By Shamindra Ferdinando

General (retd) Jagath Dias has appealed to presidential contestants to explain how they intended to meet the growing threat posed by the Geneva-based United Nations Human Rights Council pushing Sri Lanka to punish the war winning military personnel on the basis of unsubstantiated war crimes allegations.

Presidential election is scheduled to be held on Sept. 21. Thirty-eight contestants representing 23 political parties and 17 independent candidates are in the fray.

Referring to the latest Geneva report, which spells out ‘transformational changes’ required to achieve accountability and reconciliation, General Dias emphasised the responsibility on the part of the government and presidential candidates to meet the daunting challenge.

Having served the Army for over 35 years, Dias retired in late Dec 2015, two months after Sri Lanka co-sponsored 30/1 accountability resolution that brought the country under the purview of Geneva. Dias commanded the 57 Infantry Division tasked with bringing Kilinochchi under government control. Dias retired as the Chief of Staff of the Army.

The Combined armed forces brought the war to a successful conclusion in May 2009.

Political parties in the fray couldn’t remain silent against the backdrop of the latest Geneva warning that whoever won the presidential election should adhere with the Geneva process, the Gajaba Regiment veteran said.

The retired Gen. was speaking at a seminar organised by the Yuthukama civil society group at the Colombo Public Library recently.  Ven. Madagama Dhammananda Nayaka Thera of Asgiriya Chapter, Siyam Maha Nikaya chaired the meeting.

In his brief speech, General Dias pointed out that Geneva, having accused Sri Lanka of failing to prosecute and punish whom it called perpetrators of war crimes, had urged the international community to pursue complementary strategies to support accountability in Sri Lanka, including appropriate use of extraterritorial and universal jurisdiction, targeted sanctions against credibly alleged perpetrators and other available measures, consistent with international law.

Gen. Dias questioned the right of the executive and legislature to submit the serving and retired top brass to foreign judicial mechanisms. Dias said he was one of those who have been unfairly held responsible for war crimes, and all other like-minded retired and serving officers felt disappointed with the way successive governments had addressed the ‘accountability issues’.

Yuthukama leader and parliamentarian Gevindu Cumaratunga, in his opening remarks emphasized the need to educate the electorate in the run-up to the presidential poll as political parties offered to implement the 13th Amendment fully whereas some indicated their readiness to go even beyond.

Declaring that Sri Lanka was at a crossroads, the dissident SLPP lawmaker questioned the role played by parliament responsible for enactment of laws that undermined the country. How could parliament bring in laws that targeted the war winning military responsible for saving the country from terrorism that threatened to divide Sri Lanka on ethnic lines, MP Gumaratunga asked.

Gen Dias underscored the danger of interested parties linking the Geneva process with the agreement reached with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to pressure the government in power to follow the Western agenda.

Pointing out that retired officers and men had been divided on political party lines, Gen. Dias said that he represented the interests of all those who fought for the motherland. “The sacrifices made by officers and men cannot be forgotten under any circumstances as politicians seek advantage through devious ways,” Gen. Dias said, urging the electorate to be mindful of the utterly irresponsible political party system.Prof. Tudor Weerasinghe and Jaffna-based civil society activist Arun Siddharthan, too, addressed the gathering.