The New York Times: Maithripala Sirisena
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Maithripala Sirisena
Maithripala Yapa Sirisena is a Sri Lankan politician who served as the seventh president of Sri Lanka from 9 January 2015 to 18 November 2019. Sirisena is Sri Lanka's first president from the North Central Province of the country and does not belong to the traditional Sri Lankan political elite. He served as a member of parliament from Polonnaruwa from 1989 to 2015 and from 2020 to 2024.
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politics · President of Sri Lanka from 2015 to 2019 · politician · farmer · also Maithripala Sirisena, Pallewatte Gamaralalage Maithripala Yapa Sirisena, Sirisena
Born 3 September 1951 · Q6737124
27 published statements · 0 followers
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2025· 1 entry
2024· 1 entry
Campaign: 2024 presidential election.
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2018· 3 entries
Sirisena appointed former president Mahinda Rajapaksa as the prime minister, wrote a letter firing prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and prorogued Parliament, instigating a constitutional crisis
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The government introduced changes to the taxation system, including changes to the Pay-as-you-earn tax (PAYE)
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“When I returned from Nepal, they served some cashew nuts on the plane [that], let alone humans, even dogs can”
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2017· 1 entry
Mid Day: Maithripala Sirisena adds loyalist to govt ahead of local polls
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2016· 1 entry
The Diplomat: Sri Lanka: The Persecution of Tamils Continues Under Sirisena’s Watch
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2015· 4 entries
Career landmark: Minister of Environment (2015–2019).
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Maithripala Sirisena criticised and called for the organisers of an Enrique Iglesias concert in Colombo to be whipped, after the behaviour of some female fans
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Career landmark: Minister of Defence (2015–2019).
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Career landmark: President of Sri Lanka (2015–2019).
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2010· 1 entry
Career landmark: Minister of Health (2010–2014).
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2005· 2 entries
Career landmark: Minister of Agriculture (2005–2010).
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Career landmark: Minister of Environment (2005–2010).
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2004· 2 entries
Career landmark: Minister of Irrigation (2004–2005).
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Career landmark: Leader of the House (2004–2005).
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2001· 1 entry
Career landmark: Minister of Parliamentary Affairs (2001–2001).
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1997· 2 entries
President Kumaratunga promoted him to the Cabinet, appointing him Minister of Mahaweli Development
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Was appointed as the general secretary of the SLFP for the first time, from which he later resigned
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1989· 2 entries
As a member of the Parliament of Sri Lanka and has held several ministries since 1994
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Career landmark: Member of the Parliament of Sri Lanka (1989–2015).
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1981· 1 entry
Where he was chosen as the president of the All Island SLFP Youth Organisation, and also later served as treasurer
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1980· 1 entry
Earned a Diploma in political science at the Maxim Gorky Literature Institute in Russia
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1974· 1 entry
Sirisena started working at the Palugasdamana Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society as a purchasing office and in 1976 he became a grama sevaka niladhari (village officer) but resigned in 1978
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1971· 1 entry
Aged 19, he was jailed for 15 months for alleged involvement in the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna Insurrection
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1968· 1 entry
Took part in a communist party anti-government rally which was broken up by baton charging police
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1951· 1 entry
Born 1951-09-03.
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