A 161-page Ministry of Defence (MoD), initiated report, ‘Humanitarian Operation-Factual Analysis’ that tabulated all the details, pertaining to ground realities during tri-service headed Wanni humanitarian mission, was formally released Monday (1) morning at a ceremony in Colombo Hilton Hotel.
The report, a unified move by Army, Navy, Air Force, Police personnel and other state agencies, adequately details how the LTTE grew up to be one of world’s most-feared and ruthless military outfits with its own sea and air wing, and justifies the use of military force to crush it in order to safeguard the territorial integrity, democracy and sovereignty of the country.
Secretary Defence Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa, a few days ago presented the maiden copy of the report to HE the President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Monday’s (1) formal release of the report that covers July 2006 – May 2009 period preceded a brief introduction by the Secretary Defence Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa who described the format of the product which has been categorized under different chapters, based on background, size and scope of the LTTE, government efforts for a negotiated settlement, resumption of hostilities, the Wanni operation, the civilian rescue operation, reception of civilians, humanitarian assistance, general operation procedures, protection of civilian rights, consequences of the humanitarian operation, etc.
Secretary Defence inaugurating its release to the public presented the first copy to the Minister of External Affairs Prof. G.L Peiris who delivered the keynote address afterwards.
Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa in his address queried the rationale behind unjust allegations, being levelled against the role of the Security Forces during the war for peace and pointed out how fabricated stories with anonymous contributors were meant to serve the LTTE agenda in the long run.
“Why should the government which looked after the families of LTTE leaders shoot cadres who surrendered? The sole purpose of Channel-4 allegations is to discredit Sri Lanka and disrupt the peace that prevails in the country,” the Defence Secretary said.
The MoD report provides a comprehensive chain of LTTE atrocities, mass murders and assassinations of democratic political leaders by the LTTE and refers to various attempts, made by successive governments to bring the LTTE to the negotiating table.
Touching diverse measures taken to safeguard civilians and minimize casualties among civilians in the North and East, the report goes on to mention the overall view of battlefield operations, tactics and strategies that were used by the Security Forces in the Wanni theatre of operations while explaining how demarcated No Fire Zones and other corridors were kept open for civilians, trapped in the fighting.
Chapters in the report also speak of extensive training given to tri-service personnel in the field of humanitarian law, international humanitarian law, protection of human rights, civil-military relations, first aid, language, etc, at field level before and during humanitarian operations.
The report, giving significant space for documentation of restoration of democracy, de-mining, resettlement, rehabilitation, communal harmony, freedom of movement and expression as consequences of the elimination of terrorism, also focuses on the gravity of LTTE’s brutality, ethnic cleansing, LTTE’s global criminal network, its threat to human existing, etc, supported by a catalogue of attacks, perpetrated on civilians, religious places, public places, economic targets, state property, intellectuals, moderate politicians, community leaders, priests, public transport, etc.
Prof. G.L Peiris in his keynote address drew parallels between a similar report earlier prepared by a university don on Gaza and the one prepared by the Darusman committee on Sri Lanka. The Minister highlighted that contents in the Darusman report have no reason whatsoever to get alarmed on technical grounds since allegations are baseless and generalized with their credibility at stake.
Towards the end of the ceremony, a special documentary captioned, ‘Lies Agreed Upon’ that contains ground realities and first hand visuals was screened.
Hon. Minister of Economic Development Mr Basil Rajapaksa, several Ministers and Deputy Ministers, Members of Parliament, President’s Secretary Mr Lalith Weeratunge, Chief of Defence Staff Air Chief Marshall Roshan Goonetilleke, Commander of the Army Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya, Commander of the Navy Vice Admiral D.W.A.S Dissanayake, Commander of the Air Force Air Marshal H.D Abeywickrema, Inspector General of Police N.K Illangakoon, senior MoD officials, tri-service officers and a representative gathering of state officials joined the launch of the report.
The report, a unified move by Army, Navy, Air Force, Police personnel and other state agencies, adequately details how the LTTE grew up to be one of world’s most-feared and ruthless military outfits with its own sea and air wing, and justifies the use of military force to crush it in order to safeguard the territorial integrity, democracy and sovereignty of the country.
Secretary Defence Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa, a few days ago presented the maiden copy of the report to HE the President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Monday’s (1) formal release of the report that covers July 2006 – May 2009 period preceded a brief introduction by the Secretary Defence Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa who described the format of the product which has been categorized under different chapters, based on background, size and scope of the LTTE, government efforts for a negotiated settlement, resumption of hostilities, the Wanni operation, the civilian rescue operation, reception of civilians, humanitarian assistance, general operation procedures, protection of civilian rights, consequences of the humanitarian operation, etc.
Secretary Defence inaugurating its release to the public presented the first copy to the Minister of External Affairs Prof. G.L Peiris who delivered the keynote address afterwards.
Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa in his address queried the rationale behind unjust allegations, being levelled against the role of the Security Forces during the war for peace and pointed out how fabricated stories with anonymous contributors were meant to serve the LTTE agenda in the long run.
“Why should the government which looked after the families of LTTE leaders shoot cadres who surrendered? The sole purpose of Channel-4 allegations is to discredit Sri Lanka and disrupt the peace that prevails in the country,” the Defence Secretary said.
The MoD report provides a comprehensive chain of LTTE atrocities, mass murders and assassinations of democratic political leaders by the LTTE and refers to various attempts, made by successive governments to bring the LTTE to the negotiating table.
Touching diverse measures taken to safeguard civilians and minimize casualties among civilians in the North and East, the report goes on to mention the overall view of battlefield operations, tactics and strategies that were used by the Security Forces in the Wanni theatre of operations while explaining how demarcated No Fire Zones and other corridors were kept open for civilians, trapped in the fighting.
Chapters in the report also speak of extensive training given to tri-service personnel in the field of humanitarian law, international humanitarian law, protection of human rights, civil-military relations, first aid, language, etc, at field level before and during humanitarian operations.
The report, giving significant space for documentation of restoration of democracy, de-mining, resettlement, rehabilitation, communal harmony, freedom of movement and expression as consequences of the elimination of terrorism, also focuses on the gravity of LTTE’s brutality, ethnic cleansing, LTTE’s global criminal network, its threat to human existing, etc, supported by a catalogue of attacks, perpetrated on civilians, religious places, public places, economic targets, state property, intellectuals, moderate politicians, community leaders, priests, public transport, etc.
Prof. G.L Peiris in his keynote address drew parallels between a similar report earlier prepared by a university don on Gaza and the one prepared by the Darusman committee on Sri Lanka. The Minister highlighted that contents in the Darusman report have no reason whatsoever to get alarmed on technical grounds since allegations are baseless and generalized with their credibility at stake.
Towards the end of the ceremony, a special documentary captioned, ‘Lies Agreed Upon’ that contains ground realities and first hand visuals was screened.
Hon. Minister of Economic Development Mr Basil Rajapaksa, several Ministers and Deputy Ministers, Members of Parliament, President’s Secretary Mr Lalith Weeratunge, Chief of Defence Staff Air Chief Marshall Roshan Goonetilleke, Commander of the Army Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya, Commander of the Navy Vice Admiral D.W.A.S Dissanayake, Commander of the Air Force Air Marshal H.D Abeywickrema, Inspector General of Police N.K Illangakoon, senior MoD officials, tri-service officers and a representative gathering of state officials joined the launch of the report.
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