Sri Lankan president Anura Kumara Dissanayake praised the country’s armed forces for defeating “separatism” on Tuesday, whilst making no reference to the tens of thousands of Tamil civilians killed during the armed conflict.
Addressing a ceremony at the “National War Heroes’ Monument” in Battaramulla, Dissanayake paid tribute to members of the Sri Lankan military who died during the war, describing them as the force that “played the greatest role in liberating this motherland”.
“The Tri-Forces and the security forces of our country fulfilled their duty. They fought against separatism,” Dissanayake said.
He went on to state that they had gathered to “remember the heroes who sacrificed their lives for the country and to fulfil the aspirations for which they fought”.
“I wish to say that those brothers and sisters, who sacrificed parts of their bodies, just as others sacrificed their lives, will forever remain heroic figures in our hearts. Today, as a nation, we continue to experience the results of your immense sacrifice and dedication.”
“Had it not been for your sacrifice and dedication, we might still be living in a significantly more fearful State. We firmly believe that you will go down in history as the group that played the greatest role in liberating this motherland.”
“The responsibility placed upon those of us who remain alive is to build the State they dreamed of,” Dissanayake continued.
He went on to insist that the Sri Lankan military “did not wage war against an ethnicity”, despite the tens of thousands of Tamils who were massacred by the state in the final few weeks of the conflict alone.
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The address came just one day after Tamils across the North-East homeland and the global diaspora commemorated Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day, marking the mass atrocities committed in Mullivaikkal in May 2009.
Though Dissanayake acknowledged that “the horrific consequences of war were experienced by all communities”, he made no mention of allegations of war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide committed during the conflict.
International human rights organisations and UN investigations have repeatedly documented the indiscriminate shelling of civilian areas, attacks on hospitals, enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings carried out during Sri Lanka’s final military offensive.
Dissanayake also invoked Buddhism during the address, stating that “Buddhism is founded upon non-violence, compassion and boundless loving-kindness towards all beings” and claiming Sri Lanka had “for centuries” functioned upon those principles.
This year’s commemoration was attended by senior military and security officials closely associated with Sri Lanka’s final military offensive in 2009.
Among those present was former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka, who oversaw military operations during the final stages of the war and appeared alongside Dissanayake during the ceremony, with the president seen smiling and joking with him publicly.
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Also in attendance was former Sri Lankan Navy Commander Wasantha Karannagoda, who has been sanctioned by both the United Kingdom and the United States over alleged human rights abuses, including his alleged involvement in the abduction and disappearance of eleven Tamil youths.
Deputy Defence Minister Retired Major General Aruna Jayasekara, Deputy Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Sunil Watagala, Defence Secretary Sampath Thuyacontha, Public Security Ministry Secretary Ravi Seneviratne, serving tri-forces commanders, former military commanders and senior police officials also attended the event.
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Several of those present have faced allegations relating to wartime abuses and other controversies, allegations they have denied or which remain contested. Their continued prominence within Sri Lanka’s political and security establishment has long been criticised by Tamil victims’ groups and international human rights organisations.
Unlike previous years, the government did not extend invitations widely to opposition politicians or members of the ruling coalition, with the event largely confined to the president, defence establishment and senior security figures.
