The move followed the government's decision
to withdraw from a 2002 truce, despite mounting international
concern that the island's military could slip back into
full-scale war with Tiger guerrillas.
Close confidants of Dhanapala said he
was embarrassed by the turn of events, with the government
pressing for a military victory after scoring several
battlefield successes against the rebels last year.
There was no immediate reaction from the
government, which last week announced it would quit the
moribund truce from January 16.
Dhanapala had also served as head of the
government's peace secretariat, which coordinated the
Norwegian-led peace efforts with Tamil separatists to
end the decades-long conflict, which has killed tens of
thousands.
Jayantha
Dhanapala, a diplomat and former candidate for
the post of UN secretary general who was appointed as peace
advisor in December 2005, said he was quitting for "personal
reasons," in a statement released by his office.