Defence Ministry Secretary Hemasiri Fernando said 11 soldiers would be prosecuted in the next two weeks over what he termed the most heinous murders in recent history.
Hemasiri Fernando
Addressing an event at Nalanda College, Colombo, Fernando asked the members of the Tamil diaspora to present evidence, if available, against any Sri Lankan soldier involved in potential war crimes.
“Everyone who joins the Army does not become a war hero. To become a war hero, a soldier has to earn a medal and their accomplishments should be announced by way of a gazette. As of now, there are only 39,000 war heroes in Sri Lanka. Of them, 34,000 belong to the Army. Nearly 4400 represent the Navy and 868 belong to the Air Force. A soldier who joined the Army just three months ago is not a war hero,” Fernando explained.
“Especially a murderer cannot become a war hero. He is only a murderer,” he said.
He also said most of the licensed pistols are not with the rightful owners. “The majority are with underworld gangs and they pay a commission to the ones who own the license,” he added.
“Therefore, we have begun a regulation process for licensed pistols. We have, for the moment, cancelled all licenses for pistols. The Defence Ministry will examine these pistols one by one and issue licenses,” Fernando said.
Navin / January 22, 2019
He is right. Just because they wear the uniform of our country, does not automatically make them heroes. There is a code of conduct that one expects from each and every one. They cannot take the law into their hands. The Rajapaksas might have ended terrorism, but it is how they did it that is in question. So many Sri Lankan citizens have been massacred, many caught in the crossfire, and thousands still unaccounted for.
Just because the LTTE behaved like brutal killers, it does not mean those wearing our uniform has the right to go down to their level. People expect our men in uniform to behave decently, and to see to the safety of civilians.
This man is no hero. It seems the courts in the UK found him guilty of these crimes.
We Sri Lankans have this ugly habit of treating these ruthless men in uniform, like heroes. Many have blood of civilian on their hands, and to reward them is justifying their crimes, and saying it is okay.
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justice / January 22, 2019
A land owner of Kilinochi who returned to find his properties leased out by the army to Cargills was killed.
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Tamil from the north / January 22, 2019
@justice, the victim is from Montreal Canada. He died a gruesome death.
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soma / January 22, 2019
Rajapaksa had no right to release 12,000+ hard core terrorists. They must be rearrested before international war crimes trials begin. All activities related to “reconciliation” must be suspended until trials are concluded and offenders are duly punished.
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Soma
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Sunil / January 23, 2019
And pay a pension to all kith and kin of LTTE murderers!
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Native Vedda / January 23, 2019
Sunil
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“And pay a pension to all kith and kin of LTTE murderers!”
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Brilliant idea.
You are indeed very clever, and compassionate, if the state mass murderers and their kith and kin are entitled for regular salary/pension why not the kith and kin of LTTE murderers?
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Have you made sure the recipients are truly the kith and kin of LTTE murderers?
If so could you let us have a copy of the list in case somass requires it.
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Tamil from the north / January 25, 2019
@Sunil, ask Mahinda who has ex-ltte murderers in his group.
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Native Vedda / January 23, 2019
somass
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“Rajapaksa had no right to release 12,000+ hard core terrorists.”
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Rajapaksas have no right to appropriate state wealth as they wished and did.
Rajapaksas have no right to misuse, abuse …… power.
Rajapaksas have no right to kill innocent people.
Rajapaksas have no right to commit war crimes and crime against humanity.
Rajapaksas have no right to let loose their saffron clad thugs on “OTHERS”.
Rajapaksas have no right to pervert the course of justice.
Rajapaksas have no right to foolishly overthrow a democratically elected government.
Rajapaksas have no right to …………………
Rajapaksas have no right to …………….
Rajapaksas have no right to ………… let you freely roam around the streets planning the next riot against the “OTHERS”.
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thamizh / January 23, 2019
Make no mistake – reconciliation and accountability are merely foreign policy matters in sri lanka. Timing of this ‘explosive’ statement in tune to March 9th goes to show that. Few small fries will be sacrificed to white wash the sri lankan judiciary. What can you expect from a place where the so called office of national unity and reconciliation was held by a war criminal, madam Chandrika Kumaratunga? Sad that Tamil people are trapped in this deceptive process.
