Former Army Commander Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka has defended former head of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces, Shavendra Silva, stating that the recent sanctions by the United Kingdom (UK) were unreasonable. 

Addressing a public event, Fonseka said that he believed legal action must be initiated against anyone proven to have broken local and international laws.

“There are instances in the past where we have taken such measures against military personnel. Legal action must be taken against those who have abused the power of their uniforms to break laws,” he said. 

Commenting on the sanctions imposed by the UK, Sarath Fonseka said it was understood that no laws, including human rights, were violated during war operations. 

“Shavendra Silva was at the forefront of Sri Lanka’s Civil War. It is known that no murders, human rights violations, custodial deaths, or abuse of power took place during the war. As such, the sanctions against Shavendra Silva were unreasonable,” he said. 

He said that, however, the sanctions against former Navy Commander Wasantha Karannagoda and former Army Commander Jagath Jayasuriya were reasonable. 

Stating that these officers were not at the forefront of the war, he said there was crucial evidence to prove that they had abused their military powers. 

“I have spoken in Parliament about these two former military officers. Former Army officer Sunil Rathnayake is accused of wrongly shooting a person, and as someone had witnessed the shooting, he killed several members of a family over the incident. He was later pardoned by former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, under the protection of war veterans. Wasantha Karannagoda is accused of abducting several youths, demanding ransom, and detaining them at a Trincomalee camp. A former Navy Commander has confessed they were aware of the detention of the youths,” he said. 

Pointing out that these were serious murder incidents, Sarath Fonseka said legal action must be initiated against them. (Newswire)

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The service extensions of the Commanders of the Army, Air Force, and Navy, and Chief of Defence Staff General Shavendra Silva, are expected to end on 31st December 2024, according to state newspaper Dinamina. 

Quoting Defence Ministry sources, the newspaper reported that as the Minister of Defence, the President is to take a decision, either today or tomorrow, on whether they will be given further service extensions or whether new appointments will be made to the positions.

General Shavendra Silva was appointed the Chief of Defence Staff in 2020 while still serving as Army Commander. Born in 1964, he is currently above 60 years of age. 

He worked in the Army on a service extension granted by former President Maithripala Sirisena before becoming Army Commander.

Army Commander Lieutenant General Vikum Liyanage is also on a service extension and will be 57 years old on 31 December 2024.

The Sri Lanka Army held the traditional parade for its outgoing Army Commander, Lieutenant General Vikum Liyanage today.

Watch : https://shorturl.at/W5BDG 

Meanwhile, Navy Commander Vice Admiral Priyantha Perera is also working on a service extension after being appointed to that position on 18 December 2022.

Also, Air Force Commander Air Marshal Udeni Rajapakse is working on a service extension and will be 56 years old on 29 January next year.

According to the report, the appointment of a retired Army, Air Force or Navy commander to the position of Chief of Defence Staff has been the system in Sri Lanka so far. (Newswire)

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Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya engaged in a discussion with the heads of Sri Lanka’s defence forces at the Prime Minister’s Office in Colombo today.

Chief of Defense Staff, General Shavendra Silva, Commander of the Army, Lieutenant General Vikum Liyanage, and Commander of the Navy Vice Admiral Priyantha Perera participated in the meeting.

According to a statement from the PM’s Office, this meeting marks the first formal discussion between the newly appointed Prime Minister and the heads of Sri Lanka’s defence forces. (Newswire)

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The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Shavendra Silva has forwarded a Letter of Demand (LOD) to former Minister and Parliamentarian Wimal Weerawansa, over the latter’s claims during the launch of his new book.

The LOD submitted by General Silva’s lawyers accuses MP Weerawansa of having made false and baseless allegations against the former claiming he was complicit in an alleged conspiracy to overthrow the government.

MP Weerawansa is reported to have made the allegations during the speech made at the book launch of ‘Nine: The Hidden Story’ at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute on April 25, 2023, as well as in the book itself.

It is also alleged that the MP had made similar statements on a TV Programme ‘Salakuna’ aired by Hiru TV and on many other occasions.

General Shavendra Silva in his letter of demand has further claimed the statements made by the MP pertaining to him and the Sri Lanka Army were absolutely false and baseless.

It is said that they have been fabricated and published with the mala fide and with an ulterior motive to bring defame to General Shavendra Silva and tarnish his hard-earned good name and reputation both locally and overseas over his unblemished service to the nation for nearly 40 years. 

The LOD further claims that the MP has also purely targeted his political acquisitions through such indecent acts. (NewsWire)

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National Freedom Front (NFF) Leader MP Wimal Weerawansa has slammed former Army Commander Shavendra Silva alleging that he also supported the conspiracy to create an interim administration in Sri Lanka using the ‘Aragalaya’ anti-government protests in 2022.

Addressing an event, MP Wimal Weerawansa stated that the conspiracy was to set up an interim government headed by the Speaker using the ‘Aragalaya’ anti-government protests.

The former minister further stated there were also plans to kill former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and high-ranking officials of the tri-forces who were with the former President at the President’s House at the time of the protests.

“A plan was made to clear out certain individuals and thereafter establish an interim- administration under the Speaker, which could have seen the involvement of MP Field Marshall Sarath Fonseka and definitely Chief of Defence Staff Shavendra Silva,” he said.

MP Weerawansa pointed out that the day before the unrest, Shavendra Silva was invited to India for an event and had left the nation, while all other high-ranking officials of the armed forces were with the then President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the President’s House.  

“The plan was such that when he returns to Sri Lanka that the necessary incidents were carried out and over. It was evident that foreign forces intending to set up an interim regime in Sri Lanka used UN allegations against Shavendra Silva to control him,” he said.

MP Wimal Weerawansa stated that such a plan was hatched as they needed to pacify the United States of America (USA), adding that even former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa was seen adhering to certain instructions of the US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Julie Chung. 

The former President did so as his plans were to live in the US following his retirement, the MP revealed. 

MP Wimal Weerawansa revealed this information during an event held to launch his new investigative book titled “Nine; The Hidden Story”. (NewsWire)

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