posted April 21, 2002 09:19 AM            

By Frederica Jansz

What is it about each successive government in Sri Lanka, that it is indebted to promote and send abroad military men who have as commanders brought disrepute and disaster to the security forces as a whole.

This time around it is Chief of Defence Staff Rohan De S. Daluwatte. Not only has Daluwatte failed as a military commander,

he has also obtained the esteemed Weera Wickrama Vibushana award by making a false claim and writing his own recommendation.

The tragi-comedy of this situation is that despite Daluwatte’s dismal performance as a military Commander including him forcefully seeking a highly esteemed military decoration, he has been nominated by the new United National Front government to be posted as Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Brazil.

The bitter irony of it all apart from the ambassadorial posting, is that Daluwatte was awarded the Weera Wickrema Vibushana medal which is the highest decoration for a soldier who has led his troops and physically faced extraordinary risks at the frontline. The Weera Wickrama Vibushanaya is the second highest gallantry award for individual acts of bravery in the military.

Self-recommendation

The official citation required to be awarded this medal specifies that “The decoration is granted to all ranks of the regular and volunteer forces of the army, navy and air force for individual acts of gallantry and conspicuous bravery of a non military nature of the most exceptional order performed voluntarily with no regard to his own life and security with the objective of saving or safeguarding the life or lives of a person or persons imperilled by death or for a meritorious act or a series of acts of a humane nature of an exceptional order displayed in saving life from drowning, fire and rescue operations in mines, floods and similar calamities under circumstances of grave bodily injury or great danger to the life of the rescuer and who are recommended by the commander of the army, the commander of the navy or the commander of the air force to receive the award under the terms and conditions defined in the regulations hereinafter made.”

Daluwatte, was awarded the medal after having written his own recommendation. The medal was awarded to him in 1997 after then Chief of Staff Major General Srilal Weerasooriya according to Gen. Daluwatte had submitted the citation. The commander of the army at the time, needless to say, was Rohan De S. Daluwatte himself.

This too was in violation of the specified criteria as Weerasooriya was a junior officer to Daluwatte and could not write such a citation.

The gazette notification with regard to the awarding of this medal categorically states that not less than three eyewitnesses must attest the said recommendation. This too has not been adhered to in the case of Daluwatte. In fact, his recommendation to the Special Board of senior army officers does not carry a single signature. Not even that of Weerasooriya. Neither has any ground commander who was present during the conduct of Operation Riviresa 1 and 11, named Daluwatte as a candidate for this highly esteemed decoration.

In fact, Lt. Col. W. M. Jayavi Fernando, was the commanding officer of the 1st special forces regiment at the time. In November 1995, Fernando actually participated in the capture of Jaffna town with the 53rd division.

He stated that at the time, Daluwatte was no where near Jaffna town when it collapsed to the security forces. Lt. Col. Fernando says Daluwatte was in fact, at Palaly and he only participated in hoisting the flag with General Anuruddha Ratwatte after the capture of Jaffna.

When told that special forces commander, Lt. Col. Fernando has said that he was nowhere near Jaffna when it was captured, Gen. Daluwatte replied that it is true. “My decoration for bravery was not for the capture of Jaffna but for the incident which took place at Neerveli,” he said. He added that the present Chief of Staff Neil Dias was also in the picture at the time and is witness to his, (Daluwatte’s) act of heroism.

Dias however has not attested the citation and when contacted said he did not even know that this medal had been awarded to Daluwatte five years ago.

Daluwatte meantime recalling his act of bravery recounted, “I was right in the front risking my life. Twice, I almost died when the troops got stuck at Neerveli. I went right up and conducted the neutralisation operation. I even went ahead of the company commander at great risk — I detected where the troops had got stuck and physically conducted the operation from there. As a result we managed to move ahead once more.”

Dias agreed that Daluwatte as Overall Operations Commander during Operation Riviresa 1 and 11 had indeed been present on the ground lending tactical advice and support to his troops which consisted of three divisions. Dias was commander of the 51st division. Dias however said that Daluwatte never went ahead of the company commander at Neerveli confirming that his chief was lying when he claimed to The Sunday Leader to have led the troops by going ahead of the company commander.

We would also like to point out at this stage that this medal is not given for tactical support and advice.

Another senior forces commander who asked to remain anonymous about who was also present on the ground at Neerveli during Operation Riviresa said that by Daluwatte claiming he went ahead of the company commander he is saying that all the battalion commanders including Dias failed in their duty and that is why he as Overall Operations Commander had to take the initiative and lead embattled troops ahead.

