US expected to accept SLA’s invitation
August 26, 2015, 12:00 pm
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Lt. Gen. Chrishanthe De Silva addressing the media. Army Chief of Staff. Maj. Gen. Jagath Dias (center) and Military Secretary Maj. Gen. Mahesh Senanayake. Pic by Nishan S Priyantha With the warming of relations with the US consequent to the change of government in January, the Sri Lankan Army expects the US to participate at its post-war flagship project the annual two-day Defence Seminar early next month.
Army Chief Lt. Gen. Crishanthe de Silva yesterday expressed confidence that the US would accept Sri Lanka’s invitation to participate in ‘Defence Seminar 2015.’
This year’s event scheduled to take place at the Colombo Galadari Hotel on Sept 1 and 2 will deal with ‘National Security in the Context of Emerging Global Threats.’
China, India and Pakistan are among several dozen participating countries.
De Silva said that the SLA had extended an invitation to newly appointed US Ambassador in Colombo Atul Keshap recently and was confident of a positive response.
The Army Commander was responding to a query raised at a media conference held at the regimental headquarters, Sri Lanka Electrical and Mechanical Engineers.
The US placed a series of restrictions on the Sri Lankan military during the previous government though it provided crucial support during the war.
The inaugural Defence Seminar was held in June 2011, more than two years after the conclusion of the war.
Asked by The Island whether the SLA had examined the then US Defence Advisor Lt. Colonel Lawrence Smith publicly disputing at the inaugural Defence Seminar widespread war crimes accusations directed at the SL military in a bid to disapprove unsubstantiated allegations, Lt. Gen. De Silva said that they were engaged in a process meant to establish the truth. The US official was speaking on behalf of the first General Officer Commanding (GoC) of the celebrated 58 Division Maj. Gen. Shavendra Silva.
The US State Department declared that as the Defence Advisor had been there in a personal capacity, his statement shouldn’t be viewed as official US position. The State Department was reacting to an exclusive The Island report that dealt with the issue.
The US moved a resolution in the Geneva-based United Nations Human Rights in March 2014. The passage of the resolution paved the way for an external investigation into alleged atrocities committed by the previous government during the final phase of the offensive on the Vanni east front.
Army Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Jagath Dias recalled the exemplary conduct of the military since the conclusion of the war. The GoC of the 57 Division which spearheaded the offensive on the Vanni central front said that the testimony of people of the Northern and Eastern Provinces could help improve SLA’s image to a large extent.
Responding to another query, Lt. Gen. De Silva said that he couldn’t comment on the alleged involvement of SLA personnel in the disappearance of media personality Prageeth Ekneligoda. The Army Chief emphasised that the SLA extended its fullest cooperation to the police investigating the alleged disappearance several years ago.
The Army Chief said that the situation was continuing to improve with Sri Lanka expecting the biggest overseas participation at this year’s event.
August 26, 2015, 12:00 pm
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Lt. Gen. Chrishanthe De Silva addressing the media. Army Chief of Staff. Maj. Gen. Jagath Dias (center) and Military Secretary Maj. Gen. Mahesh Senanayake. Pic by Nishan S Priyantha With the warming of relations with the US consequent to the change of government in January, the Sri Lankan Army expects the US to participate at its post-war flagship project the annual two-day Defence Seminar early next month.
Army Chief Lt. Gen. Crishanthe de Silva yesterday expressed confidence that the US would accept Sri Lanka’s invitation to participate in ‘Defence Seminar 2015.’
This year’s event scheduled to take place at the Colombo Galadari Hotel on Sept 1 and 2 will deal with ‘National Security in the Context of Emerging Global Threats.’
China, India and Pakistan are among several dozen participating countries.
De Silva said that the SLA had extended an invitation to newly appointed US Ambassador in Colombo Atul Keshap recently and was confident of a positive response.
The Army Commander was responding to a query raised at a media conference held at the regimental headquarters, Sri Lanka Electrical and Mechanical Engineers.
The US placed a series of restrictions on the Sri Lankan military during the previous government though it provided crucial support during the war.
The inaugural Defence Seminar was held in June 2011, more than two years after the conclusion of the war.
Asked by The Island whether the SLA had examined the then US Defence Advisor Lt. Colonel Lawrence Smith publicly disputing at the inaugural Defence Seminar widespread war crimes accusations directed at the SL military in a bid to disapprove unsubstantiated allegations, Lt. Gen. De Silva said that they were engaged in a process meant to establish the truth. The US official was speaking on behalf of the first General Officer Commanding (GoC) of the celebrated 58 Division Maj. Gen. Shavendra Silva.
The US State Department declared that as the Defence Advisor had been there in a personal capacity, his statement shouldn’t be viewed as official US position. The State Department was reacting to an exclusive The Island report that dealt with the issue.
The US moved a resolution in the Geneva-based United Nations Human Rights in March 2014. The passage of the resolution paved the way for an external investigation into alleged atrocities committed by the previous government during the final phase of the offensive on the Vanni east front.
Army Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Jagath Dias recalled the exemplary conduct of the military since the conclusion of the war. The GoC of the 57 Division which spearheaded the offensive on the Vanni central front said that the testimony of people of the Northern and Eastern Provinces could help improve SLA’s image to a large extent.
Responding to another query, Lt. Gen. De Silva said that he couldn’t comment on the alleged involvement of SLA personnel in the disappearance of media personality Prageeth Ekneligoda. The Army Chief emphasised that the SLA extended its fullest cooperation to the police investigating the alleged disappearance several years ago.
Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai will deliver the key note address at the ‘Defence Seminar 2015’.
The Army Chief said that the situation was continuing to improve with Sri Lanka expecting the biggest overseas participation at this year’s event.
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