Alleged War Criminal Appointment - a Ministerial Power Struggle

The Defence Secretary is said have been "overjoyed".

Major General Shavendra Silva . Photo: Colombo Page

(COLOMBO Sri Lanka Guardian) - According to information provided to the Sri Lanka Guardian, the effort to nominate the alleged war criminal Major General Shavendra Silva was a major tussle between the External Affairs and the Defence Ministries in Colombo.

External Affairs Minister Prof. G L Peiris was adamant that Shavendra Silva should not be appointed but Defence Secretary Gotabay Rajapakse was insistent he should be appointed. Thus violating the ministerial protocols, the President’s brother Gotabaya Rajapakse instructed Shavendra Silva to go for the job.

External Affairs Minister Prof G L Peiris’s argument was that appointment of Shavendra Silva will create more problems for Sri Lanka internationally, as its image has been tarnished heavily already with his appoint to the UN body.

Shavendra Silva on the advice of Gotabaya Rajapakse ignored his line of superiors in the External Affairs Ministry and went ahead and asked the other contenders to step aside and they too obliged.

The source informed that smart bond bags containing US dollars were pushed through to get the contenders to withdraw.

When the appointment was confirmed Defence Secretary is said have been overjoyed and phoned his brother President Mahinda Rajapakse to confirm his achievement. He is said to have accused Prof G L Pieris of unfriendly, uncooperative and incompetent. The President is said to have praised his brother for his amazing achievement.

Special thanks to The Sri Lanka Guardian

http://www.srilankaguardian.org/2012/01/alleged-war-criminal-appointment.html

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