This senior commander asserted that at no stage did Daluwatte ever physically conduct a ground battle at the frontline. The only time he visited the troops at the front was to say ‘Hello’ during meal times or when the soldiers were cleaning their weapons and boots, or in the company of the then deputy minister for defence, Ratwatte, he said.

He laughed when told that Daluwatte claimed he had nearly got killed twice at Neerveli. “The only way he could have died was if he was shot by his own men,” he said.

The master mind

“To my knowledge he was giving directions from the Palaly operations rooms. The Neerveli battle was won by the 51st division. Daluwatte was in Palaly on that day. There were so many other soldiers who fought the enemy on the ground. Daluwatte was not one of them. He was never at the frontline. I cannot remember any single moment when he came unless he accompanied the minister,” he charged.

Daluwatte meanwhile when quizzed as to why he was asserting his medal for bravery which was granted for what took place at Neerveli whereas the citation by Weerasooriya maintains it was at Navalar Road, Jaffna, said, “I was all over the place.”

He added that Weerasooriya has numbered many incidents in the citation. Neerveli was where I nearly lost my life. “But I happened to be all over. Even at Navalar Road several times they could not get through. I had several discussions with 53rd Commander Janaka Perera. I told him to broaden the front. He replied he did not have the troops. I then told him the troops are on the way. The following day I heard that they (the additional troops) had got through so I did not go to Navalar Road.”

Why then Weerasooriya has specifically mentioned Navalar Road in the citation is curious. Since Daluwatte himself now admits he never got to the frontline.

Having said that, Daluwatte maintains that he at all times led through to the front in constant consultation with his field commanders.

A senior army officer, who sat on this board in 1997, confided to The Sunday Leader that Daluwatte “was in no way entitled to this prestigious medal. He used his position as commander of the army to get the decoration,” he said, adding that Daluwatte has never been physically present at the frontline during fighting. “He has never led his troops into battle or stepped into enemy lines,” he said.

He asserted that the board which comprises senior army officers could not turn down the commander and so were forced to recommend that Daluwatte be given the award despite the fact they knew he did not deserve it and that he had submitted a false citation to twist the arm of those sitting on the board.

Daluwatte denied that the special army board could be irregularly influenced into handing out this medal. “There are regulations and the Board abides by those stipulations,” he claimed.

In his recommendation for the medal, Daluwatte has claimed that during the conduct of Operation Riviresa 1 and 11 it was he who personally planned and executed this operation. He states that this was one of the largest ever operations in the history of the Sri Lanka army which resulted in the capture of Jaffna town, Thenamarachchi and above all caused extensive damage to the infrastructure of the LTTE. As a result, Daluwatte has stated “the LTTE were forced to withdraw from the peninsula.”

He writes inter alia, “Maj. Gen. Daluwatte displayed outstanding personal courage and determination by leading from the front throughout the operations, paying scant respect for his personal safety, he was always with the leading field commanders guiding and encouraging them. In the final assault for the capture of Jaffna town there was a situation where the terrorists had prepared strong defences along the Navalar Road and were able to halt the advance of troops for several days. The fighting was bitter and hard. Undaunted by the odds he (Daluwatte) used his experience and superior tactical knowledge and with his advice the troops were able to break through finally.”

Daluwatte’s claim to heroism is in complete contradiction to that of the special forces commander (1st regiment) who was on the ground at the time and other senior army officers who are forced at this juncture to remain anonymous.

Anyway, it was on this recommendation that the board considered and recommended that Daluwatte be decorated with the Weera Wickrema Vibushanaya medal.

The senior army officers who sat on this board in 1997, were Maj. Gen. A. G. Weerasekera, Brigadier Attanayake, Brigadier J. K. N. Jayakody, Brigadier Tilak Marambe, Brigadier Pathirane and Major Tennakoon.

The irony of the situation is that Daluwatte was awarded this medal despite two courts of inquiry on the battle at Pooneryn and Janakapura in 1993 having found Daluwatte guilty for having compromised the lives of over a thousand soldiers who died as a result in these very serious debacles. On the heels of the Pooneryn disaster followed Janakapura.

Daluwatte was the Divisional Commanding Officer for both camps at the time they fell.

On December 29, 1993, the then commander of the Sri Lanka Army Lt. Gen. Cecil Waidyaratne wrote to President D. B. Wijeytunge, stating that the responsibility and the answerability of the disaster at Jankapura falls squarely on the shoulders of Daluwatte who was the divisional commander for both Pooneryn and Janakapura when the camps faced a disaster of the highest magnitude imaginable.

