Jagath Jayasuriya

Last updated

General

Jagath Jayasuriya

VSV, USP
Jagath Jayasuriya.jpg
Allegiance Sri Lanka
Service/branchFlag of the Sri Lankan Army.png  Sri Lanka Army
Years of service1980 - 2015
Rank Sri Lanka-army-OF-9.svg General
Unit Sri Lanka Armoured Corps
Commands Chief of Defence Staff
Commander of the Army
Security Forces Headquarters - Wanni
52 Division
563 Infantry Brigade
Battles/wars Sri Lankan Civil War
Insurrection 1987-89
Awards Vishista Seva Vibhushanaya bar.svg Vishista Seva Vibhushanaya
Uttama Seva Padakkama Bar.gif Uttama Seva Padakkama
Spouse(s)Manjulika Aruna
Other work Ambassador to Brazil

General Jagath Jayasuriya, VSV, USP is a retired Sri Lanka Army officer; he was the Commander of the Sri Lanka Army from 15 July 2009 to 31 July 2013. [1] During the closing stages of the Sri Lankan Civil War, he served as the Commander Security Forces Headquarters - Wanni with overall command of SLA offensives in the Wanni region during the 2008 - 2009 period. [2] He was also the Sri Lankan Ambassador to Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Peru and Suriname from June 2014 to August 2017. [3] [4]

Contents

Education and family

Educated at the Royal College, Colombo, Jayasuriya captained the college boxing team in 1977, winning colours for boxing and was a senior prefect. He is a graduate of the Defence Services Staff College; the Defence Resource Management Institute, Naval Postgraduate School; and the National Defence University. In 1990 he gained a Master of Science Degree in Defence Studies from the University of Madras and had also attended the School of Armour, Pakistan and the Armoured Corps Centre and School, India. [5]

Jayasuriya is the youngest of six brothers, three of whom also attended Royal College and, alongside Jagath, were prize-winning boxers. [6]

Military career

Joining the army after completing schooling in 1978 as a cadet officer, he was at the top of his class at the Army Training Centre and was commissioned into the Sri Lanka Armoured Corps as a second lieutenant on 23 January 1980 [7] with his military career spanning the Sri Lankan Civil War. He was promoted to the ranks of lieutenant in 1981, captain in 1984, major in 1988 and lieutenant colonel in 1993. During this time he had served as a troop leader (1980–1983) and adjutant (1984–1985) of the 1st Reconnaissance Regiment. After a brief posting as a staff officer at Army Headquarters, he was later appointed as squadron commander, 1st Reconnaissance Regiment. From 1990 to 1992 he had served as a brigade major, 9 Brigade in Jaffna and served as Chief Instructor at Officers Study Centre and Staff Officer II (Training), Army Training Centre. In 1992 he was the Second in Command of the 3rd Reconnaissance Regiment and had served as a Staff Officer of the Armoured Brigade in 1994 he became the commanding officer, 1st Reconnaissance Regiment, Sri Lanka Armoured Corps till June 1995. During July 1995 - May 1996, he was the general staff officer at the Joint Operations Headquarters (JOH) and later served as military secretary Army Headquarters. [5]

In 1997, he was the brigade commander of the armoured brigade and in 1998 posted to the 563 Infantry Brigade as its brigade commander. He was critically wounded during the Operation Jayasikurui in 1998, when his jeep hit a land mine in the Kolamadu area. [8] After recuperating he was the military liaison officer at Ministry of Defence till 2002 and was promoted to brigadier in 2001. That year he was appointed as the commandant of the Sri Lanka Military Academy. In December 2004, he was appointed director of operations at Army Headquarters and thereafter promoted to the rank of major general he took over as general officer commanding of the 52 Division. [5]

In mid-2007 he was appointed as commander Security Forces Headquarters - Wanni (SFHQ-W). From this capacity he directed the military operations in the Wanni region that was aimed at regaining area controlled by the LTTE. This saw several major battles which included the Battle of Vidattaltivu, the Battle of Paranthan, the Battle of Kilinochchi, the Third Battle of Elephant Pass and the Battle of Mullaitivu. At the height of the war he had 5 divisions and 3 task forces under his command, thus making it the largest military command in Sri Lankan military history. He is the colonel commandant of the Sri Lanka Armoured Corps and the Mechanized Infantry Regiment. [5]

On 15 July 2009, he left SFHQ-W to take over as Commander of the Sri Lankan Army. [9] On 1 August 2013, he was promoted to the rank of general and was appointed as Chief of Defence Staff with effect from 1 August 2013, when he relinquished command as Army Commander. [10] He held the post till June 2015 when he retired from the army.

