Major General Shavendra Silva to be appointed as Sri Lanka's Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations

Sri Lanka's External Affairs Ministry has said that Sri Lanka Army Director of Operations Major General Shavendra Silva has been appointed as Sri Lanka's Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN) in New York.

External Affairs Ministry sources have been quoted in the local media saying Major General Silva is to take up the posting shortly.
Major General Silva will fill the vacancy created by Bandula Jayasekara who was recalled this month.

This appointment comes in the wake of the UN's allegations of human rights violations during the final stages of the war against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) last year.
External Affairs Ministry sources have reportedly said that Major General Silva, who was a frontline commander during the battles, is believed to be capable of sorting out the issues raised by the UN and its Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
Major General Silva was the commander of the Sri Lanka Army's 58 Division during the battles to clear the north of the LTTE and was instrumental in the military capturing several former LTTE strongholds including the Mannar Rice Bowl, Nachchikudha, Devils Point, Pooneryn, Kilinochchi, Elephant Pass, Vishvamadu and Puthukkudyiruppu.