The Army’s Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Jagath Dias who was put in charge of the army inquiry into a violent military crackdown against civilian demonstrators in Weliweriya on August 1 has been rejected by the United States for training programme on account of his implication in alleged war crimes during the final days of the war.
Jagath Dias - Subjected to scrutiny
The military inquiry into Weliweriya was handed over to the Army Chief late last evening after the initial two weeks deadline lapsed and the special board of inquiry said it required more time.
Major Generals Dias and Sudantha Ranasinghe were turned down for US training because of alleged complicity in certain human rights violations during the Wanni battles. The Government has reacted strongly to the move denying the allegations against Dias and Ranasinghe. Chief of Defence Staff General Jagath Jayasuriya who addressed a media conference yesterday said that Ranasinghe had initially been cleared for a US training after he was rejected on a previous occasion. “It is not clear why he was rejected again,” Gen. Jayasuriya said adding that in the case of Dias, he had been refused a training at the National Defence College as well because of his involvement in the 57 Division. “I think until that issue is cleared, that problem for him will keep resurfacing,” the former Army Commander admitted. “With regard to Maj. Gen. Dias a decision has to come from the top,” Jayasuriya added.
Gen. Jayasuriya said that in the case of Maj. Gen. Ranasinghe, he had raised the issue with the US Defence Attache during his tenure as Commander. “There is a problem with his Division – the 53 Division. But he was appointed to head that division very recently, not during the war, but in the case of certain divisions the whole unit is affected” he explained.
Dias who served as Sri Lanka’s deputy ambassador to Germany, accredited to Switzerland and the Vatican was hastily recalled to Colombo in 2011 after the Swiss Attorney General nearly opened a criminal investigation following a complaint filed by two Swiss human rights advocacy groups.
“The federal judicial authority considers that “the existing suspicions against him are enough to justify the opening of a criminal investigation” in the event that Mr Dias comes back to Switzerland,” the Swiss Federal Attorney General said in 2011. The complaint did not proceed to investigation stage on the grounds that Maj Gen. Dias was no longer present in Swiss territory.
Maj. Gen. Jagath Dias who commanded the 57th Division of the Sri Lankan Army, which is accused of intensive shelling of civilians, hospitals and religious sites, the Swiss criminal complaint against him said, calling him a war criminal.
Dias is closely linked to Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa. In C. A. Chandraprema’s book ‘Gota’s War’ that was published prior to the discovery of mass graves in Matale, the author makes a reference in Chapter 28 to Gotabhaya Rajapaksa being made the commanding officer of the 1st Battalion of the Gajaba Regiment. “With this promotion he was posted to Matale as the district coordinating officer tasked with bringing the JVP under control. The first Gajaba Battalion, which had been in Trincomalee for nearly one and a half years, was brought down to Matale. Lieutenants Shavendra Silva, Jagath Dias and Sumedha Perera were among his company commanders in Matale,” the author writes.
Click here to listen Chief of Defence Staff General Jagath Jayasuriya’s media conference yesterday
Native Vedda / August 22, 2013
Gota
Why did you leave so many finger prints? Didn’t you know there is no such thing as perfect crime, never mind the scale?
US helped you to escape JVP wrath. Now you would be sacrificed as scapegoat.
I won’t be surprised if a travel ban is imposed on alleged war criminals, that is on your commanders, an indication the noose is tightening.
It is not too late to set up a Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
Let us hear a robust defense from David Blacker.
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j.muthu / August 22, 2013
Bravo noose is definitely tightening, where is our beloved doc naren….have you seen him any where? is he contesting in north or canvassing king duck…let me know…
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Native Vedda / August 22, 2013
j.muthu
Noose is just a metaphor, I know you have already started celebrating please stop it.
“where is our beloved doc naren….have you seen him any where? “
Nope, he is actually disappointed with MR clan. Recently he has been scathing about the clan. I rarely see him in this forum. Were you being rude to him?