Post-military career

Following his retirement from the army, General Jayasuriya was appointed as Sri Lankan Ambassador to Brazil, in which capacity he is concurrently accredited as Ambassador to Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Peru and Suriname. [3] His tenure ended at the end of August 2017. [4]

Allegations of war crimes

Having been a central figure in the deciding stages of Eelam War IV, Jayasuriya has, like Sarath Fonseka and Gotabhaya Rajapakse, been accused of being complicit in the alleged war crimes carried out by the SLA during this period. [11] On 28 August 2017, the International Truth and Justice Project (ITJP)- a group affiliated with the Foundation for Human Rights based in South Africa- filed lawsuits against Jayasuriya in Brazil and Colombia, citing his alleged complicity and command role in artillery strikes on hospitals and other civilian targets, torture (including sexual violence) and enforced disappearances. [12] [13] The same lawsuits were planned to be filed in Argentina, Chile and Peru, while Suriname had refused to accept them. [12] In September 2017 current Sri Lankan president Maithripala Sirisena refused to let several human rights groups take Jagath Jayasuriya to court for war crimes. Sirisena reportedly said "I stated very clearly that I will not allow anyone in the world to touch Jagath Jayasuriya or any other military chief or any war hero in this country," in reference to the lawsuit. [14]

Personal life

He is married to Manjulika Aruna and has one son and one daughter. [8]

Decorations

His awards and decorations include the distinguished service medals Vishista Seva Vibhushanaya (VSV) and Uttama Seva Padakkama (USP); the wound medal Desha Putra Sammanaya; the long service medals Sri Lanka Armed Services Long Service Medal and clasp; campaign medals Northern Humanitarian Operations Medal, Purna Bhumi Padakkama, North and East Operations Medal and Riviresa Campaign Services Medal; and President's Inauguration Medal, 50th Independence Anniversary Commemoration Medal and Sri Lanka Army 50th Anniversary Medal.

Vishista Seva Vibhushanaya medal bar.svg Uttama Seva ribbon bar.svg Desha Putra Sammanaya ribbon bar.svg

Northern Humanitarian Operations Medal ribbon bar.svg Purna Bhumi Padakkama ribbon bar.svg North and East Operations Medal ribbon bar.svg Riviresa Campaign Services Medal ribbon bar.svg

50th Independence Anniversary Commemoration Medal.svg Sri Lanka Army 50th Anniversary Medal ribbon bar.svg Sri Lanka Armed Services Long Service Medal ribbon bar.svg President's Inauguration Medal.svg

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Denzil Kobbekaduwa</span> Sri Lanka Armys senior officer

Lieutenant General Denzil Lakshman Kobbekaduwa, RWP, RSP, VSV, USP was a senior Sri Lankan Army officer who served in the 1971 Insurrection and the Sri Lankan Civil War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parami Kulatunga</span> Sri Lankan army general

Lieutenant General Parami Sudammika Bandara Kulatunga, RSP, VSV, USP was a Sri Lanka Army general. He was serving as the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army and its third highest-ranking officer at the time of his assassination. On the morning of 26 June, he was killed by a Tamil Tiger suicide bomber who drove an explosives-laden motorbike into his staff car as it was driving to a military base at Pannipitiya near Colombo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sri Lanka Army</span> Land force branch of the Sri Lankan armed forces

The Sri Lanka Army is the oldest and largest of the Sri Lanka Armed Forces. The army was officially established as the Ceylon Army in 1949, though the army traces its roots back in 1881 when Ceylon Light Infantry Volunteers was created; the army was renamed as the 'Sri Lanka Army' when Sri Lanka became a republic in 1972. In 2024, the Army had approximately 150,000 personnel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sri Lanka Armoured Corps</span> Military unit

The Sri Lanka Armoured Corps (SLAC) provides the armour capability of the Sri Lanka Army, with vehicles such as the T-55AM2, and type 80/88 main battle tanks; the BMP infantry fighting vehicle; and the BTR-80, and WZ551 armoured personnel carriers. It comprises five regular armoured regiments, a volunteer regiment, and a regimental band. It has an independent Armoured Brigade and is headquartered at Rock House Army Camp, Colombo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sepala Attygalle</span> Sri Lankan army general, civil servant, and diplomat

General Deshamanya Don Sepala Attygalle, was a Sri Lankan army officer, civil servant and diplomat. The longest serving Commander of the Sri Lankan Army (1967–1977), he went on to serve as the Permanent secretary to the Ministry of Defence and Sri Lankan High Commissioner to the United Kingdom.

