly magazines) and 'Femina' (English monthly 
women's magazine) 
END MEMO PUBLICATIONS: 
START MEMO SPEC-CONSID: 
 
END MEMO SPEC-CONSID: 
FIRST-LANG: Sinhala 
ENGL-READ: 4 
ENGL-SPEAK: 4 
ENGL-COMP: 4 
START OTHER-LANGS: 
OTHER-LANG: French 
OTHER-LANG-ID: FR 
READ: 3 
SPEAK: 3 
COMP: 3 
END OTHER-LANGS: 
START MEMO NOM-POST-OBJ: 
This nomination is in support of MPP goal "Supporting 
Democratic System 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: Philip A. Frayne 
START MEMO NOMINATING-JUSTIFICATION: 
Namini Wijedasa is known in media circles for asking the 
important, challenging questions.  Unlike many of her 
peers, she will not take a press release at face value; she 
returns to multiple sources for clarification and 
perspective in her stories for the English-language Island. 
Her dynamic English expression and commitment to 
investigative journalism have carried her far, despite her 
young age.  She stands out clearly as one of the elite, 
bright journalists of Sri Lanka. 
 
END MEMO NOMINATING-JUSTIFICATION: 
NOM-OFF: PD 
SPEAKER?: No 
NOTIFY-EMB: Yes 
MEDIA?: No 
HOME-STAY: No 
HOME-HOSP?: Yes 
E-I-TYPE: 
NOMINEE-ID: 268 
PERSON-ID: 281 
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: 09.0401 
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: 
START BIO: 
PREFIX: Ms. 
F-NAME: Dilshani 
M-NAME: 
L-NAME: SAMARAWEERA 
SUFFIX: 
POSITION-CODE: 622 
PRINCIPAL?: No 
M-ADDR1: 15 Prof. Ediriweera Sarathchandra Mawatha 
M-ADDR2: Epitamulla Road 
M-ADDR3: 
M-CITY: Pitakotte 
M-STATE: 
M-CNTRY: Sri Lanka 
M-ZONE: 
M-ZIP: 
M-PHONE: (94-77) 726-9708 
M-FAX: 
M-EMAIL: dilsh100@yahoo.co.uk 
M-CNTRY-ID: CE 
M-ADDRTYPE: B 
GENDER: F 
DOB: 09/11/1975 
MAR-STAT: S 
BIRTH-CITY: Colombo 
BIRTH-CNTRY: Sri Lanka 
CITIZ-CNTRY: Sri Lanka 
RES-CNTRY: Sri Lanka 
START MEMO POSITION: 
Senior Business Journalist, Lanka Business Online, 2003 to 
date 
END MEMO POSITION: 
START MEMO OTHER-POSITIONS: 
 
END MEMO OTHER-POSITIONS: 
START MEMO PREV-POSITIONS: 
2001-2003 - Senior business reporter for news desk and 
features desk, The Business Standard 
1997-2000 - Freelance journalist 
1994-1997 - Journalist, Sunday Leader 
END MEMO PREV-POSITIONS: 
START MEMO US-TRAVEL: 
None 
 
END MEMO US-TRAVEL: 
START MEMO OTHER-TRAVEL: 
Brussels, Belgium - one week, 2005 - Workshop organized by 
European Commission 
Geneva, Switzerland - 10 days, 2005 - Attended workshop 
organized by Friedrich Ebert Stiftung 
Nepal - one week, 2005 - WTO journalists meeting 
END MEMO OTHER-TRAVEL: 
START MEMO EDUCATION: 
General Certificate of Education (Advanced Level) 
Examination, Methodist College, Colombo, 1994 
Diploma course, Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) UK, 
2000 
Followed FOJO (Institute for Further Education for 
Journalists, Sweden) course held in Colombo in 
collaboration with the Sri Lanka Press Institute, September 
2004 
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: 
This nomination is in support of MPP goal "Supporting 
Democratic System 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: Philip A. Frayne 
START MEMO NOMINATING-JUSTIFICATION: 
Dilshani Samaraweera is an eloquent English-language 
reporter who exhibits professionalism far above most of her 
peers as a reporter for Lanka Business Online.  Her 
products are measured and well informed, and she is often 
the first in Colombo to break many stories, even those 
unrelated to the business sector.  Always sharp and self- 
motivated, she is well placed to share her reporting skills 
with peers.  Post considers Dilshani to be a future leader 
in the Sri Lankan media. 
 
END MEMO NOMINATING-JUSTIFICATION: 
NOM-OFF: PD 
SPEAKER?: No 
NOTIFY-EMB: Yes 
MEDIA?: No 
HOME-STAY: No 
HOME-HOSP?: Yes 
E-I-TYPE: 
NOMINEE-ID: 269 
PERSON-ID: 282 
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: 09.0401 
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 these nominations. 
Lunstead