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Eagle Eye / January 23, 2019
‘Koti Diaspora’ is making a desperate attempt to brand Rajapakses and Sri Lankan Armed Forces as war criminals because they defeated the LTTE barbarians and their ‘Sun God’ who is also known as Pol Pot of Sri Lanka.
In addition, there are NGO guys who are trying their best to paint the same picture about Rajapakses and Armed Forces because they are paid to do that job by few Western countries and organizations. If these NGOs do not do their job properly, they do not get paid. These guys are mercenaries primarily concerned with making money at the expense of ethics.
Both these groups use “Gobble’s theory’ and keep on repeating the mantra ‘War Criminals’ War Criminals’ hoping that it can be established as truth. At the end they will fail because international community is not going to buy this. Simply because a small group from Demala community engaged in terrorist activities, international community does not and should not consider all Demala people as terrorists.
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Saman Adikari / January 23, 2019
By that Political Separatism, Extremism and Terrorism are three evils of TNA and LTTE line of Federalism by that vision to be achieve of Tamil Eealm that advocated by Tamils political classes in Sri Lanka.
This is a basic stunt has be realized by MOD that Guy who is in-charge of National security of our Country.
How that guy can be he request ‘an open invitation’ to Tamil Diasporas to give list of War Crimes of soldiers that committed by during offence against ruthless Tamil Terrorist of LTTE’s ?
Who gave that power of authority to punished our soldiers to that Guy of MOD ! It is violation democrtiac republic constitution ! $$$.
What is that authority that he obtain from whom?
Betterment of National security that this MOD Guy has resigned immferdite effect.
That is only option remain that before him. We do not wanted undermined national security by at any cost of democracy of Sri Lankan citizens by their tax payers money to pay his salaries and other perks by People of our soil.
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Native Vedda / January 23, 2019
Saman Adikari
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“By that Political Separatism, Extremism and Terrorism are three evils of TNA and LTTE line of Federalism by that vision to be achieve of Tamil Eealm that advocated by Tamils political classes in Sri Lanka.”
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Aptlyput.
Can you explain what you are on about?
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Saman Adikari / January 24, 2019
We stand for that principle form Democracy not that to be encouraging Sepetrsim ,extremism and Terrorism leads to anti-establishment politics promoted by LTTE and its diaspora, JVP and TNA.
We stand for an enrich democracy by Right to Vote denied by Judiciary of that Supreme Court of
Sri lanka.
Supreme Court of an Island judiciary has denied that citizens right to exercise of Universal franchised. It was to be elected resrestsntives democracy by fresh mandate. …….People of Sri Lankan been rejected by “court of LAW”.
All these move pospsonted of elections that indefinitely by UNP TNA and JVP are moving towards Sepetrsim Extremisms and Terrorism. It is Undenibially that to be replace 71 years of Parlimmantey democracy of Island.
Time being anti-establishment politics elements in currently governances of state…..that trend leads to tragedy of Democracy.
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Punchi Point / January 24, 2019
Anybody who has committed murder or any other crimes in the war-zone should be punished and they should never be let to join the armed forces again.
To put an end to the war-death stories and for the people from both sides of the conflict to move forward, Sri Lanka should proceed with collecting verified information from the Tamils who were in the war-zone. Sri Lanka should also involve the UN and demand the Tamils to put forward a list of the socalled “genocided” Tamils, with complete information as to the name, birth place, date when death occurred, ID card number or birth certificate number etc. so that each death can be investigated. Tamil politicians and parties and interest groups should get together and make this list and finalize the war deaths on the Tamil side. The government should give the Tamils an ultimatum and deadline to make this list. If the Tamils refuse to give such a list, that proves beyond any doubt that what they claim about the exaggerated numbers of war deaths amounting to 150,000 according to some of the worse estimations, is simply not true. If the Tamils do not give such list and continue to spread false malicious rumours about our army killing thousands of Tamils, then those Tamils who keep on lying and their organisations and mouth pieces like WTF, TRO, Tamilnet etc must be prosecuted using international laws.
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Fazal / January 24, 2019
Hats off to Defence sec for clearly differentiating between war heroes and criminal elements in uniform who tarnish and destroy the image of real heroes and our country.
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Mano / January 24, 2019
WAR HEROES ? WAR AGAINST WHO AND FOR WHAT? WE CANNOT EXCUSE XENOPHOBIA CRIMINALS FOR EVER.
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