Major General Nandana Udawatta, RSP, USP, psc, SLAC was a Sri Lankan general. He has served as the Master General Ordnance, Commander Security Forces Headquarters - Jaffna, Commander Security Forces Headquarters - Mullaittivu and was the general officer commanding, 59 Division during the SLA offensives in the Wanni region during 2008 - 2009 period that led to a major victory for the SLA over the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in the Sri Lankan civil war.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">G. A. Chandrasiri</span> Sri Lankan army general, politician

Major General Gammanpila Arachchige Chandrasiri, RWP, USP, ndc, psc, SLAC was a Sri Lankan senior army officer and a provincial governor. He is the Governor of Northern Province. He was the former Commander Security Forces Headquarters - Jaffna ; General Officer Commanding, 52 Division;, Director General - General Staff, Joint Operations Headquarters; Brigade Commander Armoured Brigade, and Commander, Area Headquarters Mannar.

General Shantha H.S. Kottegoda, WWV, RWP, RSP, VSV, USP is a retired senior Sri Lanka Army officer. He was the seventeenth commander of the Sri Lankan Army from 1 July 2004 – 5 December 2005. He had served as the Sri Lankan Ambassador to Brazil and Thailand. In April 2019, following the Easter Sunday bombings he was appointed as the permanent secretary to the Ministry of Defence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rohan Jayasinghe</span> Sri Lankan former brigadier (born 1956)

Brigadier Rohan M. Jayasinghe, USP, psc, SLAC was a Sri Lankan military officer, former Director Armour; brigade commander, armored brigade; brigade commander, 212 Brigade and Sri Lanka's first Defence,Military, Naval and Air attaché, Sri Lankan Embassy, Washington DC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rohan Daluwatte</span> Sri Lankan general

General Rohan De Silva Daluwatte, WWV, RWP, RSP, VSV, USP was a senior officer of the Sri Lanka Army. He served as Commander of the Sri Lanka Army and Chief of the Defence Staff. Following his retirement from the army, he served as Sri Lankan Ambassador to Brazil among other appointments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cyril Ranatunga</span> Sri Lankan army general (1930–2021)

General S. Cyril Ranatunga, VSV was a Sri Lanka Army officer. He served as Secretary of Defence, General Officer Commanding, Joint Operations Command and Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army during the 1980s. He was also the Sri Lankan High Commissioner to Australia and High Commissioner to the United Kingdom.

G. D. H. Kamal Gunaratne, WWV, RWP, RSP, USP is a retired Sri Lankan army general. He is the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence and the State Ministry of National Security and Disaster Management. A retired career officer of the Sri Lanka Army, Gunaratne had served as the former Commander Security Forces Headquarters - Wanni, general officer commanding (GOC), 53 Division and was a former Deputy Ambassador to Brazil. He was the GOC of the 53 Division which killed the LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran at Nandikadal, Mullaitivu.

General Lionel Piyananda Balagalle,, was a senior Sri Lanka Army officer, who served as the Commander of the Sri Lanka Army and the Chief of the Defence Staff. He is known for formalising military intelligence operations within the Sri Lanka Army, having founded the Directorate of Military Intelligence and the Military Intelligence Corps.

Major General Jagath Dias, WWV, RWP, RSP, USP was a Sri Lankan general, who served as the Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army. He was the General Officer Commanding, 57 Division and 56 Division. He was the Sri Lankan Deputy Ambassador to Germany, Switzerland and the Vatican.

