angeldemon_007
SENIOR MEMBER
Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa giving evidence before the Mount Lavinia District Judge MCBS Moraes yesterday said that the government succeeded in eradicating terrorism in the country due to the close co-operation between Sri Lanka and India.
The Defence Secretary said that the Indian government was regularly kept informed of what was happening in Sri Lanka during the humanitarian operation.
This strategy averted many misunderstandings which could have resulted in abrupt halts as was the case in the Vadamarachchi operation in the 1980s.
He was giving evidence in the defamation case against Sunday Leader editor Lasantha Wickrematunga and the Leader Publications company when it was taken up for hearing yesterday.
The plaintiff Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa complained that his reputation and good name was ruined due to the articles published between July and September 2007 in the Sunday Leader newspaper and claimed Rs 1,000 million as damages.
The Defence Secretary said that India is the only country which could interfere with Sri Lanka militarily due to its close proximity to Sri Lanka.
He added that terrorism would have ended 25 years ago, if there was proper coordination with the Indian government. Defence Secretary Rajapaksa said that the Vadamarachchi operation led by General Wijaya Wimalaratne and General Denzil Kobbekaduwa had to be stopped due to pressure exerted by India.
The Defence Secretary said that high level delegations were appointed by Sri Lanka and India with a view to sharing information with regard to the humanitarian operation.
He said that there was an era in which people believed what war analysts reported in papers.
They wrote articles giving indication that the number of soldiers injured in the humanitarian operation was always high. Such reporting resulted in the declining morale of soldiers. He said the people needed to know what was actually happening in the battlefield and there was no vibrant source that gave accurate news on the battle field.
The Defence Secretary said the Defence Ministry started a website Sri Lanka News - The Official Government News Portal of Sri Lanka with a view to disseminating more accurate news on the governments mission of eradicating terrorism in Sri Lanka.
He said that over 40 million people around the world had visited the website at the last stage of the humanitarian operation.
The Defence Secretary also mentioned the Civil Defence Force which was mainly involved in protecting civilians in villages threatened by the terrorists in the North and East. The Defence Secretary said the number of CDF personnel was also increased from 19,000 to 42,000 and over 5,000 made their contribution at the last stage of the humanitarian operation.
Defence Secretary Rajapaksa said that there was a belief among the public and foreign countries that terrorism cannot be defeated at the time he was appointed Defence Secretary.
He added that the Ceasefire Agreement had been violated more than 10,000 times by the terrorists and the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission had received more than 3,000 complaints.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa had informed India that Sri Lanka was prepared to negotiate with the LTTE, while keeping the ploys adopted by them for the past 35 years in mind.
Defence Secretary Rajapaksa said that President Rajapaksa stressed the importance of strengthening the Sri Lankan Security Forces.
He said that the government had to implement a number of programmes to boost the morale of the Security Forces. The Defence Secretary said the number of personnel in the Sri Lanka Army was increased from 20,000 to 220,000 after he assumed duties as Defence Secretary with the approval of the President who is also the Commander in Chief.
Defence Secretary Rajapaksa said a series of programmes were also launched for the welfare of Security Forces personnel.
He stated that the intelligence service was sagging when he took over the reins of the ministry and the intelligence services of Sri Lanka Army, Sri Lanka Air Force, Civil Defence Force and other security establishments were combined and they took a concerted effort in the eradication of terrorism.
The Defence Secretary added that the number of Civil Defence Force personnel was increased from 19,000 to 42,000 and it helped protect villages threatened by terrorists.
Defence Secretary Rajapaksa added that he as the brother President Rajapaksa was blessed with the opportunity of informing him of what was actually happening in the defence sector at any time of the day.
He described an instance where the Director Operations of the Army phoned him and said that the ammunition for a particular weapon is running out and the military was in urgent need of that kind of ammunition.
The Defence Secretary stated that he promptly informed the President about it and the President was directly involved in purchasing the necessary ammunition through the Head of State of that country.
He said his father represented the Hambantota district in the State Council and became Deputy Minister, Deputy Speaker and Cabinet Minister.
The Defence Secretary added that more than 9 members of the Rajapaksa family have been elected to the legislature with a majority of votes. He said that his father D A Rajapaksa mortgaged their house and properties during the time the country was hit by a malaria epidemic.
The Defence Secretary insisted that the Rajapaksa family has never enriched themselves through politics and they have always been committed to the welfare of the general public.
Defence Secretary Rajapaksa said that he joined the Sri Lanka Army in 1970 as an Officer Cadet and rose to be Lieutenant Colonel at the time of retirement in 1991.
He said he has made a contribution to almost all key operations that were launched to eradicate terrorism in the country, during his unblemished 20 year career.
Senior Counsel Ali Sabry instructed by Sanath Wijewardena appeared for the complainant while M A Sumanthiran PC with counsel Viran Corea appeared for the defendants.
