‘Ranaviru Commemorative Parade - 2015’ at Matara Held on Grand Scale Saluting Nation

The Ranaviru Commemorative Parade - 2015 under the theme ‘Let’s be Committed to Preserve Peace Won’ on Tuesday (19) paid tribute to Sri Lanka’s success story over terrorism and saluted unparalleled sacrifices of the Tri-services, Civil Defence Force and the Police in a colourful ceremony at Matara, headed by President Maithripala Sirisena who is also the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.   Hoisting of the National Flag by the President Maithripala Sirisena, Singing of the National Anthem to the melody of Police and Civil Defence Force bands, One-minute silence in honour of all fallen War Heroes and patriots, President Salute and Guard of Honour, 21 Gun Salute to the President, President’s address to the Nation, tri-service parade, Police and Civil Defence Force parade, Navy Sail Past, Air Force Fly Past and Tri-service Parachute display, added colour and dignity to the day’s spectacle, witnessed by a large gathering of invitees and members of the public. The grandeur of this year’s march past with display of tri-service mechanized columns, naval fleet in the opposite seas and Air Force fighting craft in the skies became further prominent in separate ceremonial, combat and mechanized columns that went past, saluting the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces on the special dais. This year’s Ranaviru Commemorative Parade - 2015 also attracted a new segment of Ex-servicemen and retired Police officers who together with young servicemen walked in the march, offering their salute to the President. The contribution of differently able War Heroes on wheelchairs and the kennel segment were also among the highlights of the parade. A total of 3255 Army personnel, 1615 Sailors, 916 Air Force personnel, 959 Policemen and 555 Civil Defence Force personnel took part in the parade.   Ceremonial, combat, mobile contingents, colour squads of the tri-services, Police and the Civil Defence Force, representing War Heroes who decisively fought at the expense of their precious lives in the North (Jaffna column), Wanni (center, western and eastern columns) and Eastern Humanitarian Operations (eastern column) with their respective Commanding officers proudly began the march past displaying their unflinching determination, continuing dedication and sheer commitment to the defence of the motherland and her forward-march. Sri Lankan War Heroes, who added a new global dimension to the myth that terrorism could not be wiped out militarily are now fully committed to the daunting task of rebuilding the Nation. All those attending the day’s mammoth commemoration paid a glowing tribute to a representative gathering of disable tri-service and Police War Heroes in the parade after having stood up from their chairs in honour of them as they entered the main area. The parade commanded by Major General Channa Goonetilleke. Brigadier Aruna Jayasekara served as the Parade Second in Command. Commodore Sujeewa Perera and Air Commodore Kapila Wanigasuriya commanded Navy and Air Force components respectively. Over 100 tri-service armour tanks, artillery guns, mine clearing equipment of the engineers, signal equipment, sniffing and combat dogs of the Army, together with other vehicles, attracted the attention of everybody present at the gathering. Over 25 naval craft at sea sailed past Matara seas and the Air Force showcased their skills with over 30 aircraft, flying past in the skies. The day’s itinerary began sharp at 7.30 in the morning soon after the President Sirisena and First Lady Mrs Sirisena’s arrival. The stage was set for the spectacular and mammoth show of the day as the Inspector General of the Police, Commander of the Air Force, Commander of the Navy, Commander of the Army, Chief of Defence Staff, Secretary Defence and his spouse, Secretary to the President and the spouse, Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka and his spouse, Chief Justice and his spouse, Speaker and his spouse, Hon Prime Minister arrived at the venue in succession and were welcomed warmly by designated officers of the Police, Air Force, Navy and Army. Seconds after that, the arrival of His Excellency, the President Maithripala Sirisena, together with the First Lady Mrs Jayanthi Pushpa Kumari Sirisena, was heralded as tri-service members of the cultural troupe commenced blowing traditional trumpets. Prime Minister, Secretary Defence, Chief of Defence Staff, Army, Air Force and Navy Commanders and the IGP upon receipt of both the President Maithripala Sirisena and the First Lady, conducted the President to hoist the National Flag, inaugurating the day’s proceedings. Blowing of traditional conch shells, amidst beating of auspicious drums (Magul Bera) signaled the formal inauguration of the day’s event after flag hoisting. Lined up Tri service, Police and Civil Defence Force members afterwards recited the National Anthem and paid the Nation’s tribute, giving pride of place to the country. The next moment was solemn and dignified as the mammoth gathering rose to feet paying their respect to the memory of all fallen War Heroes by way of a one-minute silence. The gesture took all present at the occasion down on the memory lane and recalled invaluable sacrifices of those War Heroes who dedicated their today for our tomorrow. The ceremony turned more dignified as the clock struck 8.15 a.m. The military ceremony got off the ground with the Presidential Salute, to be followed by the 21 Gun Salute, awarded to the President while all invitees remained standing. The triumphant mood of the Nation’s hard-fought victory over LTTE terrorism reached its zenith as President Maithripala Sirisena as the Chief Guest on the occasion began to address the Nation. The grandeur of the March Past, presented by Army, Navy, Air Force, Police, Civil Defence Force War Heroes as well as the display of mechanized columns, support weapons, unmanned aerial vehicles, sophisticated missiles of the tri-services and the Police, added more prominence to the day’s event. Of them, Army de-miners, signalers, veterinary unit with sniffing dogs, artillery, mechanized infantry, engineer equipment and other armed units of the Navy and Air Force who stood a tower of strength to those fighting troops, drew the attention of the gathering as it provided a new spectacle that caused interest and curiosity. The mechanized column parade and the parachute show also robbed the attention as the day’s programme was drawing to a close. Presentation of the salute by wheel-chair ridden War Heroes, sustained injuries in the battlefields, needless to mention, touched heart and soul of all those present on the occasion. They received an overwhelming standing ovation on the occasion as they went past the main dais and the invitees. Navy and Air Force displays in the seas and air offered the most thrilling experience with tri-service parachutists descending from a height of about 6000 feet as rhythmic beats began rending the air with soothing melodies.

