Sri Lankan army officer, who was convicted in UK, got promoted on war anniversary

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. 

Read: Sri Lanka To Keep 11th Anniversary Of Victory Over LTTE Low Key Amidst COVID-19

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.

Read: India's Envoy To Sri Lanka Presents Credentials To President Rajapaksa Via Video Link

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. 

Read: Sri Lanka Removes Top Health Bureaucrat Amid Coronavirus Crisis

Read: Sri Lanka Yet To Receive Monetary Foreign Assistance For Fight Against COVID-19: Government

(Image Credit: @BrigadierPriyankaFernando/Facebook)