Corrupt ex-Army officers to top govt. positions?

Apr 30, 2016

During the last presidential election, several Army officers openly engaged in politics on the instructions of Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and ex-Army commander Daya Ratnayake, used Army personnel, vehicles, state property and money to campaign on behalf of Mahinda Rajapaksa and against Maithripala Sirisena. 

Foremost among them were eastern  province security forces commander based in Welikanda Maj. Gen. Lal perera and central province SF commander based in Diyatalawa Maj. Gen. Mano Perera, who had blatantly violated the military law and were a bad example to their junior officers and other ranks, abused power and used them for various illegal activities during the election. They made soldiers wear T-shirts with Mahinda Rajapaksa’s name and take part in political rallies, supply accommodation and food for politicians, organize political sermons of Uduwe Dhammaloka Thera, and they also held seminars for families of members of the Army and spread falsehoods that Maithripala Sirisena’s election would divide the country and that they would stand to benefit if Mahinda Rajapaksa was re-elected, and gave various things to monks of temples in their areas in order to lure them towards Mahinda Rajapaksa.

 

Therefore, after Maithripala Sirsiena was elected, these two officers were removed from their positions with immediate effect. There was clear evidence to prove their wrongdoing, but no legal action was taken against them, and were allowed to continue in the service until the completion of 55 years of age, and to retire without any problem. They kept their silence for a short period after retirement, but now they are trying to secure top positions in two government institutions by misleading the president and the prime minister through several top government figures. It is surprising that such corrupt persons are being given top government positions at a time when those who had worked hard towards the election of the ‘Yahapaalana’ government are leveling accusations that the government disregards punishing the corrupt in the previous regime.

 

They are accused of having held staff postions for most of their service in the Army without having engaged in much of operational duties during the 30-year old war, deserted the soldiers and fled the battlefront (at Adampan), committed various financial irregularities in procurement and Army accounts, given to majors the Army circuit bungalows allotted for generals, used more vehicles and fuel than what was due for their ranks and continued to use Army vehicles after retirement. If such persons are given top government positions, officers (like Jagath Dias) who have received no government position after retirement following an unblemished career, during which they had won many battles, and officers who are due to retire (such as Gen. Prasanna Silva, Kamal Gunaratne, Sumedha Perera, Nanda Udawatte) could get discouraged. The most serious matter is that that will give the wrong message to the serving senior officers. The president and the government should be beware also of the persons who try to get positions for corrupt officers such as Lal Perera and Mano Perera, while there are many retired officers with unblemished records and better qualifications.