The Sri Lankan President’s decision to appoint a notorious alleged war criminal, Major Genral Shavendra Silva, as Commander of the Army is immensely damaging to the country and marks the end of any reconciliation process, given the allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity against him.
Shavendra Silva
In January this year the International Truth and Justice Project published a 137-page Dossier on Silva which showed there was more than enough evidence to charge him with war crimes and crimes against humanity. Instead he has now been promoted to the most powerful job in the army just months before important elections.
“This is a man who has shown his willingness to violate international law,” said ITJP Executive Director Yasmin Sooka,“his promotion will spark fear throughout the country but especially among the hundreds of thousands of Tamils who suffered immense loss in 2009 when Silva allegedly oversaw attacks on civilian sites”.
Shavendra Silva has also never been held accountable for his role in crushing the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) or People’s Liberation Front uprising in the late eighties during which there were credible allegations of summary executions, enforced disappearances, torture and sexual violence, and the detention of thousands of Sinhala youth. Some of the violations occurred in Matale where Silva was based, serving under Gotabaya Rajapaksa who commanded the first Gajaba Regiment there.
“After so much bloodshed Sri Lankans need to hold their leaders accountable in order to stop the repeated cycles of violence. Silva’s promotion however sends a message of total impunity,” added Ms. Sooka.
Silva’s appointment also throws into question US assistance to the Sri Lankan Army which is subject to Leahy Laws which prohibit the U.S. from providing military assistance to foreign security force units that violate human rights with impunity. The appointment could also potentially impact Sri Lanka’s recent resumption of deployment of UN peacekeepers. Peacekeeping deployment was put on hold for most of 2018 while more stringent vetting arrangements were put in place to ensure soldiers who had fought in units (such as Silva’s 58 Division) in areas where alleged war crimes took place in 2008-9 were screened out.
“I imagine there has been intense diplomatic lobbying to stop Sri Lanka taking this step – with all the consequences explained. It’s striking an own goal for any country to take this step and frankly disheartening particularly for the Rule of Law,” added Sooka.
“I very much hope Sri Lanka’s allies will now take a principled step and ensure Major General Shavendra Silva is not granted a visa to travel abroad even on official duty.” (ITJP)
Nagarjuna / August 21, 2019
Lesith,
If you have eliminated your ego you would not have written ” I have no I”
The Buddha taught absence of identity- the ” no soul” doctrine.
Those who speak of ” Sinhala Buddhist” have not understood Buddhism. They are giving themselves two contradictory identities.
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Dodo / August 21, 2019
Wow, great move to appoint Shavendra Silva, even though am not a fan of the man! Brilliant move by clown Sira to sink Bondscam Ranil and Alina Nitwitz plan to turn Lanka into a US military base under MCC fake aid!
SS should stay on as Army Commander for the rest of is life –to block forever the US MCC military base Compact and land and ocean grab project!
Enough of US, UK, EU gun manufactureres who sell billions worth of military hardware to Saudi to commit crimes in Yemen and then talk about fake Human rights!
First US and UK should get out of Chagos Islands and the garbage from Diego Garcia piled in their embassy in Colombo
Brilliant move by clown Sira to sink Bondscam Ranil and Alina Nitwitz plan to turn Lanka into a US military base under MCC which should now be withdrawn especially as Sri lanka is now an Upper Middle income county (MIC) according to World Bank and IMF fake analytics! Ha, ha, ha! MCC compact should be torn up!
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Dodo / August 21, 2019
MCC compact should be torn up now – in the name of Fake Human Rights that US and UK are so fond of prating about– now that SS is Army Commander and pious MCC cannot fund Human Rights violators!
US trapped in its own Human Rights bullshit! Great stuff indeed! First rate tragi- comedy!
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KA / August 22, 2019
Sorry to distrupt your dreams.
The US has put accepting SOFA and MCC to Gota as conditions.
Gota even might even handover SS to be culled.