victory parade

The ‘Ranaviru Commemorative Parade - 2015’, scheduled on Tuesday (19) with tri-service, Police and Civil Security Department War Heroes at Matara, is now fully geared to staging it on a grand scale. Mr. B.M.U.D Basnayake, Secretary, Ministry of Defence, along with General Jagath Jayasuriya, Chief of Defence Staff, Lieutenant General Crishanthe De Silva, Commander of the Army, Vice Admiral Jayantha Perera, Commander of the Navy, Air Marshal K.A Gunatilleke, Commander of the Air Force, N.K. Illangakoon, Inspector General of the Police (IGP), Mr. Chandrarathne Pallegama, Director General, Civil Security Department and a few other senior officers of the tri-services on went to the venue at Matara on  Monday (18) morning,  in order to inspect the last minute rehearsing arrangements before tomorrow’s finale.

Major General Jagath Dias Appointed New Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army

Major General N.A Jagath C Dias WWV RWP RSP USP ndc has been appointed as the new Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army, the Army Headquarters announced Thursday (14) afternoon.

He is the 46th Chief of Staff in the Army.

Major General N.A Jagath C Dias is currently serving as the Commander, Security Force - Mullaittivu.

He was enlisted to the Army on 11 August 1980 and commissioned to the 1 Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment as a 2 Lieutenant on 27 February 1982. Afterwards he received an Inter Regimental transfer to Gajaba Regiment (GR). 

He was subsequently promoted to the ranks of Captain (1986), Major (1994), Lieutenant Colonel (1995), Colonel (2000), Brigadier (2005) and Major General on 18 February 2008. 

Major General Jagath Dias who counts over 35 years of distinguished military service in the Army, has served as the Adjutant General (2012 - 2014), Deputy Chief of Mission to the Sri Lanka Embassy in Berlin (2009 - 2011), General Officer Commanding 57 Division (2007 - 2009), General Officer Commanding 56 Division (2006 - 2007), Commander 233 Brigade (2005 - 2006), Commandant, Infantry Training Centre, Officiating Commander for 534 Brigade (2003 - 2004), Officiating Inspector Infantry, Army Headquarters (2001 - 2003), Officiating Commander, 516 Brigade (2000 - 2001), Coordinating Officer Ariyalai, Officiating Commander, 551 Brigade, Commander 553 Brigade, Officiating Colonel GS, Directorate of Operations, Army Headquarters, Officiating Commandant Gajaba Regiment Regimental Headquarters, Commanding Officer, 10 Gajaba Regiment and many other appointments.   

Major General Jagath Dias who has wide-ranging experience in various command, staff and instructional appointments, commanded the 57 Division during the peak of the war for peace against terrorism. 

He actively contributed to counter insurgency operations against the LTTE and was awarded one of the most prestigious gallantry medals, Weera Wickrama Vibushanaya (WWV) and several other medals, including Rana Wickrama Padakkama (RWP), Rana Sura Padakkama (RSP) and the Uttama Seva Padakkama (USP) for his unblemished military career.