He wrote he was not cut to be a politician.
BTW you too are missing from these comment columns.
How was your deep cover assignment?
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Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / August 22, 2013
Native Veddah,
Thanks.
J.Muthu,
I have been rather unwell for about a month now. Further, I am awaiting the outcome of the PC elections in the three provinces, as I feel they will be important sign posts as to how the people are reacting to a government that has increasingly alienated itself from them and fatally failed to provide good governance.
I am surprised that many commentators have failed to discuss the significance and malafide intent of the government to extend the term of the Jaffna Municipal Council ( controlled by the EPDP) by one year. This is a blatant and cunning political move to extend the strangle hold of the EPDP even after a TNA dominated PC is elected in the north.
Incidentally, I also learn the ‘ unofficial’ ban on singing the national anthem in Tamil, has been now lifted. A much welcome move, if true.
Dr.Rajasingham Narendran
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Anpu / August 22, 2013
I too was wondering where is DR RN and thinking along the same lines as NV & J.Muthu. DR RN Hope you are recovered fully. Please go and canvass for TNA.
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j.muthu / August 22, 2013
I ve been to all over the tamil ealam, people will vote for TNA overwhelmingly. If its free and fair. Another problem most of them planning to vote, we must encourage all of them to vote. Tamils will teach this Sinhala Buddhist state very good lesson in ballot…
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Hichchimalli / August 22, 2013
We wish you all the very best. Get well soon MR. Narendran :)
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j.muthu / August 22, 2013
Get well soon…
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David Blacker / August 22, 2013
A defense of what, Jungle Boy?
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Native Vedda / August 22, 2013
David Blacker
“A defense of what, Jungle Boy?”
Gota’s back, in fact yours as well.
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David Blacker / August 23, 2013
Why would I need to, and where have I ever done so? Is this once more a case of you creating an argument so that someone will talk to you? :D
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Dev / August 22, 2013
I saw you have been invited to a seminar by the Marga institute, I wonder what qualifications you bring to the discussion? Just curious …
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David Blacker / August 23, 2013
Why don’t you ask Marga, since they obviously think I am qualified to sit on that panel? Curiosity is good; laziness is not.
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citizenSilva / August 23, 2013
I think we all know, maybe not “Dev” but its your friendship with Dayan nothing else ! Your were just a foot soldier trained to kill, what do you know about peace LOL
With Dayan, its a case of ..you scratch my back and I scratch yours LOL
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Hichchimalli / August 23, 2013
Apart from being a soldier, he speaks English – LOL.
Even “Travellers” and “Gypsies” in the UK speak English as their NATIVE.
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Native Vedda / August 23, 2013
Hichchimalli
Natvies speak English. Do they?
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Hichchimalli / August 23, 2013
Native@,
What do you mean by “Natvies speak English. Do they?”
Gypsies and Travellers speak English
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_Travellers#Language
Language[edit source | editbeta]
Irish Travellers speak English and sometimes one of two dialects of Shelta, Gammon (or Gamin) and Irish Traveller Cant. Shelta has been dated back to the 18th century, but may be older.[26] Cant, which derives from Irish Gaelic, is a combination of English and Shelta.[19]
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David Blacker / August 29, 2013
“Even Gypsies??” So you believe that Gypsies are inferior?
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Hichchimalli / August 22, 2013
From Switzerland:
What qualifications does Jagath Dias own to have worked as Deputy Ambassador to Germany and Switzerland ?
GLP should be a donkey not to have checked all these properly ? I am fully in agreement with DJ that GLP is the most incapable FOREIGN MINISTER we ever had sofar since independence. He can only please being biased to GOTA AND THE CO. His academic credentials could be thrown to THRASH BIN (KUNUBAKKIYATA).
No wonder that these embassies are incapable of handling anything. No computer literary at all.. a year ago, I happened to pay a visit to SRILANKEN consulate in Frankfurt. All what I got to see there brought me back to the times, reminding me former lanken SAMUPAKARAYAs (place where people go and collect their rations).