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Radical Ideas / August 22, 2019
The GOVIGAMA RULING ELITE MAFIA is under SIEGE!!! The 100 years old criminality that began with the Anagarika’s evil RACIST POLITICS teachings that was designed to set the PYRAMID of the Power structure that secures the TOP-SPOT or the SUPREME POWER to be always in the hands of the Govigama Elite Families are THREATENED with the new wave of SILENT REVOLUTION which is happening the their very nose by the disgusted population whom were voting in and voting out the same CRIMINAL GANG of THIEVES WHO HAVE DIVIDED THEIR CAMPS INTO VARIOUS SOCIO-POLITICAL-RELIGIOUS entities to serve their clans ONLY in the control of the state and its functioning. The GOVIGAMA BASTARDY is in a FULL CRISIS as all of their so called LEADERS or the FIGURES represent their clan who became Presidents and PMs right throughout an unbroken span of 72+ years, with a steady chain of criminals they themselves SELF-APPOINT as the next successor to hold onto power to do EVIL at its best levels. SHAVENDRA is yet another GOBILAY and a contract killer who will do any bastard act upon the orders of his GOVI masters. He did the killings in the EALAM WAR with gruesome and horrible HUMAN RIGHTS violations that the JHU and its Racist MONK(eys) support. This time round they are seeing a total disaster if they cannot make the MASS MURDERING GOTA the President and that which might spell DOOM if a RIGHT THINKING PERSON becomes the President with True Justice, Equality and the true Rule of Law is (by chance) implemented. The 100 years of hard work of the Sinhala Racist Sluts in making the GOVI’s the Ulitimate Leaders will be gone forever. Thus, they are looking for a carnage and Shavedra comes in handy for them to play their LAST GAME to save their clans from anarchy that which is oncoming at faster speed with the people, at last, coming to their senses.
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Radical Ideas / August 22, 2019
The Sira bugger has even considering the PRESIDENTIAL PARDONING of the other GOVI contract Killer Kudu Duminda, for he might be very very handy in the street fights to assassinate anyone or anybody who might stand in their way to keep the RULING POWER within the fold of their GOVIGAMA CLAN. You can see how the members in the clan are supporting each other from the opposing parties shedding the FAKE DIFFERENCES they show to the PUBLIC to fool them. The General Public have learnt their tricks and tactics and the GAME is almost over now. It is only a matter that the SYSTEM collapses and a bloody REVOLUTION takes place by the people who became enlightened in the RAJAPAKSE, RANIL, SIRA COLLABORATED CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES that engineered the clash of the races in the local population. This divide and rule tactic is being frequently used to diversify the Public Anger on a MEDIA PUBLICISED enemy. The Mass Media companies belongs to them, so, they have the full control of the propaganda/mind control drive in creating the BOOGEYMAN to direct the public energy and waste it on the wrong perception. The Anti Muslim campaign is one of them. They need at this hour BARBARIANS as GATE KEEPERS of the GOVIGAMA ELITE families for the survival. Imagine, Shan Wickremasinghe and Ranil and their families are backing GOTA….!!!! Amazing Times that we are living in…….
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Radical Ideas / August 22, 2019
Earlier, an ordinary person could not understand why there is no change happening even when the ruling party is defeated and then the next winning party molly coddling the defeated ones and everything seems OK for them from that point onwards. If one can remember how JR’s own grandson lending his support Rajapakse. Then, Gamini Dissanayake’s sons are advised by the GATE KEEPER religious order of Asgiriya to “Kill the Muslims and technically he is asking the GOVI family of Gamini Dissanayake to WAGE THE WAR ON ISLAM” BY HOOK OR CROOK. These are codes and messages they are delivering to inform the general public that the Grand Masters of the collective GOVIGAMA ruling Elite families new approach to in the controls. The JR’s 1978 constitution was created as a survival kit for the GOVI’s to play their game of survival as they like. The rules can be bended and the most important thing they did for their clan is the JUDICIARY & the Justice system being made as the MAJOR Gate Keeper that safeguards all the GOVI CRIMINALS with TOTAL IMPUNITY as their body armor. Thus we can see throughout the 72+ dark years from 1948, not a SINGLE GOVI ELITE family mmber ever been caught for their vices/crimes and punished by the Law of the Land which is applied on everybody else mercilessly. The Military, the Police and the Judiciary has been designed to favour them NO MATTER WHAT. The Police teams that go and arrests targeted community members (or anyone, even though innocent, who is seen as a threat to them) on stupid, trumped up charges WILL NOT EVER GO AND ARREST a SINGLE GOVIGAMA RULING ELITE Mafia member for the publicly known and provable crimes.
