Shelling not caused by the Army-report

15 February 2013 05:44 am - 60 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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Sri Lanka Army’s court of inquiry report, that was handed over today revealed that the instances of shelling referred in the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) report were not caused by the army, the government information department said quoting the Army spokesman.

The full statement issued by the Directorate of Media-Sri Lanka Army

Army Court of Inquiry on Channel 4 Allegations Referred to in the LLRC Report Submits its Findings to the Commander of the Army

Inquiry Reveals that the Instances of Shelling were not Caused by the Army

The Army Court of Inquiry appointed by the Commander of the Army Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya VSV USP ndu psc to investigate the controversial Channel 4 claims referred to in the LLRC Report, completed their inquiry concerning the 1st Part of their investigation with regard to the allegation of excessive civilian casualties that said to have been caused due to heavy shelling.

The Court of Inquiry comprised of:

Major General   Chrishantha De Silva RWP USP        - President
Major General   Sumedha Perera WWV RWP RSP       - Member
Brigadier       Ruwan Kulatunga RSP            - Member
Brigadier       Ruwan De Silva IG               - Member
Brigadier       Aruna Wijewickrema           - Member
Lieutenant Colonel    Lalith Herath RSP               - Secretary

On Friday, 15 February 2013 the President of the Court of Inquiry Major General Chrishantha De Silva RWP USP handed over the Court of Inquiry (C of I) Report to the Commander of the Army Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya VSV USP ndu psc at the Army Headquarters.

Considering the evidence presented before it, the Court has concluded that the Army High Command had addressed their minds to International Humanitarian Law (IHL) well in advance as far back 1990s and all troops have been educated to observe the standard procedures that are followed to prevent civilian casualties.

Evidence before the court has conclusively established that the Humanitarian Operation was conducted strictly in accordance with the “Zero Civilian Casualty” directive made by His Excellency the President Mahinda Rajapaksha and commanders at all times obeyed the said directive and the directives from the higher headquarters with regard to No Fire Zones (NFZs) and even where the LTTE terrorists had fired from NFZs, commanders refrained from firing at such NFZs. It has also been revealed that artillery commanders had added 500 m to the boundaries of NFZs given by higher headquarters thereby extending the boundaries of NFZs by 500 m.

Evidence revealed that at all stages of the Humanitarian Operation, the Sri Lanka Army behaved as a well-disciplined military force observing the IHL and law of war and they took all the precautions to avoid civilian casualties and all those who came under the control of the Sri Lanka Army, including surrendered/captured LTTE cadres, were treated humanely observing the IHL to the letter. On the contrary, shocking details of war crimes committed by LTTE terrorists such as using of civilian as Human Shields, summary executions of civilians who attempted to escape to army lines, forced conscription of children for combat purposes were revealed at the inquiry. The court noted that the international community had failed in their duty to stop the war crimes committed by the LTTE terrorists.

From the testimony presented, the C of I concluded that the instances of shelling referred to in the LLRC Report were not caused by the Sri Lanka Army and civilian casualties might have occurred due to unlawful acts by LTTE. These acts include targeting civilians fleeing to the safety of Army held areas and likely routes of escape, dropping of artillery rounds fired by ill-trained LTTE gunners on to civilian concentrations, employment of sub-standard artillery guns and incompatible and sub-standard artillery rounds obtained from illegal sources by the LTTE, forced conscription of civilians including children and old people by LTTE for combat purposes, thus exposing them to danger.

The C of I will now proceed to investigate the 2nd part of their mandate, to wit Channel 4 allegation on summary executions of captured LTTE terrorists.

The Commander of the Army will study the Court of Inquiry Report and hand over the Report along with his observations to Secretary Defence in due course. (End)

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Comments - 60

buffaloa citizen Friday, 15 February 2013 10:44 AM

Now now Cyril Mathew and Gamini Dissanayake claim patriotism and heroism in doing that project.

Nadi Friday, 15 February 2013 09:00 AM

If you want to know the truth of any situation then probably best if the suspects don't investigate themselves. Just saying.

R.Dias Friday, 15 February 2013 09:11 AM

the dead cannot speak..