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Don Stanley / August 22, 2013
There must be an independent inquiry into the massacre at Weliweriay. The military which is accused of wrong doing cannot investigate itself. This is obvious, the question is what is the OPPOSITION doing about this except for calling for international investigations
Joint opposition should be out on the streets protesting Rajapassa regime excesses and demanding an independent inquiry…
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Ben Hurling / August 22, 2013
UNP has no bakbone to lead the people opposed to Rajapassa lan rule.
UNP leadership co-ordinates an acceptable level of protest carefully with Maha Raja to deceive the masses of SL.
UNP or SLFP Sri Lanka will slide.
Truly tragic.
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Pandukabaya / August 22, 2013
Ben, the trouble with UNP is lack of organization.
RW and his companians are too decent so they dont address the public in ‘French’.
JVP on the other hand a good protest organizer. But they dont want to join a common opposition.
SLFP has no spine and they never had one in anycase.
Who are we left with? Of course the same Familypakse and Co.
God save the country and Good luck to all of us.
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Hichchimalli / August 22, 2013
Pandu@ long time no see good to see you back.
You are right.. God have to save us from these criminals. See, how many days passed since they deliberately killed those young boys in Weliweriya, but the PRESIDENT has not made any kind of statements yet as to why it was necessary lanken defence to deploy troop for that issue. Nor have the villager been supplied clean water as promised by them. This is the balu chinthanaya under his reign :(
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Pandu / August 25, 2013
Hello mate, me stuck in Mombasa.
Well did you say Chinthanaya?
Some one quoted it as Mahinda Hinsanaya.
How appropriate :)
Good to see you too. Baware of Vans, not necessarily in White. TC
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Anti_Mervin_Sinhalaya / August 29, 2013
Pandu, please pass the message to all law mates KNOWN to you that the need of the hour is now dawn to go for a protest in a strong manner so that the buggers Rajapskses have to be made clear – enough is enough. If Law professionals would have guts to lead days, weeks long protest asking the law and order to be reenforced in the failure state – asking them to treat us all respecting human values. Arab spring like protests should finally make them a lesion. We are fed up the Rajapskses.
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Hichchimalli / August 22, 2013
This would be an another evidence for war crime investigators to grasp how lanken forces had been in the brutal phase of the war end.
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Ben Hurling / August 23, 2013
Native
I am all for swift and severe punishment of all wrong doers. Specially in my country, Sri Lanka. Because I care about it.
However, USA trying to preach us is a joke.
Just have a look here:
http://rt.com/usa/bush-amnesty-iraq-war-847/
All potential war criminals will walk free now in the USA. Including Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Powell, Condoleeza Rice & Wolfowitz. Despite killing millions in illeagal warfare.
It is pathetic USA considers itself fit to advise Sri Lanka. They are playing a geo-political game in the Indian Ocean.
Horrific Rajapassa regime is providing ample opportunities for world powers with ulterior motives to meddle in Sri Lankan affairs.
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Native Vedda / August 24, 2013
Ben Hurling
“Horrific Rajapassa regime is providing ample opportunities for world powers with ulterior motives to meddle in Sri Lankan affairs.”
I am happy that you have learned one or two things in the past few years.
If you don’t treat your wife well, you are assured your neighbour will find an excuse to grope her. Eventually she will be happy to elope with him and set up a home.
Don’t blame her, blame yourself.
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Bread Winner / August 24, 2013
… and the Bun-Hurling continues to snoop on the honeymooned couple.
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Aney Apochchi! / August 25, 2013
Native veddah:
Blacker is probably too busy checking out what his future travel arrangements should be to respond to your challenge. You know it’s hard to find place where there are enough dead, naked, female bodies to stock to satisfy his urges.
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Native Vedda / August 25, 2013
Aney Apochchi!