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Radical Ideas / August 22, 2019
The release of the muck headed Govi mercenary: Gnanasara is another indication of what they are planning ahead. The Jewish/Israeli money they took from the Zionist Masters also will have to be played without any miss, on a regular basis. So, Gnaney and the JHU team vigorously work day and night to stir a controversy targeting the Muslims. The FALLOPIAN RATHANA who rose to infamy with Doctor Shafi saga are given full freedom to do what they like by the Sirisena/Ranil led Govi leadership govt., to keep the racists entertained and signalling the Muslims as well as anyone that if the GOVI MASTERS wish someone to be destroyed, this is the what they are going to get. There will be no escape route to the victims but through the GOVI trap door. That was a total Military type ambush attack on the Shafi as he was totally surprised and unprepared, the Racists played it along in their usual Fascist fashion with Sirisena’s full backing Faloppian Rathana became an instant specialist in the Gynaecology and he became the laughing stock of the WORLD MEDICAL SCIENCE including the gullible pro Mahinda Sinhala population. The pogroms against the Muslims and Tamils are all well organised undercover Military operations run by the Defense ministry. Since these are Defense Ministry run, there is always a need to give full instructions to the Military and the Police units not to act stop the rioters when they go about destroying the minority properties and lives. They just be onlookers to the carnage. Many of the rioters are former and active Military undercover agents who organise the crowds on how to conduct the operation in a quickest manner as possible. Dayasiri thus went to recover the arrested Sinhala rioters for if not, the truth may be leaked and the real culprits maybe exposed.
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S r singh / August 25, 2019
Who are they to interfere in a purely internal matter of SL,Just seeking coversionists foothold.
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dab dib / August 21, 2019
In the same way, General Ulysses S. Grant who led the government forces against the separatist civil war in the USA became important to Americans, Lieutenant General Shavendra Silva is also important to the Sri Lankan Government, said the Minister of Megalopolis and Western Development Patalie Champika Ranawaka at a press briefing held yesterday at his ministry.
Minister Ranawaka expressed these views in reply to a question raised by a journalist regarding the concerns expressed by the USA on the appointment of Lieutenant General Shavendra Silva as the Army Commander.
He said further that the President as the Commander-in-Chief of Armed Forces has the power to appoint the Country’s Commander of the Army. In the USA during the time of President Lincoln’s rule, a separatist’s Civil War broke out and General Ulysses S Grant undertook this great task to defeat the separatists and later had to face war crime charges. Similarly, Shavendra Silva got involved in the war not to protect his personal properties but to prevent the separation of the country, therefore as Ulysses Grant is important to the USA, so is Shavendra Silva to our country, Minister Ranawaka said
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Champa / August 21, 2019
It is not worth making a comment here. But let me add a few lines.
Sri Lanka is not under obligation to make internal appointments according to whims and fancies of the international community or the UNHRC.
All countries which condemned Shavendra’s appointment as the Army Commander, including the US, should mind their own damn business.
Anybody can make allegations. But they have to prove it first. Until then, the accused is not guilty of any wrongdoings.
Having said that, what wrongdoing has Shavendra committed?
Like any other Military Officer in the world, he did his duty to protect his country. What’s wrong with that?
Terrorists have no human rights.
No UN Charter, Treaty or Convention was violated by Sri Lanka during her 34 year long fight against LTTE terrorists.
Before accusing our Army, the UNHRC should clearly tell Sri Lanka which UN Charter promotes the protection of human rights of terrorists.
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Pandi Kutti / August 21, 2019
The Biggest terrorist in Sri Lanka is the Chingkalla state , Chingkalla armed forces /police , Chingkallams and the Poutha Pikkus and a racist Catholikka Cardinal. They all promote racism , genocide, war crimes , looting, raping and killing. Especially against the Thamizh. They have now finished with Thamizh but still blood thirsty . Now have created a new enemy for the Chingkallams to loot rape and kill . In the name of Mahavamsam., Chingkallam and Poutham . The Thullukans. After this they will start on cats , dogs, birds, insects like butterflies and other animals and then will start to kill each other , when there is nothing left other than themselves. Any Chinkallam who kills Thamizh , is a hero/war hero, the more they kill , murder , rape and loot the greater the honour. Now killing Thullukans will also be included into this and after a few years , killing of animals, insects, birds will all be included into this war hero category.
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Lasith / August 21, 2019
Little pig, just replace the word Chinkalla with Demala and you have our opinion of vermin like you.
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Pandi Kutti / August 21, 2019
This piglet does not care about the opinion of Chingkalla vermin like you. As you are a dirty animal that spreads disease plague and havoc. Now run back to your hole and hide . We can never replace the word Chingkallam with Thamizh , as you Chingkallams have a record of committing genocide, discrimination and war crimes . on minorities and think it is brave and fine. You are a very good example of this. Even the world knows this.