To his credit, he has attended a number of local and foreign courses of academic and professional value, including the Young Officers' Course, Senior Command Course, MCC Infantry for Mid-Career Course, Training Programme US Army, CIMIC Course, Senior Crisis Management Seminar - US and a few other career courses.  

He is also a graduate of the National Defence College, India and served as an Observer for Ex Brazen Chariots in India, Deputy Chief of Mission for Sri Lanka in Berlin and a few other foreign assignments, including Pakistan, Quatar, Oman, US, India, Czech Republic, Turkey, China, Russian Federation, Australia, Germany, Haiti and South Korea.    

Major General Dias is an old boy of the Ananda College, Colombo and more popularly known as 'Jagath' in the organization and among his associates. He is married to Sharanki and blessed with two sons and a daughter.

Commander of the Army - Sri Lanka

LIEUTENANT GENERAL A W J C DE SILVA RWP USP ndu psc

Lieutenant General A W J C De Silva RWP USP ndu psc, was appointed as the 21st Commander of the Sri Lanka Army, effective from February 22, 2015 by His Excellency the President Maithripala Sirisena as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.

Enlisted to the Army on 6 February 1980 and commissioned to the 1 Field Engineer Regiment of the Corps of Sri Lanka Engineers as a 2 Lieutenant on 18 July 1981, he was subsequently promoted to the ranks of Captain (1985), Major (1989), Lieutenant Colonel (1994), Colonel (1997), Brigadier (2003) and Major General on 30th November 2009. Upon his assumption of the Commander's Office on 22 February 2015, he was elevated to the rank of Lieutenant General.

Lieutenant General De Silva who counts over 35 years of distinguished service in the Army, took office as the Chief of Staff on 1 August 2013 before he undertook an overseas assignment as Deputy Chief of Mission to the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Moscow on 16 May 2014.

Lieutenant General De Silva who has wide-ranging experience in various command, staff and instructional appointments, commanded the Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force (SLAVF) as its Commander before he was appointed the Chief of Staff.

He was also the Commander-Security Force Headquarters, Kilinochchi, Commander-Forward Maintenance Area (East), Commander-Engineer Brigade and has commanded 512 and 562 Infantry Brigades.

He has served a number of staff appointments at the Army Headquarters as the Military Secretary, Director Operations, Additional Military Secretary, Director Plans and Colonel (Administration) at the Directorate of Personnel Administration.

In addition, he was the Commandant and the Chief Instructor of the Army Command and Staff College and the Chief Instructor of the Sri Lanka Military Academy at Diyatalawa.

As one of the most distinguished Officers in the Regiment, Lieutenant General De Silva commanded 6 Field Engineer Regiment and later served as the Colonel Commandant of the Corps of Sri Lanka Engineers.

He has actively contributed to counter insurgency operations against the LTTE and was awarded the gallantry medal, Rana Wickrama Padakkama (RWP) and the Uttama Seva Padakkama (USP) for his unblemished military career.

To his credit, he has attended a number of local and foreign courses of academic and professional value, including the Young Officers' Course at the prestigious Military College of Engineering Risalpur, Pakistan, his first overseas course.

He is also a graduate of the Army Command and Staff College Camberley, UK and Higher Command College Nanjing, China. He has also obtained a Masters Degree in Defence Studies from the National Resilience Institute (Lembaga Ketahanan Nasional), the equivalent of National Defence University of Indonesia.

In addition, he has attended the Higher Command Course at the College of Combat Mhow India, Bomb Disposal Course at the College of Military Engineering Pune, India, Engineer Company Commanders' Course at the Military College of Engineering Risalpur, Pakistan and the Advanced Security Cooperation Executive Course at the Asia Pacific Centre for Security Studies, Hawai, USA.

Lieutenant General De Silva is an old boy of the prestigious Royal College, Colombo. He is more popularly known as 'Crishanthe' in the organization and among his associates and married to Nayana and blessed with twin boys.

EELAM WAR II

      The IPKF withdrew in March 1990, and the Government sponsored peace talks with the LTTE broke down in June 1990. The first outbreak of violence was reported in Ampara and Batticaloa areas. Large numbers of police personnel were captured and slaughtered by the LTTE.

