Monday Nov 11, 2024
FT
Monday Nov 11, 2024
Monday, 17 February 2020 01:59 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
The Government yesterday conveyed Sri Lanka’s strong objections on the imposition of travel restrictions on Army Commander Lt. Gen. Shavendra Silva and members of his immediate family and requested the US Government to review its decision.
Foreign Relations Minister Dinesh Gunawardena summoned and conveyed to US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Alaina Teplitz Sri Lanka’s strong objections on the imposition of travel restrictions by the US Government on the Commander of the Army and Actg. Chief of Defence Staff, as well as his immediate family when the two met at the Ministry yesterday.
During his discussion, the Minister reiterated that Lt. Gen. Silva was appointed as the Commander of the Army by the then President Maithripala Sirisena taking into account his seniority and that there were no substantiated or proven allegations of human rights violations against him. His elevation as the Actg. Chief of Defence Staff by the current Head of State President Gotabaya Rajapaksa was on account of his being the senior most serving military officer.
Noting that Lt. Gen. Silva was one of the senior military officials who contributed significantly to liberate Sri Lanka from terrorism over a decade ago, the Minister said it is disappointing that a foreign government should question the prerogative of a democratically elected President to call upon persons of proven expertise to hold key positions on national security related matters. The Minister said this action unnecessarily complicates the US-Sri Lanka relationship, a press release from the MFR said.
On coming to learn that the designation was not based on independently verified information, but on the much disputed OISL Report of 2015, the Minister requested the US to verify the authenticity of the sources of information.
It was recalled that this report made clear that it was “a human rights investigation and not a criminal investigation”, and that “the names provided in the description of the chain of command do not imply criminal responsibility for those particularly alleged violations listed in this report, either as direct responsibility or under command or superior responsibility. Individual criminal responsibility can only be determined by a Court of Law with all necessary due process guaranteed”, Gunawardena told the US Ambassador.
Ambassador Teplitz informed that she would convey the concerns of the Government of Sri Lanka to Washington DC and reiterated the continued commitment of the US Government to all aspects of ongoing collaboration with Sri Lanka and to ensure its expansion, including in the field of defence.
Foreign Secretary Ravinatha Aryasinha, Director General/North America Dharshana M. Perera, and officials of the Ministry of Foreign Relations were associated with the Minister at the meeting. Deputy Head of Mission Martin Kelly accompanied the US Ambassador to the meeting.
