Sri Lankan Major General Jagath Dias has been recalled from his post as Deputy Ambassador to Germany and Switzerland, in response to allegations that he committed war crimes according to swissinfo.
The Swiss news platform cited diplomatic sources on Tuesday, who confirmed that Dias had been recalled to Sri Lanka.
It follows the Swiss foreign ministry confirming that the case was of “great significance” and that they had talked to Sri Lankan authorities regarding it.
The move comes after criminal cases were filed against the Major General, accusing troops under his command of committing war crimes. The cases were filled by several Tamil diaspora groups as well as the Society for Threatened Peoples (STP) and TRIAL - Swiss Association against Impunity.
STP Director Christoph Wiedmer said,
The Swiss news platform cited diplomatic sources on Tuesday, who confirmed that Dias had been recalled to Sri Lanka.
It follows the Swiss foreign ministry confirming that the case was of “great significance” and that they had talked to Sri Lankan authorities regarding it.
The move comes after criminal cases were filed against the Major General, accusing troops under his command of committing war crimes. The cases were filled by several Tamil diaspora groups as well as the Society for Threatened Peoples (STP) and TRIAL - Swiss Association against Impunity.
STP Director Christoph Wiedmer said,
"In particular, during this time, the troops of Major General Jagath Dias had carried out shelling of civilians, hospitals, churches. We have some suspicion of torture and extra judicial executions".
In May the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights released a 23-page report detailing the Major General’s responsibility for war crimes.
They concluded by recommending to the German and Swiss government’s that Dias’s diplomatic visa be revoked and that criminal investigations be “seriously considered”.
See also our earlier post: Sri Lankan Army war criminal apprehended in Florida