LondonBuwa Friday, 15 February 2013 09:17 AM

mate, the nonsense is coming from politicians. Don't label millions of Sinhalese who are disgusted by the lies as well!
I have a lot more in common with the Tamil, Muslim, Burgher, black, white, or Chinese general public than politicians who just happen to share the same ethnicity as me.

aj Sydney Friday, 15 February 2013 09:18 AM

So what was the talk between Indian government and UN Secretary at the time to stop shelling close to Refugees camps and hospital, Have they forgotten, or no records. Where did they use all those shells they bought and have a stock control . Where di d they use or sold it to ALHIDA

roy Friday, 15 February 2013 09:23 AM

very good saints live in SL..they dont shell....eeeee

vijay Friday, 15 February 2013 09:30 AM

Keep quiet until now
When screws are on - come up with this
If this had come up long ago when accusations were made it could at least had some credibility

Political circus Friday, 15 February 2013 09:33 AM

The Army never shelled anybody. They were killed by meteorites from outer space.. The Army only rescued the poor civilians.And put them in concentration camps.

Pasel Friday, 15 February 2013 09:38 AM

We know SL didn't shell

Then who shelled Chana ,india, or Pakistan please tell the truth ?

eye Friday, 15 February 2013 09:40 AM

This is just an eye wash.......

Patriotic Matta Friday, 15 February 2013 10:04 AM

Haaaaaaaaaaaaa Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Achcharu Friday, 15 February 2013 10:21 AM

If you are calling the LTTE 'public'? Obviously, the two sides used controlled shelling to their favour. In war, their are necessary evils and necesary lies, for the greater good mind you..

Countryman Friday, 15 February 2013 10:26 AM

Correction, this is "horagenma pena ahilla". Not even from "horage ammagen."

Lucky Weeramantry Friday, 15 February 2013 10:27 AM

With This Type Of Reporting The People Are Shelled Shocked

Lucky Weeramantry Friday, 15 February 2013 10:31 AM

No Shelling. The Most Trusted Army In The World

Jackmart Friday, 15 February 2013 08:40 AM

LTTE killed the civilians and shot themselves up. Army didn't didn't go to Jaffna at all.

MountainLion Friday, 15 February 2013 02:26 PM

Better dead than learn so many were massacred for the pleasure of a few. We are not in the stone age. This is called the IT age or the age with a worldwide Internet culture.

Shaik Anwar Ahamath Friday, 15 February 2013 03:03 PM

There is no doubt that the LTTE rump was shooting at the fleeing Tamil people to the clutches of the SL Army personnel they trusted. It is possible the LTTE were detonating the bombs themselves just to discredit the Army. I am convinced they are innocent but the difficulty is convincing our entrenched enemies whose minds are already made up we were barbarians. Some of these moronic comments gives them more ammunition.

ukboy Friday, 15 February 2013 03:36 PM

Gota, you must be laughing. ha ha has..

Dave Friday, 15 February 2013 03:53 PM

You must be a buffaloe to believe that it took three years to put this 'truth' together! Web of lies.

Dave Friday, 15 February 2013 03:55 PM

Get a life mate. Jump in the Bolgoda - it should clear your head.

Dave Friday, 15 February 2013 03:57 PM

Lucky for the crroked government, noone remembers much these days - so the storytellers keep changing their stories. After all, they have got to get some practice for rewriting history haven't they?

Cabs Friday, 15 February 2013 05:38 PM

Those holes were dig by LTTE to shit when they were getting the beating from SL Army.

RamUk Saturday, 16 February 2013 08:35 AM

U r right now SL govt in that shit hole

perumal Saturday, 16 February 2013 04:15 PM

Hereafter, a report should be called from the mother of every suspect of criminal conduct and that report should be final and conclusive.

Lobo Sunday, 17 February 2013 02:07 AM

RampUK .....It takes bigger one to know one.

selva Sunday, 17 February 2013 02:41 AM

. GOSL bought 10 multi barrels guns , several rocket launchers , helicopters and war planes for VESAK festival not for the internal war

Nodrog Sunday, 17 February 2013 05:39 AM

Idiot.

yuri Sunday, 17 February 2013 06:33 AM

ya, and still shitting on you below.