Major General K. Jagath Alwis, RWP, RSP, USP is a retired Sri Lankan senior army officer. He served as the Secretary to the Ministry of Public Security, former Chief of National Intelligence, Commander Security Forces Headquarters - Jaffna and the Colonel Commandant of the Military Intelligence Corps. He had served as Sri Lankan Deputy Ambassador to Israel and Commander of the President's Guard. Currently he is the Secretary to the Ministry of Public Security.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crishanthe de Silva</span> Sri Lanka Army general

General Akurathiya Withanage Jagath Crishanthe de Silva, RWP, USP is a retired senior Sri Lanka Army officer. He had served as the Commander of the Sri Lanka Army from 22 February 2015 to 4 July 2017, as the Chief of Defence Staff from 29 June 2017 to 21 August 2017. Later he was appointed as the Sri Lankan High Commissioner to Bangladesh.

General N.U.M. Mahesh W. Senanayke, RWP, RSP, VSV, USP is a retired Sri Lankan Army senior officer who served as the Commander of the Sri Lanka Army from 2017 to 2019. Senanayake had previously been the Commander, Security Forces Headquarters – Jaffna, General Officer Commanding, 52 Division and Brigade Commander, Special Forces Brigade. Having started his military career as a military engineer, Senanayake became a special forces officer and is a veteran of all four phases of the Sri Lankan Civil War, he has served in both its Northern and Eastern theaters. Following his retirement, he contested the 2019 Sri Lankan presidential election and came fourth after the three candidates of the three major political parties in the island.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laksiri Waduge</span> Sri Lankan army general (born 1965)

Major General Galwaduge Janaka Laksiri Waduge, RWP, RSP, VSV, USP, ndu is a retired Sri Lankan army general. He was the 10th Commander Security Forces Headquarters – Central and the former Colonel commandant of Military Intelligence Corps. He retired from active service in 2020 upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 55 for Sri Lankan Armed Forces Personnel.

Major General A. K. Sumedha Perera, WWV, RWP, RSP, USP is a retired Sri Lankan general. He is the Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Mahaweli, Agriculture, Irrigation and Rural Development; and former Deputy Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army.

Major General Jagath Gunawardena, RSP, VSV, USP was a Sri Lankan senior army officer. He was the Chief of Staff of the Sri Lankan Army, having served as the Commandant of the Volunteer Force, Commander, Security Forces Headquarters – Wanni and Master General of Ordnance. He served as the Colonel Commandant of the Sri Lanka Engineers.

References

  1. ↑ Army, Navy get new commanders: island.lk
  2. ↑ "Tigers lost sight of Pooneryn for Kilinochchi". Archived from the original on 1 February 2017. Retrieved 1 February 2009.
  3. 1 2 Nine new ambassadors appointed
  4. 1 2 "Jagath not fleeing Brazil, tenure ended: Ministry". Dailymirror.lk. Daily Mirror Sri Lanka. 30 August 2017. Retrieved 30 August 2017.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Army Commander made full General: island.lk
  6. ↑ Lt General Jagath Jayasuriya the Pugilist: army.lk
  7. ↑ LIEUTENANT GENERAL JAGATH JAYASURIYA USP ndu psc: army.lk
  8. 1 2 "New Army Commander". Dailynews.lk. Daily News Sri Lanka. 15 July 2009. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  9. ↑ 19th Army Commander Appointed: army.lk
  10. ↑ "Gen Jagath Jayasuriya Chief of Defence Staff". Archived from the original on 19 June 2013. Retrieved 15 June 2013.
  11. ↑ "War crimes suspect Jagath Jayasuriya takes up diplomatic post in Brazil". Tamilguardian.com. 8 November 2015. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  12. 1 2 "Brazil lawsuit accuses Jagath Jayasuriya of war cimes". Aljazeera.com. Al Jazeera. 29 August 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  13. ↑ Prengaman, Peter (29 August 2017). "A Sri Lankan Ambassador in Latin America Is to Face War Crimes Suits". Timeinc.net. Time. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  14. ↑ "Sri Lanka leader to shield general from war crimes case".
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by
Raja Edirisuriya
 Sri Lankan Ambassador to Brazil
2015 –		Succeeded by
-
Military offices
Preceded by Chief of the Defence Staff
1 August 2013 – 15 June 2015		Succeeded by
Preceded by Commander of the Army
15 July 2009 – 31 July 2013		Succeeded by
Preceded by
Upali Edirisinghe
 Commander Security Forces Headquarters - Wanni
2007 - 2009		Succeeded by
-
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.