The Sri Lankan military has promoted nearly 4,500 military personnel as Tamils in the North-East nation mourned the massacres of tens of thousands of Tamil by the same armed forces this week.
The Sri Lanka Navy promoted 3,146 senior and junior sailors from the Regular and Voluntary Forces while the army announced the promotion of 1,509 personnel, as Colombo marked what was known as ‘Victory Day’ until 2015. Sri Lanka now calls it National War Heroes Commemoration Day and it is dedicated to the Sri Lankan military.
The promotions have been approved by Sri Lanka’s Secretary to the Ministry of Defence Kamal Gunaratne who stands accused of war crimes.
Gunaratne along with President Chief of Defence Staff Shavendra Silva who sanctions the promotions, stand accused of overseeing a genocide against the Tamil people with an estimated 169,796 people slaughtered during the final phase of the armed conflict.
Gunaratne was commander of the army’s infamous 53 Division during the 2009 massacres, and allegedly oversaw numerous abuses, including sexual violence, summary executions and the disappearance of those who surrendered to the military.
Whilst the promotions were announced, Eelam Tamils in the North-East and around the world marked Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day, as they paid tribute to those killed by the military.
