US embassy cable - 02COLOMBO2165

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 COLOMBO 002165 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
STATE FOR ECA/PE/V/G/N-ASHIFFLETT; ECA/PE/V/P; SA/PD 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OEXC, SCUL, KPAO, OEXC - Exchanges 
SUBJECT: FY-2003 INTERNATIONAL VISITOR PROGRAM: SRI 
LANKAN NOMINATIONS FOR SA/RP ON ISLAM IN AMERICA: 
AUGUST 25-SEPTEMBER 12, 2003 
 
REF: (A) STATE 32608, (B) COLOMBO 1899 
 
1. POST NOMINATES MR. MUSTHAFA NIHMATH, PROGRAM 
DIRECTOR, COMMUNITY TRUST FUND AND MR. NOORUL AMEEN 
IZZADEEN, DEPUTY EDITOR, "THE SUNDAY TIMES," FOR 
PARTICIPATION IN SUBJECT PROJECT. 
 
2. PART I OF NOMINEES' BIO DATA 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: 62 
USIA-PROJ-NO: 
PROJ-NAME: Islam in America - August 25 - September 
12, 2003 
START MEMO PROJ-DESC: 
 
END MEMO PROJ-DESC: 
PROJ-TYPE: Regional 
PROG-TYPE: IV Grant Visitor 
FY: 2003 
DEPART-POST: 08/23/2003 
SESSION-DATE: 08/25/2003 
RETURN-POST: 09/14/2003 
NO-OF-PART: 2 
RANK-ORDER: 3 
START MEMO POST-OBJ: 
This nomination is in support of MPP strategic goal 
on "Mutual Understanding" 
END MEMO POST-OBJ: 
START MEMO POST-RCMD: 
 
END MEMO POST-RCMD: 
USIA-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: Diversity & Pluralism 
 
3A. NOOR AMEED IZZADEEN 
START BIO: 
PREFIX: Mr. 
F-NAME: Noorul 
M-NAME: Ameen 
L-NAME: IZZADEEN 
SUFFIX: 
PRINCIPAL?: Yes 
M-ADDR1: The Sunday Times 
M-ADDR2: 8, Hunupitiya Cross Road 
M-ADDR3: 
M-CITY: Colombo 2 
M-STATE: 
M-CNTRY: Sri Lanka 
M-ZONE: 
M-ZIP: 
M-PHONE: (94-1) 423-258 
M-FAX: 
M-EMAIL: ameen@wijeya.lk 
M-CNTRY-ID: CE 
M-ADDRTYPE: B 
GENDER: M 
DOB: 05/31/1960 
MAR-STAT: M 
BIRTH-CITY: Colombo 
BIRTH-CNTRY: Sri Lanka 
CITIZ-CNTRY: Sri Lanka 
RES-CNTRY: Sri Lanka 
START MEMO POSITION: 
Deputy Editor, Sunday Times, 1999- to date 
END MEMO POSITION: 
START MEMO OTHER-POSITIONS: 
Visiting lecturer in Journalism, University of 
Colombo 
END MEMO OTHER-POSITIONS: 
START MEMO PREV-POSITIONS: 
Chief sub-editor, Sunday Times, 1993-99 
Sub-editor, Sunday Times, 1988-93 
Sub-editor, Sun, 1986-88 
END MEMO PREV-POSITIONS: 
START MEMO US-TRAVEL: 
END MEMO US-TRAVEL: 
START MEMO OTHER-TRAVEL: 
 
END MEMO OTHER-TRAVEL: 
START MEMO EDUCATION: 
Bachelor of Arts (General degree), University of 
Peradeniya, 1994 
Master of Arts degree in International Relations, 
University of Colombo, 2000 
Diploma in International Relations, Bandaranaike 
Centre for International Studies, 
Underwent two months training at Leicester Mercurym 
a regional newspaper in Leicestershire, U.K. in 1993 
under a Commonwealth Press Union exchange program 
Fellow of the Japan Press Centre, 1995 
As part of a Commonwealth Press Union fellowship, 
successfully followed a course in journalism at the 
Editorial Centre, Hastings, United Kingdom in 1998 
 