     The presence of the Army in these areas was very limited in numbers and the camps located in Kalmunai, Kalavanchikudi and Kiran were under siege. Kalmunai camp was evacuated by sea before reinforcements arrived. A massive operation was launched to reinforce the other two camps. Two brigades were launched under the command of Brigadier R De S Daluwatte, the Area Commander for Ampara and Batticaloa, under the direction of the late Lt Gen Kobbekaduwa who was responsible for the operations in the Eastern Province. 1 Brigade Group was tasked to reinforce Kalavanchikudi camp held by a company of 6th Battalion, Sri Lanka Light Infantry, whilst the 3 Brigade Group was assigned to reinforce Kiran camp held by a company of 1st Battalion, The Gemunu Watch. In approximately one weeks time the two brigades were able to break the siege on the two camps. The soldiers of the two camps held on valiantly beating back several LTTE attacks and inflicting heavy casualties on the enemy. Hostilities also broke-out in the adjoining Trincomalee district and in the Northern Province during the same period. The situation in the Eastern Province was brought under control within a months time, and civil administration was restored.

     The situation in the Northern province was different to what was in the east. The Army bases which existed in the north were Palaly, Jaffna Fort, Mankulam, Kokavil, Elephant Pass, Mullaithivu, Kilinochchi and Mannar.

     Due to the presence of the IPKF and the subsequent peace talks, the numbers in the bases had been reduced and the perimeters in large camps like Palaly had been reduced. There was no depth to the defences of these camps. The nonexistence of a land route forced the Army to depend on the Air Force for troop reinforcements and combat supplies. The air strip in Palaly was directly under enemy fire. However the determined pilots of the Sri Lanka Air Force were able to bring in reinforcements despite a heavy volume of enemy fire. Operation JAYASHAKTI was launched to expand the Palaly camp in order to facilitate the unhindered landing of aircrafts.

EELAM WAR I

       In October 1981, a soldier of the army was killed in Stanley Road Jaffna. Since then skirmishes took place on and off until the 23rd of July 1983 when 13 soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army were ambushed and killed by the LTTE at Thirunelveli, in Jaffna. This single incident created a new dimension in the northern conflict in Sri Lanka and also affected the country's image adversely.

      Since then the separatist war in Sri Lanka was converted into a conflict, which yet obstructs the development of this country due to soaring defence expenditure. During the past fourteen years, there were many major operations conducted against the LTTE.

      'Operation Liberation' was conducted to wrest control of the Vadamarachchi area in the Jaffna peninsula, and was aimed at forcing the LTTE to enter negotiations. For the first time in the military history of Sri Lanka, two brigades were launched into an offensive operation in the early hours of 26th May 1987. These two brigades, under the command of late Lt. Gen. Denzil Kobbekaduwa and late Maj. Gen. Vijaya Wimalarathne were able to complete the capture of the Vadamarachchi area within five days.

       As a result of this Operation, the entire area of Vadamarachchi was brought under the control of the Security Forces. This was a severe blow to the LTTE as Vadamarachchi is the birthplace of the Tiger leader, V.Prabakaran, and also most of the senior cadres of the LTTE are natives of Velvettithurai, the main township of Vadamarachchi. Consequent to this operation, the Army was entrusted with the administration of a large number of civilians.

     The 'Hearts and Minds' campaign was at its height and the population was gradually being drawn towards the Government and the Security Forces. Before the Security Forces commenced the next phase of the operation, aimed at gaining control of the entire Jaffna peninsula, Indian pressure started mounting and climaxed with the forced food drop by the Indian Air Force. The Peace Accord with India was signed on the 29th of July 1987, and the Indian Peace Keeping Force, (IPKF), began arriving, thus making a new dimension in the separatist war in Sri Lanka.

      The Army was confined to barracks in the Northern and Eastern provinces of Sri Lanka. This enabled the troop withdrawal from this region in large numbers, to facilitate their deployment in the southern part of the Island to suppress the JVP uprising.

Late Col. Tuan Nizam Muthaliff

A Great hero who did very silent service for the country. Even LTTE leaders were frightened to hear his name. 

This story says the works what he did.......

He was a Commanding Officer of the Military Intelligence Corps. He didnt had a chance to say what he did for the Sri Lanka. Only very few persons of the country know what he did, even his wife doesn't know. He carried out so many clanderstine operations.

Col. Muthaliff's killing came in the backdrop of the "disappearence" of a senior LTTE intelligence leader, Newton. He is considered to be close to the former military commander of the People's Liberation Organization of Tamil Ealam (PLOTE), Nagalingam Manikkadasan. The Plote Leader, who was known for his targetting of LTTE cadre, was killed in a claymore explosion in vavunia on september 2, 1999. Moreover, Muthaliff was seen as a key person who aided "Karuna" after his rebellion against the LTTE leadership.  

The body of Col. Muthaliff being taken for funeral in Colombo