By Jamila Najmuddin


Major General Shevendra Silva has been appointed as Sri Lanka’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN) in New York and will take up his new post soon, sources at the External Affairs Ministry told Daily Mirror online this evening.

Major General Silva’s appointment to the UN comes amidst human rights allegations being raised against the government and the military which resulted in UN Secretary General Ban ki-Moon appointing a panel to advise him on Sri Lanka.

Foreign Ministry sources said that after taking over from former Deputy Permanent Representative Bandula Jayasekera, Major General Silva is expected to “clear the air” over the concerns being raised at the UN regarding Sri Lanka and the final stages of the war against the LTTE which ended last year.

Major General Shavendra Silva was allegedly among those mentioned by MP Sarath Fonseka in a media interview where he had said that the former 58 Division Commander had received orders to shoot at sight LTTE suspects who came with white flags to surrender to the army during the final stage of war. Fonseka was later indicted in Court over his claims.

During the war as the 58 Division Commander, Major General Shavendra Silva was instrumental in the military capturing several former LTTE strongholds including the Mannar rice Bowl, Nachchikuda, Devils Point, Pooneryn, Kilinochchi, Elephant Pass, Vishvamadu and Puthukudirippu. (Daily Mirror online)