Kane Friday, 15 February 2013 06:50 AM

Why did take almost four years reveal it.

cats.eye Friday, 15 February 2013 05:50 AM

meaning LTTE shelled!

Reader Friday, 15 February 2013 05:51 AM

when UNHRC is around all these reports suddenly i wonder is this government is keen to have a continuous dialogue to prove them self, these sort of actions like flash in the pan will not help International community to believe GOSL

weha Friday, 15 February 2013 05:59 AM

Aaah so it must have just fallen from the sky..

weha Friday, 15 February 2013 06:01 AM

another thing, first no civilians died, then civilians died but only a little amount, after that lot of civilians died but the army didn't kill them.
earlier no shelling, now shelling was their but not the army.
Now what does that tell us?

hello Friday, 15 February 2013 06:07 AM

Yes yes. Nothing new. We already knew this.

abc Friday, 15 February 2013 06:13 AM

Ofcourse not, we all know that. The innocent people shelled themselves.

lal Friday, 15 February 2013 06:20 AM

It was preposterous to have suggested SL govt forces deliberately targetted civilians. Had that been the case lot fever than 6500 govt forces would have perished in the so called last stages of the conflict. Those who resorted to violence, racist LTTE and those in the diaspora have to take responsibilty for all civilian deaths.

LaLa Land Friday, 15 February 2013 06:22 AM

Naturally. Who burned the Jaffna library? Who do you think would have shelled?

Nithya Friday, 15 February 2013 06:29 AM

Shelling was not caused by the Army. Some former Terrorist group in the Army uniform.

kiwi Friday, 15 February 2013 06:32 AM

The Army giving a report about an accusation against it. What more could one expect!

GP Friday, 15 February 2013 06:37 AM

Its too late now. No one in the world inlcluding rest of Sri Lanka beleive your bullshit story. Pack up boys to China. (Chinese will stay)

Varageese Friday, 15 February 2013 06:33 AM

"it shelled"

Varageese Friday, 15 February 2013 06:37 AM

"it shelled"

MountainLion Friday, 15 February 2013 06:44 AM

Come on, we had zero civilian casualties as reported just after the war.

jacoob Friday, 15 February 2013 05:53 AM

It was caused by the very same public who perished in the butchering self act. Chapter closed. Banana..

malkanthi Friday, 15 February 2013 06:47 AM

You guys are probably not alive to comment today if not for the war victory.

malkanthi Friday, 15 February 2013 06:48 AM

"A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion."

Banda Friday, 15 February 2013 06:56 AM

"Horage ammagen Pena anawada gee"

buffaloa citizen Friday, 15 February 2013 07:05 AM

Yes, LTTE did it, thats what the report says. And to all disbelievers, keep your comments to yourself unless you have evidence to prove otherwise.

rakavan Friday, 15 February 2013 07:18 AM

They must be thinking that Tamils and the International community are so gullible to believe this nonsense coming from the Sinhalese

ChickenParippu Friday, 15 February 2013 07:42 AM

that's what most people who comment here do.

jena Friday, 15 February 2013 08:14 AM

seems like LTTE turned the shell guns up towards the sky and fired on their heads.. See, How fools they are ?

jena Friday, 15 February 2013 08:19 AM

unless otherwise born in Vanni

Partial Friday, 15 February 2013 08:22 AM

And I was wondering which comedy to watch during the weekend, well my weekend comedy is done by this article. Thank you guys, you just saved me some cash.

Jaga Friday, 15 February 2013 08:25 AM

jaffna library was burned down by the LTTE to put the blame on the Sinhela people and get world attention claiming bogus stories.

OMG Friday, 15 February 2013 08:31 AM

Hiding elephant behind the cat..!!

RamUK Friday, 15 February 2013 08:31 AM

mental.....

RamUK Friday, 15 February 2013 08:35 AM

but that does not mean they can take my right to comment it is better dead than live with out rights....

hasan Friday, 15 February 2013 08:43 AM

Buffaloas like you wil believe this article which says Army didn't shell...then who the hell did shell? is it public?

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Shelling not caused by the Army-report

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