“I’m not a war criminal, I fought for my country”: Shavendra Silva

Former Army Commander and Chief of Defence Staff General Shavendra Silva has denied accusations of wrongdoing during the final stages of Sri Lanka's war against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). Speaking to "Impact Stories" in an interview, Silva expressed his willingness to address specific allegations and challenged the international sanctions imposed against him.

Silva, who led the Army's 58 Division during the war in 2009, emphasized that the Sri Lankan military fought professionally and tried to minimize civilian casualties. He questioned the basis for sanctions from the United States and the United Kingdom, asserting that he had not committed any wrongdoing. Silva also criticized the international community for not engaging in a direct dialogue with him and his troops to understand the events better.

He denied intentional targeting of civilians and acknowledged that some civilian deaths might have occurred unintentionally. Silva highlighted the military's efforts to rescue over 123,000 civilians and noted that around 75% of the 12,000 LTTE members who surrendered surrendered to his division. He also recalled an "encirclement operation" where a significant number of LTTE bodies, including a senior northern commander, were found, arguing that these individuals were combatants dressed in civilian clothes.

Silva accused the LTTE of using civilians as human shields and criticized Sri Lankan governments for not presenting the military's narrative internationally. He urged governments and international organizations making allegations against Sri Lankan forces to engage with the accused and present specific incidents for clarification.

Silva rejected the notion that the LTTE represented the broader Tamil community, emphasizing that grievances should be addressed politically rather than through violence. He reiterated that Sri Lankan troops did not intentionally commit abuses against civilians during the conflict.