I hear that MR himself has floated the idea of setting up a Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
Is it true?
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Kalu Nangi / August 22, 2013
God Help Weliweriya!!
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Anti_Mervin_Sinhalaya / August 29, 2013
Kalu nangio, not only weliweriya, god should help all the srilankens to get rid of murderous idiots. Now enough is enough, media people should play the forfront role to make the masses very clear we are on a path to NORTH KOREAN STYLE dictatorship.
Longer you leave him in Office, danger to the nation and the world communities become worst. Following Ms Pillays report to the HR confernence in September, UN has to apply R2P to save the nation from this dracon.
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Piranha / August 22, 2013
What a game this dastardly Rajapaksa regime is playing with the people of Weliveriya.
A war criminal to investigate the criminal actions of his fellow men in the military?
We already know the findings of the report. More ammunition for the UNHRC at this crucial time for the Rajapaksa regime when Ms Pillay is in town.
The world is laughing at the people who elected this bunch of criminals to power.
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srhhoole / August 22, 2013
President Rajapaksa seems to have gone absolutely mad. He is asking for an international probe at a time when he should be holding inquiries as the UNHRC asked. This defiance might cheer his shrinking communalist base. It is a pity that even a sense of self-preservation has fled him and he is unable to see his world collapsing. Are the Sinhalese too blind to where he is leading the country?
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Sama / August 22, 2013
Not blind, they are not serious enough. Just stay mum even if their lovely ones would be gunned down. Totally ignorance. Today than never in the past. :(
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kp / August 22, 2013
most of the sinhalese have been blind or paralyzed for the past 6 decades. that’s not going to change anytime soon.
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DickyBird / August 22, 2013
Sahdu Sahdu Sahdu Sahdu Sahdu Sahdu Sahdu Sahdu Sahdu Sahdu Sahdu……that creates heaven in hell for all drugged paranoid psychotic buddha followers of present AND past Era.No question about it. They do not ever think ,right is right and wrong is wrong. The brain of drugged paranoid psychotic buddha followers thinks wrong is RIGHT or else face the curse.When the word curse is instilled in ones mind by the preachers the good thinking brain loses it’s wisdom and begins to think the preacher was right. This is the curse of the country which we have INHERITED centuries ago. The dahnes the poojas and all the religious rituals has done no effect to better the country nor the inhabitants. By hook or by crook some do have better living than the other/poor. I shall finish with Sadhu Sadhu Saadhu…..
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Priya / August 22, 2013
”Nero Rajapakse keep playing his heroic violin when the Rome is burning from all corners.
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Lovelace / August 24, 2013
… broken harp…..
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Native Vedda / August 24, 2013
Lovelace
“broken harp”
With a Deep Throat to scream when the harp breaks.
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gonbella / August 22, 2013
With what contempt, scorn and derision MR treats its citizenry. By appointing the army to investigate its own criminal behaviour MR has reached a new zenith of disdain for the people he rules.
Ah ‘Silly Lanka’, keep shouting, ‘Jayawewa’.
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Burt / August 22, 2013
“Appoints Dias To Head Weliweriya Military Probe”
So now everyone knows what the conclusion of the probe is going to be. LOL
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Burt / August 22, 2013
“Appoints Dias To Head Weliweriya Military Probe”
So now everyone knows what the conclusion of the probe is going to be. LOL
Should have allowed him to travel and then arrested him for war crimes it US does have evidence of his involvement.
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Peter Casie Chetty / August 22, 2013
United States on Human Rights! And all you idiots who support their right to tell us how to run our lives!
The USA is the worst offender on Human Rights according to Amnesty International. So who care what they have to say!
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Aney Apochchi! / August 25, 2013
Peter Casie Chetty:
Just because Blacker (still) hasn’t opened his mouth, doesn’t mean you HAVE to spew your usual bilge!