“Whatever corrective action Maj. Gen. Daluwatte may have taken after the Janakapura attack has been inadequate and totally ineffective. Or else Pooneryn camp would not have suffered a disaster of this magnitude,” Waidyaratne wrote.

In view of this whole situation, Waidyaratne stated that it is necessary to review the whole situation and take punitive action against two senior officers, namely, Maj. Gen. Daluwatte and Brigadier Liyanage in this instance.

A court of inquiry into the Pooneryn disaster found that Daluwatte only confirmed his inability to command this vital division. The court of inquiry specifically found Daluwatte guilty of negligence of duty, unbelievable lack of supervision of those under his command and that he had given pathetic leadership as a divisional commander.

The fall guy

With reference to the fall of the Pooneryn army camp, Waidyaratne at the time wrote, “the blame of this debacle falls squarely on Maj. Gen. Daluwatte’s shoulders. It is my considered opinion that Maj. Gen. Daluwatte be immediately relieved of his command in the north and serious disciplinary action be taken against him as well as other officers who have been indicted by this court so that the army would have a clean and responsible leadership so necessary for the conclusion of this war.”

Daluwatte meanwhile asserted that the military court of inquiry which recommended he be court marshalled for his lack of leadership etc., which led to the fall of Pooneryn and Janakpura “was only a fact finding mission.”

“I was not court marshalled in either one of those two cases as it was later determined that I could not be held responsible. I was in Anuradhapura at the time Janakapura fell. It was just a company base. There was a company commander as well as a battalion commander, brigade and a special forces commander who were responsible. It was a defencive operation in an isolated area away from Anuradhapura, so there was nothing I could do at Anuradhapura when Janakapura fell,” he said.

With regard to Pooneryn, Daluwatte said it was Gerry Silva who ordered the withdrawal of troops and should take responsibility for the final fall of the camp.

“I was falsely implicated in both instances,” Daluwatte asserted, adding that at the time army chief, Waidyaratne needed a scapegoat as the finger of accusation was pointing at him, (Waidyaratne).

Daluwatte maintained that since the two courts of inquiry, he has been cleared of all allegations by President Chandrika Kumaratunga in her capacity as Commander in Chief of the security forces and police.

Meanwhile, an enlisted army officer and commando, Major N. G. Chandrasena, recipient of the country’s highest award for bravery and valour (Weera Wickrema Vibushana) and the most decorated serviceman alive will petition courts together with Fernando, to seek a stay order on the diplomatic posting of Daluwatte as Ambassador to Brazil.

Fearing none

Chandrasena said that Daluwatte should be held responsible for the military debacles at Janakapura and Pooneryn in 1993, Mullaitivu in 1996 and the disasters that accompanied Operation Jayasikuru including the defeats the army suffered at Paranthan, Kilinochchi and Elephant Pass.

Over 50 soldiers were killed at Janakapura, over 600 at Pooneryn, 1,300 at Mullaitivu and over 1000 at Elephant Pass, while the LTTE succeeded in capturing vast quantities of arms and ammunition including tanks as a result of these camps falling.

Daluwatte in similar vein to his army counterpart Weerasooriya (Sri Lankan Ambassador to Pakistan) is now to be made a diplomat.

It is pertinent to note here that Weerasooriya was sent to Pakistan as Sri Lanka’s ambassador after having let over a 1000 soldiers including high ranking army officers perish on the plains of Elephant Pass in Jaffna on April 22, 2000.

It is no small wonder that the odious Vellupillai Prabhakaran smirked when asked at his press conference recently if there was a single general in the Sri Lankan security forces he feared. “None,” he replied with a mixture of contempt and amusement on his face.

While local journalists squirmed in their seats as they listened to Prabhakaran, Daluwatte was the least concerned. After all, he is soon to fly to distant shores where the blood of thousands of young men who sacrificed their lives on the dusty plains of Sri Lanka is already for him, a distant memory. Given that little red passport that will soon see him whiz faster than a bullet through immigration channels, Daluwatte has manoeuvred his final posting.

The tragedy of this situation is that the new government, which promised transparency and accountability, has closed its eyes and ears to the atrocities committed by men like Daluwatte and Balagalle. Instead, Daluwatte is to be sent to Brazil and Balagalle for all purposes appears set to remain as Sri Lanka’s Commander of the Army or perhaps take over as Chief of Defence Staff.