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Sri Lanka Army

Defender of the Nation

Epitome of Military Heroism - Appreciation on Late Lt Gen P.Kulatunga


He was of the mould of the ‘Desert Fox’ - General Erwin Rommel, one of Adolf Hitler’s two famous military Generals along with Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery in World War II; bold, dashing and handsome, relentless in combat, magnanimous in victory and gracious to his vanquished enemies.

For, slain Lieutenant General Parami Sugandika Bandara Kulatunga, VSV, RSP, USP, PBP, DPS, USAWC, GW, Sri Lanka Army’s former Deputy Chief of Staff and third most senior military General at the time of his assassination and whose fifth death anniversary fell yesterday (26), will be remembered with both affection and reverential respect for the role that he played in the Northern theatre of war against the LTTE, among others, akin to Rommel playing a part in two very significant battles during World War II - both at El Alamein in North Africa and also at D-Day. He will be remembered as a man with a heart by his peers and a grateful nation for the major roles he played in the Vadamarachchi Operation in 1987 in the liberation of the Jaffna peninsula where he was a Junior Commanding Officer under the guidance of another slain General- Lt General Denzil Lakshman Kobbekaduwa and also the Operation Balavegaya I and II in 1991 and 1992 which saved Elephant Pass.
LTTE cadres

He will also be remembered as the General Officer Commanding of the 52 Division which stopped the waves of the advancing LTTE cadres in the Eluthumattuval Region after the Elephant Pass camp was over run. Parallel to that was the then, ten serious Kinihira Operations which were meant for the capture of Jaffna peninsula of which he was an integral stakeholder. He also played an integral part in the Valampoori, Yal Devi and Jayasikurui Operations.
JVP insurgency

With his ideal torso and height, any rational thinking mortal might have perceived that he was a unanimous choice for a Lock Forward’s berth in a Rugby team and more so, the Lock Forward in Fullback, Rugby Lion and subsequent Sri Lanka Fullback Shafie Jainudeen’s unbeaten Trinity Rugby XV of 1969, with Lt.Gen. Kobbekaduwa as the Trinity first XV coach himself! But, it was a tryst with destiny. His passion was for cadetting. He ended up as the Senior Regimental Sergeant Major of the Senior Cadet Platoon.

That is when coming events cast their shadows. Deeply perturbed by the goings on in the 1971 JVP insurgency which broke out on April 5, and buttressed by his passion for the military and patriotism, he enlisted in the Sri Lanka Army as an officer cadet on July 20, 1971. After his initial military training, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant and subsequently posted to the 1st Battalion of the Gemunu Watch on October 14, 1972.

On July 24, 1974, he was promoted to First Lieutenant. Three years later, on July 24, 1977, he was promoted to Captain. On June 1, 1982, he was promoted to Major. On March 24, 1989 he was appointed as Staff officer to the Intelligence Operation headquarters of the Defence Ministry and on October 1, 1989, he was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel and continued working at the Defence Ministry. On January 6, 1990, he was appointed as a General Staff Officer to the 23 Brigade. On June 27, 1993, he was promoted to the rank of Colonel, at General Staff headquarters 2 Division. On November 31, 1993, he was appointed Deputy Commandant of the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence Academy at Ratmalana.

On June 10, 1994, he was promoted as the Assistant Military Secretary of the Defence Ministry and on December 12, 1994, he was promoted to the rank of a Brigadier, taking command of the 22 Brigade in Trincomalee.

On December 28, 1996, he was appointed Director of Training at the Army Headquarters. On October 1, 1997, he was appointed Deputy General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the 56th and 54th Divisions. On November 28, 1999, he was appointed General Officer Commanding of the 52nd Division Varani. On May 5, 2000, he was promoted to the rank of Major-General, and appointed as General Officer Commanding of the 11th Division, at Panagoda. On September 6, 2003, he was appointed the Director General of the General Staff, Army Headquarters. On August 10, 2004, he was appointed Commander of Security Forces Headquarters, Wanni. On December 6, 2005, he was promoted Deputy Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army, the third most senior officer.

In his military education, he followed the International Military Education and Training Programme at the United States Army War College and several other courses including the Senior Command Course in India, Advanced Intelligence Course in Singapore, the Intelligence Staff Officers’ Course in India and a few other short courses. Apart from that he has also represented Sri Lanka in a number of international symposia, including the Special Operations conference in the US, South Asia Peace Keeping Operations Seminar in Bangladesh, Pacific Armies Management seminar in Malaysia, Senior Military Officers’ seminar in United Kingdom and United Nations Medal Awarding Parade in Haiti.
Awards

The main military decorations Kulatunga received included Rana Sura Padakkama (RSP), Uttama Seva Padakkama (USP), Sri Lanka Armed Services Long Service Medal, Riviresa Campaign Services Medal, Poorna Bhumi Padakkama, North and East Operations Medal, Desha Putra Sammanaya amongst others. In 2008, he was posthumously awarded the Vishista Seva Vibhushanaya (VSV), the second- highest ranked medal for gallantry.

It was at around 7 am of June 26, 2006, that fateful day, he left his Kendalanda Residence earlier than usual, en route to the Army Headquarters, due to a backlog of work to complete, fighting a deadline. But, alas! It was only up to Pannipitiya that he could travel up to.

A motorcycle rammed into his vehicle. The rider, as it transpired later, was a female LTTE suicide bomber. Only a few split seconds followed. A gigantic explosion ensued. The LTTE, licking the wounds of annihilation in combat in the North, had struck in Colombo with a vengeance. They got their principal target.

It was with the utmost difficulty that the passengers were retrieved, amidst the vehicle going up in flames. They were to be taken to the closest hospital, the Military Hospital at Panagoda.

Also in the vehicle were his personal security officer- Staff Sergeant Buddhika Madhuranga and the driver- private A.R. Gomes. Prior to their being admitted to hospital, the inevitable happened, leaving thousands of patriotic Sri Lankans in veritable bewilderment and in mute grief. (Courtesy: Daily News)