Published 17:00 IST, May 19th 2020
Sri Lankan army officer, who was convicted in UK, got promoted on war anniversary
Priyanka Fernando was promoted from the rank of brigadier to major-general during an event held on May 19 to mark the defeat of LTTE on hands of Sri Lankan army
A controversial Sri Lankan army officer is among the 15,000 service members promoted on the 11th anniversary of 'National War Heroes Day' celebrated to commemorate forces and civilians killed in the 37-year-long civil war in the country. According to reports, Priyanka Fernando was promoted from the rank of brigadier to major-general during an event held on May 19. Fernando was convicted in the United Kingdom last year after he was filmed threatening a Tamil activist outside the Sri Lankan High Commission in 2018. Fernando was found guilty and was fined 4,000 pounds.
Following the incident, the Sri Lankan government criticised Fernando's action and reportedly recalled him as a defence advisor. However, Fernando has held several top posts since his conviction, which he also challenged in a higher court. Along with Fernando, 177 senior officers and 14,617 subordinates were also elevated to higher ranks, which the army has dubbed a 'record promotion bonanza'. The event is reportedly being held at the War Heroes Memorial at the Parliament grounds with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa in attendance.
National War Heroes Day
The 'National War Heroes Day' is celebrated every year on May 19 to mark the defeat of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) on the hands of Sri Lankan security forces. The Sri Lankan army won the war against LTTE after killing Velupillai Prabhakaran, the Tamil Tiger supremo on May 18, 2009. The conflict is considered one of the longest-running civil wars in the history of any nation with an estimated 80,000-1,00,000 killed overall and another 8,00,000 displaced at its peak in 2001.
(Image Credit: @BrigadierPriyankaFernando/Facebook)
Updated 17:00 IST, May 19th 2020