Sunday, July 12, 2009

New military posts created

--BBC--

Gen Fonseka being appointed by President Rajapaksa (photo: Chandana Perera)

Sri Lanka has announced the overhaul of its military structure, creating for the first time the posts of chief of defence staff (CDS) and national security adviser to the president.

The present army commander, Gen Sarath Fonseka - who was widely credited with winning the war against the Tamil Tiger militants - becomes the new CDS, with responsibility for all the armed forces and overall military strategy.

The powerful post was recently established by a parliamentary act after the defeat of the LTTE by Sri Lanka military.

A less powerful similar post was held by Air Marshall Donald Perera until the new appointment.

Maj Gen Jagath Jayasuriya is appointed by President Mahinda Rajapaksa as the new commander of the SLA.

Admiral Karannagoda being appointed by President Rajapaksa (photo: Chandana Perera)

Current SLA chief of staff, Maj Gen CA Chandrasiri on Sunday took oaths as the new governor of the Northern Province.

He replaces Dixon Dela, who was appointed as the Ambassador to Maldives by the president.

Maj Gen Chandrasiri is also the Competent Authority for the Internally Displaced Persons in the North. It is not clear whether he still holds the post after the new appointment.

The president has also made changes to Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) hierarchy.

Serving SLN Commander, Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda was appointed as National Security Advisor to the President; Rear Admiral Thisara Samarasinghe takes over as new SLN chief.

The changes, were made, as he put it, to meet the needs of a post conflict situation, a military official said.

There were no new appointments announced in Sri Lanka Air Force.

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