A true warrior of mother Lanka | Sunday Observer
Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekara:

A true warrior of mother Lanka

5 July, 2020

Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekara is a true warrior of mother Lanka, not only because he fought the barbaric LTTE terrorists for 30 long years, he also fought for mother Lanka twice in recent history.

He was the only Member of Parliament who said `I oppose’ when the 19th Amendment was presented in Parliament in 2015, to prevent the former President and current Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa entering Parliament again. He was the only MP who saw the bitter reality in the 19th Amendment which made Sri Lanka a backbone-less State. He saw the evil objective aimed at taking political revenge, hidden in the 19th Amendment, and was the sole MP to oppose it.

He did not stop at that. His name will be written in letters of gold for the crusade he launched in Geneva on his own to protect the heroic soldiers in our Security forces and the political leadership which led the humanitarian operation, successfully ending the 30- year brutal terrorism of the LTTE. The UNHRC in Geneva was a playground for the Tamil Diaspora until Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekara made his presence. It was sad to see politicians who held power from 2015 to 2019 act against Sri Lanka in Geneva openly supporting the supporters of the terrorists. But Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekara stood against them all like a lion.

When the Yahapalana Government co sponsored Resolution 30/1 (supported by the Tamil Diaspora) at the UNHRC in Geneva, Admiral Weerasekera on his own attended the Geneva Human Rights Council and presented documents prepared by local patriotic intellectuals proving that all war crime allegations levelled against the Sri Lankan Security Forces were false.

From 2017 he consistently attended the UNHRC sessions in Geneva and challenged the false allegations of pro LTTE NGOs. In March 2019 at UNHRC, when the UK alleged violations of Human Rights (HR) in Sri Lanka, Admiral Weerasekera said before UK tries to teach Sri Lankans about HR, they should tender a public apology to the Sri Lankans for the atrocities they committed in 1818 and return the ola leaf books and other treasures looted from the country.

He is the convener of the National War Heroes’ Front, a pioneer member of Viyathmaga and Eliya organisations inaugurated by former Defence Secretary and current President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. He voiced his struggle through the Jathika Sanvidhana Sammelanaya, the Sri Lankan Diaspora.

AdmiralWeerasekarais a former MP for the Ampara district. He won the election by becoming the `District First’ in 2010. He was also former Deputy Minister of Labour and Labour Relations during the time of the former President and the current Prime Minister, Mahinda Rajapaksa. He did much to develop the Digamadulla electorate.

He had his education at Nalanda College, Colombo and Ananda College, Colombo. After passing the A/L examination and although selected to the University, he joined the Royal Ceylon Navy on August 1,1971 and served in all warships. He volunteered to serve in Fast Attack Craft and was appointed first Squadron Commander of the Fast Attack Craft Fleet. He fought against LTTE suicide boats in the northern seas.

Admiral Weerasekara held several key positions including the Commander Northern Naval Area, Eastern Naval Area, Southern Naval Area, First Squadron Commander Fast Attack Craft, Commanding Officer Surveillance ship Edithara, Director General Project and Plans, Director General Welfare, Director General Operations and Deputy Chief of Staff of the Navy.

He retired from the Navy in 2006, and was appointed the first Director General of the Civil Security Force. He transformed the former Gramarakshaka Force into a professional Civil Defence Force and protected all border villages from terrorist attacks during the war against terrorism.

He became one of the five Commanders to be felicitated by the nation for winning the war aginst terrorism. He was awarded Honorary Doctorate by the University of Kelaniya for the excellent contribution to the victory of the war against terrorism.

He was awarded the Ranawickrama Gallantry Medal for volunteering and landing Army Commandos in LTTE controlled Pooneryn (in the Jaffna Peninsula) in broad daylight and rescuing 400 soldiers; and the Vishista Seva Vibhushana Medal for his exemplary conduct in the Navy.

Admiral Weerasekara directed his first film Gamani in 2011, about the LTTE terrorist attack, the Gonagala Massacre in 1999. The film won 17 Derana film awards and five OCIC awards including, the best director, best script writer, best song and best film of the year. His second film based on King Maha Vijayabahu Shri Saddha will be screened soon.

He obtained MA and M Phil degrees in Buddhist Philosophy and authored three books; Sagaraya saha Geheniya, Nuthana Parevi Sandeshaya and Thotagamuwe Shri Rahula Himi. He wrote many articles vehemently rejecting and protesting against various creations which disparaged war heroes and their wives during the humanitarian operation.

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