Further hearing was put off for September 11 and 31.
Sri Lanka Security News | Online edition of Daily News - Lakehouse Newspapers
The Defence Secretary said that the Indian government was regularly kept informed of what was happening in Sri Lanka during the humanitarian operation.
This strategy averted many misunderstandings which could have resulted in abrupt halts as was the case in the Vadamarachchi operation in the 1980s.
He was giving evidence in the defamation case against Sunday Leader editor Lasantha Wickrematunga and the Leader Publications company when it was taken up for hearing yesterday.
The plaintiff Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa complained that his reputation and good name was ruined due to the articles published between July and September 2007 in the Sunday Leader newspaper and claimed Rs 1,000 million as damages.
The Defence Secretary said that India is the only country which could interfere with Sri Lanka militarily due to its close proximity to Sri Lanka.
He added that terrorism would have ended 25 years ago, if there was proper coordination with the Indian government. Defence Secretary Rajapaksa said that the Vadamarachchi operation led by General Wijaya Wimalaratne and General Denzil Kobbekaduwa had to be stopped due to pressure exerted by India.
The Defence Secretary said that high level delegations were appointed by Sri Lanka and India with a view to sharing information with regard to the humanitarian operation.
He said that there was an era in which people believed what war analysts reported in papers.
They wrote articles giving indication that the number of soldiers injured in the humanitarian operation was always high. Such reporting resulted in the declining morale of soldiers. He said the people needed to know what was actually happening in the battlefield and there was no vibrant source that gave accurate news on the battle field.
The Defence Secretary said the Defence Ministry started a website Sri Lanka News - The Official Government News Portal of Sri Lanka with a view to disseminating more accurate news on the governments mission of eradicating terrorism in Sri Lanka.
He said that over 40 million people around the world had visited the website at the last stage of the humanitarian operation.
The Defence Secretary also mentioned the Civil Defence Force which was mainly involved in protecting civilians in villages threatened by the terrorists in the North and East. The Defence Secretary said the number of CDF personnel was also increased from 19,000 to 42,000 and over 5,000 made their contribution at the last stage of the humanitarian operation.
Defence Secretary Rajapaksa said that there was a belief among the public and foreign countries that terrorism cannot be defeated at the time he was appointed Defence Secretary.
He added that the Ceasefire Agreement had been violated more than 10,000 times by the terrorists and the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission had received more than 3,000 complaints.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa had informed India that Sri Lanka was prepared to negotiate with the LTTE, while keeping the ploys adopted by them for the past 35 years in mind.
Defence Secretary Rajapaksa said that President Rajapaksa stressed the importance of strengthening the Sri Lankan Security Forces.
He said that the government had to implement a number of programmes to boost the morale of the Security Forces. The Defence Secretary said the number of personnel in the Sri Lanka Army was increased from 20,000 to 220,000 after he assumed duties as Defence Secretary with the approval of the President who is also the Commander in Chief.
Defence Secretary Rajapaksa said a series of programmes were also launched for the welfare of Security Forces personnel.
He stated that the intelligence service was sagging when he took over the reins of the ministry and the intelligence services of Sri Lanka Army, Sri Lanka Air Force, Civil Defence Force and other security establishments were combined and they took a concerted effort in the eradication of terrorism.
The Defence Secretary added that the number of Civil Defence Force personnel was increased from 19,000 to 42,000 and it helped protect villages threatened by terrorists.
Defence Secretary Rajapaksa added that he as the brother President Rajapaksa was blessed with the opportunity of informing him of what was actually happening in the defence sector at any time of the day.
He described an instance where the Director Operations of the Army phoned him and said that the ammunition for a particular weapon is running out and the military was in urgent need of that kind of ammunition.
The Defence Secretary stated that he promptly informed the President about it and the President was directly involved in purchasing the necessary ammunition through the Head of State of that country.
He said his father represented the Hambantota district in the State Council and became Deputy Minister, Deputy Speaker and Cabinet Minister.
The Defence Secretary added that more than 9 members of the Rajapaksa family have been elected to the legislature with a majority of votes. He said that his father D A Rajapaksa mortgaged their house and properties during the time the country was hit by a malaria epidemic.
The Defence Secretary insisted that the Rajapaksa family has never enriched themselves through politics and they have always been committed to the welfare of the general public.
Defence Secretary Rajapaksa said that he joined the Sri Lanka Army in 1970 as an Officer Cadet and rose to be Lieutenant Colonel at the time of retirement in 1991.
He said he has made a contribution to almost all key operations that were launched to eradicate terrorism in the country, during his unblemished 20 year career.
Senior Counsel Ali Sabry instructed by Sanath Wijewardena appeared for the complainant while M A Sumanthiran PC with counsel Viran Corea appeared for the defendants.
Further hearing was put off for September 11 and 31.
Sri Lanka Security News | Online edition of Daily News - Lakehouse Newspapers
