(Lanka-e-News -06.Oct.2015, 11.30AM) In any country where an army exists discipline in the army is paramount. If there is no discipline , an army cannot triumph and it cannot carry on. During a time when the army is unable to carry on, the state also as a necessary corollary cannot carry on. Hence what is crucial is discipline.It is only when the superior officers who are appointed to maintain discipline act duly that the subordinate officers and soldiers will respect discipline.This is not something new or a novel concept. It is a theory of the army experts who have acknowledged this fact based on many centuries’ experience .
Following the appointment of new army commander Lieutenant General Krishantha Silva replacing the retired army commander General Daya Ratnayake ,a number of strange and bizarre ancient Kekile court decisions have been taken in regard to a discipline respecting army.
One such outrageous decision of Krishantha Silva is : Brigadier R.P Rajapathirane who was dismissed from the post of army legal Director by even the corrupt Daya Ratnayake ,and this brigadier who is facing several charges of sexual abuse committed on lady legal officers of the army under him , being promoted to a top position of the army legal division as lawyer General and judge.
On 2015-05-09 when a lady officer had gone on some official duty to the office of Brigadier Rajapathirane who was then functioning as Director legal , Rajapathirane had tried to outrage her modesty , whereupon she had furiously scolded , assaulted him , and had managed to escape.
The brigadier who was smarting under her assault and humiliation had been taking revenge on her by unrelentingly harassing and insulting the officer thereafter.When the victim tried to make a complaint to the military police , the military police commanding officer without recording her complaint , had sneaked on this to Rajapathirane and turned the table on the victim , making her the accused.
From then on ,the lady officer was persecuted at every turn .On 2014-06-10 , at a meeting attended by all legal officers , the Brigadier had openly insulted and scolded her in filth before all citing baseless grounds . At that moment the brigadier having forgotten his bearings and in a fit of rage said ,’if Iam a bastard, the commander is a double bastard’ thereby vilifying the army commander then.
A number of legal officers (females) of the army have questioned the senior legal officer , Colonel Jayasinghe who was holding the legal post in the rank of Colonel then , and who is presently the Director legal ,what is the decision that is going to be taken pertiaining to the relentless humiliation and harassment that were inflicted on the particular victim ;for which question , the Director legal has not given an answer .Instead he had told the victim that he can get her a transfer wherever she desires, and not to take legal action .
The lady legal officer (victim) who was being continuously persecuted and humiliated because she did not yield to the lascivious advances of sex starved Brigadier Rajapathirane , could not bear the suffering any longer . She had then complained to ex army commander Daya Ratnayake when he returned to SL from abroad .
Subsequently when it was probed , it was discovered that this brigadier Rajapathirane had been the cause of grief to several other lady legal officers too, subjecting them to sexual harrassment .
After threatening to transfer a lady legal officer, Captain Nanayakkara to Kilinochchi , Rajapathirane had later held back the transfer after subjecting her to sexual abuse.Similarly Captain Vaijayanthi a lady officer who was attached to the Kotalawala defense academy who came to attend a lecture delivered by former army commander on 2014-07-14 at the army headquarters fell victim to Rajapathirane’s sexual abuse.
At all events , these officers who fell victims are fully aware that they will not be able to get relief from this sadistic persecution. Knowing well that if they complain , they will be subjected to further harassment , and never get any relief are preferring to suffer in silence rather than complaining .They are eating their hearts out in silent misery .
In any case , the former army commander Daya Ratnayake following the complaint made by the victim , at last belatedly appointed a court to conduct a preliminary investigation , and after dismissing brigadier Rajapathirane from the Director legal post ,had transferred him to the Kotalawala defense academy at that time.
However now , no sooner Krishantha Silva became the army commander than he took the first disastrous step of appointing Rajapathirane a bosom pal and of his same ilk belonging to his same regiment as the attorney at law General and judge - the highest legal position in the army , paying no heed to the on going preliminary investigation in the court against Rajapathirane.
This appointment is absolutely in violation of the rules, regulations and traditions of the army. Rajapathirane then exploiting his superior position threatened the legal officers (male and female) who were to give evidence , and thereby somehow got the evidence turned in his favor in the preliminary investigation in the court.
A most senior legal officer at that time Lieutenant Colonel Wijedasa of the legal division gave evidence undeterred and undaunted by Rajapathirane’s threats and intimidation, and exposed the latter’s misdeeds including sexual molestations, rapes and malpractices via written complaints to the president , defense ministry and the army commander at that time. In spite of it , it was Wijedasa who was victimized . He was sent on premature retirement before he reached 55 years , by the notorious Brigadier and the army commander.
This mafia ring operation did not stop at that , two more lady officers who boldly and bravely gave evidence before court and expressed the truth are also facing unending persecution and humiliation -they are Lieutenant Colonel Ferdinands and major Mendis. The groundwork is being prepared to rid these two brave officers from the army.
When senior legal officer of the army, Brigadier Weerasinghe who was in service (now retired) during the period the lady legal officer was a victim of sexual harassment , was giving evidence in the court inquiring into it, Rajapathirane went berserk , and tried to assault Weerasinghe while abusing him in foul language.
Major general Udawatte , the president of the court of preliminary inquiry had now handed over the report after the conclusion of recording of evidence , to the army commander . What is most irksome and worrisome about this is, this report has been given by the present army commander Krishantha to the very culprit and accused brigadier Rajapathrane , the current attorney at law General and judge of the army .
When the army is conducting investigations this deplorably, disgracefully and most reprehensibly when the lady officers who are victims are seeking redress and who had been subject to the worst degrading sexual harassment , what a big joke and mockery will it be if the very army is to conduct investigations into the rape and murder of victims like Isapriya during the final phase of the war .
In the circumstances , it is a huge question mark , what criterion the president who is the commander in chief of the forces followed when appointing the army commander and the Air Force commander ?
By 'Soldadu Unnehe' (a soldier)
Translated by Jeff
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by (2015-10-06 06:11:17)
 victims of brigadier’s sexual harassment scream in pain; Army commander ‘s Kekille judgment out)
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IGP Mahinda Balasuria must have been in this category. Time has come to investigate.
-- by Anthony on 2015-10-06
