Field Marshal Fonseka says he has evidence General Jagath Jayasuriya committed war crimes
Fri, Sep 1, 2017,
Sept 01, Colombo: Commander of Sri Lanka Army during the last phase of war against LTTE, Regional Development Minister Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka claims he has evidence that his successor General Jagath Jayasuriya has committed war crimes.
Field Marshal Fonseka said that Jayasuriya had committed wrongdoing in the Vavuniya area during the war and later as the Army Commander and he is prepared to give evidence in a tribunal.
The Minister said that he received complaints that former Army Commander General Jagath Jayasuriya, who was in charge of protecting the persons who were in custody during the last phase of the war and engaged in providing supplies to the Army front lines, was involved in crimes.
Field Marshal Fonseka made these remarks in response to the statement made to the media by General Jayasuriya that the then Army Commander Sarath Fonseka was in charge of military operations at that time.
International Truth and Justice Project (ITJP) has accused the former commander General Jagath Jayasuriya, who was ambassador to Brazil and few other South American countries until last week, of committing war crimes and has filed a case against him in Brazil and Colombia.
"He did not control the fighting on the battlefield, but he people who were being arrested and surrendered came under his control, and I was informed that he committed some crimes," said Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka at a media briefing at the Regional Development Ministry office in Colombo.
Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka said the "this process continued" even after Jayasuriya became the Army Commander.
"I have information about those crimes, and legal action is taken, I will give evidnece as a witness," Minister Fonseka told BBC Sinhala Service.
Minister Fonseka further said that after the end of the war, an investigation was scheduled into the "crimes" committed by Jayasuriya and even a lieutenant who acted as General Jayasuirya's deputy was arrested as an initial measure.
However, the Field Marshal said he was removed from his post at the commencement of the inquiry.
"I have information that he received blessings from the then Defense Secretary, the then ruler, on his crimes," Fonseka said.
The cases filed in Brazil and Bogot� on Monday (August 28) by the International Truth and Justice Project charge that General Jagath Jayasuriya was personally responsible for the orders given to military units to carry out repeated attacks on hospitals, torture and sexual violence, forcible abductions and arbitrary assassinations.
However, General Jayasuriya, who spoke to the BBC's Sinhala service, vehemently rejects the allegations saying that he was not given a front-line operational role in the war.
Fri, Sep 1, 2017,Sept 01, Colombo: Commander of Sri Lanka Army during the last phase of war against LTTE, Regional Development Minister Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka claims he has evidence that his successor General Jagath Jayasuriya has committed war crimes.
Field Marshal Fonseka said that Jayasuriya had committed wrongdoing in the Vavuniya area during the war and later as the Army Commander and he is prepared to give evidence in a tribunal.
The Minister said that he received complaints that former Army Commander General Jagath Jayasuriya, who was in charge of protecting the persons who were in custody during the last phase of the war and engaged in providing supplies to the Army front lines, was involved in crimes.
Field Marshal Fonseka made these remarks in response to the statement made to the media by General Jayasuriya that the then Army Commander Sarath Fonseka was in charge of military operations at that time.
International Truth and Justice Project (ITJP) has accused the former commander General Jagath Jayasuriya, who was ambassador to Brazil and few other South American countries until last week, of committing war crimes and has filed a case against him in Brazil and Colombia.
"He did not control the fighting on the battlefield, but he people who were being arrested and surrendered came under his control, and I was informed that he committed some crimes," said Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka at a media briefing at the Regional Development Ministry office in Colombo.
Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka said the "this process continued" even after Jayasuriya became the Army Commander.
"I have information about those crimes, and legal action is taken, I will give evidnece as a witness," Minister Fonseka told BBC Sinhala Service.
Minister Fonseka further said that after the end of the war, an investigation was scheduled into the "crimes" committed by Jayasuriya and even a lieutenant who acted as General Jayasuirya's deputy was arrested as an initial measure.
However, the Field Marshal said he was removed from his post at the commencement of the inquiry.
"I have information that he received blessings from the then Defense Secretary, the then ruler, on his crimes," Fonseka said.
The cases filed in Brazil and Bogot� on Monday (August 28) by the International Truth and Justice Project charge that General Jagath Jayasuriya was personally responsible for the orders given to military units to carry out repeated attacks on hospitals, torture and sexual violence, forcible abductions and arbitrary assassinations.
However, General Jayasuriya, who spoke to the BBC's Sinhala service, vehemently rejects the allegations saying that he was not given a front-line operational role in the war.