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: 4 
SPEAK: 4 
COMP: 4 
END OTHER-LANGS: 
START MEMO NOM-POST-OBJ: 
This nomination is in support of MPP strategic goal 
on "Mutual Understanding" 
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: Stephen Holgate 
START MEMO NOMINATING-JUSTIFICATION: 
Mr. Izzadeen at present is the Deputy Editor of "The 
Sunday Times," a publication of the Wijaya 
Newspapers Ltd. and works also for the Wijaya 
Group's daily paper the "Daily Mirror."  He is most 
known for his Friday column on world affairs for the 
"Daily Mirror," but writes also for "The Sunday 
Times" on a variety of local and international 
issues.  He supervises the Subs Desk where more than 
30 sub editors do do work for the two newspapers. 
In his Friday column, he analyzes and comments on 
world issues from a Third World perspective.  His 
interest in writing about international issues, 
particularly as they touch on his deeply held 
Islamic identity, distinguishes him from other 
writers on this leading daily. 
He is an ideal candidate for the SA/RP "Islam in 
America."  In participating in this project, Mr. 
Izzadeen will get an opportunity of observing the 
freedom with which Islam is practiced in America. 
Also, he would benefit much from a visit at this 
time to introduce him to U.S. foreign-policy making 
and to the professionalism of American columnists 
and their standards of accuracy and moderate tone. 
 
END MEMO NOMINATING-JUSTIFICATION: 
NOM-OFF: Public Affairs 
SPEAKER?: No 
NOTIFY-EMB: Yes 
MEDIA?: No 
HOME-STAY: Yes 
HOME-HOSP?: Yes 
E-I-TYPE: 
NOMINEE-ID: 92 
PERSON-ID: 96 
BIRTH-CNTRY-ID: CE 
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 
END BIO: 
 
3B. MUSTHAFA NIHMATH 
START BIO: 
PREFIX: Mr. 
F-NAME: Musthafa 
M-NAME: 
L-NAME: NIHMATH 
SUFFIX: 
PRINCIPAL?: Yes 
M-ADDR1: Community Trust Fund 
M-ADDR2: 14 Kadumaiyankulam Road 
M-ADDR3: 
M-CITY: Puttalam 
M-STATE: 
M-CNTRY: Sri Lanka 
M-ZONE: 
M-ZIP: 
M-PHONE: (94-32) 67046 
M-FAX: 
M-EMAIL: comtrust@sltnet.lk 
M-CNTRY-ID: CE 
M-ADDRTYPE: B 
GENDER: M 
DOB: 03/19/1961 
MAR-STAT: M 
BIRTH-CITY: Mannar 
BIRTH-CNTRY: Sri Lanka 
CITIZ-CNTRY: Sri Lanka 
RES-CNTRY: Sri Lanka 
START MEMO POSITION: 
Program Director, Community Trust Fund, 1999- to 
date 
END MEMO POSITION: 
START MEMO OTHER-POSITIONS: 
 
END MEMO OTHER-POSITIONS: 
START MEMO PREV-POSITIONS: 
1998-99 - Field Office Assistant, UNHCR, Mannar 
1994-97 - Bookkeeper, Ministry of Transport 
1988-94 - Ministry of Muslim Affairs 
END MEMO PREV-POSITIONS: 
START MEMO US-TRAVEL: 
 
END MEMO US-TRAVEL: 
START MEMO OTHER-TRAVEL: 
 
END MEMO OTHER-TRAVEL: 
START MEMO EDUCATION: 
General Certificate of Education (Ordinary) and 
(Advanced) Level examinations 
Certificate in Entrepreneurship and Small Business 
Management, Open University of Sri Lanka 
Diploma in Management, Sri Lanka Institute of 
Development Administration 
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: 2 
SPEAK: 3 
COMP: 2 
END OTHER-LANGS: 
START MEMO NOM-POST-OBJ: 
This nomination is in support of MPP strategic goal 
on "Mutual Understanding" 
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: Joe Novak 
START MEMO NOMINATING-JUSTIFICATION: 
Mr. Nihmath is a moderate Muslim from the Puttalam 
region of Sri Lanka.  Over the past year, Puttalam 
has been the site of pro-Osama Bin Laden and anti-US 
rallies.  Mission's dealings with Mr. Nihmath have 
focused primarily on the IDP issues he deals with as 
Program Director of the Community Trust Fund.  As a 
Muslim with expertise in the human rights field in 
Puttalam and as a person dealing with many Muslims 
that have misperceptions of the United States and 
its relationship to Islam, he can be a moderating 
influence in a community that has been volatile in 
the past.  He is an ideal candidate for a program 
involving Islam in America. 
END MEMO NOMINATING-JUSTIFICATION: 
NOM-OFF: Political 
SPEAKER?: No 
NOTIFY-EMB: Yes 
MEDIA?: No 
HOME-STAY: Yes 
HOME-HOSP?: Yes 
E-I-TYPE: 
NOMINEE-ID: 94 
PERSON-ID: 98 
BIRTH-CNTRY-ID: CE 
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 
END BIO: 
END NOMINATION: 
 
3. PLEASE ADVISE ACCEPTANCE OF THIS NOMINATION. 
WILLS