Don’t you, in fact, live in one of the countries that you persistently abuse? Must be nice to have your cake and eat it too while resident Sri Lankans have to put up with a government that pays you!
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Mr Retort / August 22, 2013
War Crimnals are given the authority to justify their crimes during the peace time in south cover up the blunders of Kings and his siblings. Life of a few innocents and cracking the skull and bones of hundreds to ensure king and his throne is intact is not a issue for many bone lickers. Even so called headless Prof. peris and Gon Drs would say this is the order of the day
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abhaya / August 22, 2013
what a joke . Amercan military will not let the real fighting officers attend their training . this from a country that has no won a war in decades . may be they need to attend our training .
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Ashan / August 22, 2013
I feel bad for Gen. Dias etc…simply because this is shat happens when you stooge up to a fascist dictators’ regime like ours.. Perhaps a lesson and discourager for other officers so they grow up the ranks being professional officers that do not bend or budge to politicians…the type that removes the cap when a minister approaches…the wide opening of the doors during the war enabled muck of the barrel and ganja boys of Anuradhapura to enter the once exclusive domain of officers and gentlemen!
Thy now have niether officers nor gentlemen showing their way…they just have “oppisers” ..akin to the Anura Senanayake types is in police dept, i.e. “polis oppisers”!
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kk / August 22, 2013
They don’t need US training, US need to get trained from them the way they destroyed the LTTE
This is just a fart
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John / August 22, 2013
yes, fart!
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M.SIVANANTHAN / August 22, 2013
US is a country of war criminals by any definition.
Swiss is a Pariah country and the looters deposit their loots there. Now the loots of LTTE are not coming to Swiss banks!
Diaz is a smart soldier. He will continue as a soldier and serve the country!
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K.A Sumanasekera / August 22, 2013
13,800 US Soldiers died in Iraq’ and 35,000 wounded.
3500 US Soldiers have died so far in Afganistan and 17,000 wounded.
Despite their Presidents claims, the mission hasn’t been accomplished yet.
US troops won’t be present in combat on foreign soil after 5 or 10 years most.
It will be all remote controlled killings and any manual work will be contracted out to a coalition of the the willing.
US could have done well with these trio, Jagath Diaz, Gallage and Shavendra Silva.
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Peace Lover / August 22, 2013
spot on Leela ( k a sumanasekera) infact i think the US should appoint you as the man in charge of building houses for the US sldiers who served in iraq and got injured,you can call it ‘Lee Potter – Project USA’!
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Rama / August 23, 2013
sinhala black monkeys dias, gallage and silva took 30 years to defeat tigers. chinese arms and indian blockade didn’t help tigers either. besides sinhala black monkey army numbers swelled six fold from 50,000 to 300,000 to fight 25,000 boys. what a great victory for sinhala modayas.
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Native Vedda / August 23, 2013
Rama
Didn’t your Thesia Thalaivar know what was being prepared by international community given that he had knack for foreseeing the future, 50% ahead.
The war was not won by the Sri Lankan state but was lost by your beloved psychopath.
Aren’t you going to take all the generals to ICC?
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K.A Sumanasekera / August 23, 2013
Was Rama’s gun commander Hanuman . Black or White?.
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kk / August 23, 2013
Are you white monkey ? go look at the mirror then you will understand
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Peace Lover / August 23, 2013
Rama
your talking bull,its your psychopath leader (so called ‘thalaiver’) and his attitude who destroyed the Tamils and not the Sinhalese
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Native Vedda / August 23, 2013
Peace Lover
Give him some respect. He was Thesia Thalaivaru.
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Aney Apochchi! / August 25, 2013
Tsunamisekera:
Was wondering when you’d start doing what you get paid for!
Oh well, you need to occupy your time, while being paid for it, with your absolute drivel.
It might be less irritating, though, to have you go out and cheat a few more people trying to buy houses, but then they might not let you off the hook like they did the last time, right?
