Photograph: Army.lk
The US Defence Attaché in Sri Lanka, Lt. Colonel Travis Cox, met Sri Lankan army chief and credibly accused war criminal Shavendra Silva for a ‘periodical review’ meeting on Friday, the day after Sri Lanka's parliamentary elections results were announced.
An official Sri Lankan military page posted photographs of the meeting, stating that the two exchanged mementoes and the "cordial discussion that followed focused on matters related, to bilateral importance and updates".
In response to Tamil Guardian’s request for comment on the meeting, Spokesperson for the US Embassy in Colombo, Nancy VanHorn stated;
“Lt. Colonel Cox met with General Silva in his capacity as the Coordinator of the Government of Sri Lanka’s COVID-19 Task Force. They discussed ongoing U.S. COVID-19 assistance to Sri Lanka, which includes supplies and equipment that have been provided to communities across the country.”
Photograph: Army.lk
The Sri Lankan military claims Silva, who is currently serving as the head of Sri Lanka’s coronavirus task force, was "praised" along with the army for their role in the control and prevention of COVID 19 in Sri Lanka, despite being issued a travel ban to the US for his role in overseeing war crimes.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced the ban in February and said, “The allegations of gross human rights violations against Shavendra Silva, documented by the United Nations and other organizations, are serious and credible.”