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Champa / August 22, 2019
Pandi Kutti
Sinhalese never committed genocide or war crimes.
If Tamils are discriminated, how could more Tamils live among Sinhalese in the South than in the North?
It is the Sinhalese who are discriminated in their own country by not allowing them living in the North.
Tamils have been misleading the world for over 34 years about a homeland claim in Sri Lanka.
I wonder why nobody talk about the Tamil homeland anymore.
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Tamil from the north / August 28, 2019
Chimpa first of all you are a whore, besides this read the following;
Tamils are living among the Sinhalese – are you claiming the Tamils have moved there because the Sinhalese are handing out things to the Tamils for free? Idiot all the good jobs are there in the Capital.
I live in Canada (Toronto) and all good jobs and private practice professions are here in Toronto (Financial capital of Canada). I would rather live in a remote location away from all the hustle and bustle, but then I need to run a farm or something to survive. How did you put a claim that Colombo belongs to the Sinhalese? How did you derive that idiot? Cargills, Maharajas, Samuel and Sons, etc., are all Tamil owned companies and do you see them operating out of Jaffna? If that is the case, why hundreds of thousands of Sinhalese work for Tamil owned establishments? I as a Tamil, will never advocate for the Sinhalese to leave their jobs in Tamil establishments as I am not a racist, but hate racist sh&t like you.
When I was in Jaffna there were decent Sinhalese who lived there running businesses, unfortunately the dirty LTTE buggers chased them out just like the garbage among the Sinhalese like you trying to get rid of the Tamils calling the entire country belongs to Sinhalese (my foot). Sinhalese are discriminated by Tamils, where stupid you see that? You mean to tell me 15% of the total population is ill treating 75% of the population? If that is the case, how did the racist elements orchestrate race riots in 1957/58/77/83?
I cannot believe a racist whore like you still exist in this modern world. You are a racist low life, who must be thrashed every time you post a comment.
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edwin rodrigo / August 23, 2019
But surely you care about the feelings and likings of our Muslim brethren. The word Pandi would infuriate them.
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Native Vedda / August 21, 2019
Lasith
–
Pandi Kutti – Piglet
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Champa / August 22, 2019
Pandi Kutti
Man, this is Sinhalaya’s country which was built, developed and protected for over 2500 years according to Mahawamsa and over 7000 years, according to Ramayanaya by Sinhalese Kings and our forefathers.
While living in our own country, Tamils and Muslims tried to destroy what Sinhalese were built. Now they were defeated. Is it our fault?
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shankar / August 21, 2019
show me a hero and i will write you a tragedy.
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sen / August 23, 2019
pathetic state
post 10 years war , did the state improved his any of its qualities, probably None
we coming back to pre war era
Gota,BBS,Silva and looting/colonizing/insulting the minority etc
will the sinhala-chauvinist learn a lesson? never
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Vanguard / August 23, 2019
Might have been better if we lost the war. True peace.
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Mano / August 23, 2019
This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.For more detail see our Comment policy https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/comments-policy-2
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Jega / August 27, 2019
Shavendra silva the paedophile general placed as the army commander. Gota being prepared to become next president. You can see what the Sinhala ruling classes are trying to do here. They want another ugly communal war (probably against muslims).
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Rabok / August 27, 2019
SOOKA and other UN cahoots — Where were you all when LTTE goons were killing thousands and thousands of innocent Sinhalese and Muslims with there human bombs – do you all understand there are many thousands of soldiers crippled by LTTE death traps and how many mothers , wives of dead soldiers are suffering of due to the loss their bread winners – Sri Lankan forces never had violated human rights of innocent Tamils – It is the LTTE terrorists who used innocent tamils as cannon fodder violating their human rights – Who gave you all the death toll figures – were you in the field counting each and every death and were analyzing the cause of death and making exact figures ??
When KSA and USA were killing thousands of Iraqis and Yemanies on false accusations -Where were you and your crackpot human right protectors – Even if the entire world does not like Shavendra De Silva to be the Commander of the OUR Army we like and wish him to remain in that capacity as long as possible – SOOKA can fly a kite
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Piranha1 / August 29, 2019
Shavendra Silva and Gota are war criminals and together, if Gota gets elected, will be a disaster for the country. The West will, rightly, isolate and treat like a pariah rogue state affecting the economic welfare of the country and the people. The Sri Lankan people are dumb if they elect Gota.
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