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Anti_Mervin_Sinhalaya / August 29, 2013
Particular Sumanisekara should be the ghost of Leela. For the last few months, USERNAME leela has been disappeared.
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Sumith / August 22, 2013
In Sri Lankan the right party to join is UPFA not UNP or JVP. Because it is UPFA who dictate everything.
Similarly still it USA who dictate terms to world not China.
China did not help Myanmar, finally Mynamar had to eat the bitter pill.
Sri Lanka has to decide who should be our ally and who should we side with. There are no permanent friends, no permanent enemies. There are only permanent interests. We need to act smart.
The Rajapakse brothers should take this incident as a message sent to them. I would believe they would have common sense understand the seriousness of this issue.
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alanp / August 22, 2013
ha ha ha .. US the country that kills people at will is rejecting.. very funny Colombo telegraph
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Lapatiya / August 22, 2013
Actually our Aadambarakara thatha or Aparada Aarakshaka Lekam should have appointed DIG Anura Senanayaka for this Inquiry committee to have an Independent report about Waliweriya incident.
Appointing Maj.Gen. Jagath Dias to Investigate about Army conduct is just like “Horage Ammagen Pena Ahanawa”
In case if DIG Anura Senanayka apoointed, then at least US and Swiss would have been satisfied saying that it is better to ask the Same “Penaya from the Horage Baappa”
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Jim softy / August 22, 2013
Is this the same USA, after the LTTE, that wanted Sihala army to fight in Afghanistan ?
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Chandra / August 23, 2013
Jimbo
You are right, the USA naturally wanted the experts in committing war crimes and able to get away with it via a call of Humanitarian Operation.
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David Blacker / August 26, 2013
So you believe Gypsies to be inferior, Hitchi, since you say that “EVEN Gypsies speak English…”?
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Anti_Mervin_Sinhalaya / August 29, 2013
That has nothing to do with anyone´s belief about the folk group – Gypsies are discriminated in and out of their own countries – is a fact. I think what Hitchi has meant to be that. Just because some people speak English has sometimes become the key qualification them to add their comments, irrespective of the facts that they are not sufficiently knowledgeble on the issues that are being discussed.That may be the point that Hitchi ´s comments focused on.
Fyi,http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Lankan_Gypsy_people
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David Blacker / August 29, 2013
I understand his meaning; but what I am asking him/her is about the use of Gypsies as the example of knowing English but being unsuitable. What are Gypsies unsuitable for? Do you think they are inferior to others? Would you have said “even Sinhalese speak English but” or “even Tamils speak English”? Why pick on Gypsies? are they particularly inferior to Sinhalse and Tamils?
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Anti_Mervin_Sinhalaya / August 29, 2013
Why to hang on them being inferior or superior ? Is it trying to misguide the initial question made by Hitchi ?
Gypsies in Europe are totally neglected as it is the case with lanken Gypsies ?
Further to lanken Gypsy folks: What are they suitable for ? They are the ahikuntikayas moving place to place. I have no idea about their progress today, as I remember a few decades ago, they were the most isolated social group in the island.
Why pick on Gypsies is because of the fact that they have been not treated well in Germany and UK. Traveller folks are isolated in the Uk for example. No what I meant is just because some speak English means not they are qualified enough to comment on matters of high concerned.
To last question: I would not say- even Sinhalese speak English but” or “even Tamils speak English” – not at all. English is just one of world langauges spoken by many.
English is not the main langauge that is spoken as native in the entire Europe.
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David Blacker / August 30, 2013
First of all, why are you answering for hitchchi, and why is he hiding?
Second, how does the fact that Gypsies have been mistreated or neglected make their speaking English particularly noteworthy; unless your meaning is that learning English is an achievement for them? Is that the meaning behind the reference?
Third, if English is simply another language why has hitchchi brought it up? You seem to be going to great lengths to give the impression that hitchchi’s comment actually means nothing :D
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