Sarath Weerasekara

Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekara  is a Sri Lankan politician and a Former member of the Parliament of Sri Lanka for Ampara. He was a Rear admiral in the Sri Lankan Navy. . He was also the former Deputy Minister of Labour and Labour Relations

Early life
Born in Colombo, 4 th in a family of six. Father was a Chief Jailor in Prisons Department. Elder brother was a Major General in the Army, now a Buddhist priest in Buddangala, Ampara. Father and Mother both from down South. Attended Colombo Nalanda College ( from grade 1-5) and Colombo Ananda College ( from grade 6-13) At Ananda College he was the sergeant of the junior cadet squad and corporal of the senior cadet squad He was the captain of junior and senior football team A senior prefect in College A member of senior athletic team After passing the Advance level examination he Joined the Royal Ceylon Navy in 1971 Aug 1st, followed Basic Training at Naval and Maritime Academy in Trincomalee. Specialised in Naval Gunnery from INS Dronacharya, India Followed the Naval Staff Course in Rhode Island USA Security Studies in Asia Pacific Center for Security Studies in Hawaii USA National Defence College in New Delhi India Senior Executive Course in Washington USA and Prague Czechoslovakia Fast Attack Craft course Tel Aviv, Israel and Pusan South Korea

Important positions held
Commander Northern Naval Area, Commander Eastern Naval Area, Commander Sourthern Naval Area, First Squadron Commander Fast Attack Craft, Commanding Officer Surveilance ship Edithara, Director General Project and Plans, Director General Welfare, Director General Operations  and  deputy Chief of Staff of the Navy.

Retired from the Navy in 2006. Then President Mahinda Rajapaksa, on advise of the then Secretary of Defence Gotabaya Rajapaksa appointed him as the first Director General of the Civil Security Force. He transformed the former Gramarakshaka Force into a professional Civil Defence Force and protected all the Border villages from terrorist attacks during the war.

One of the five Commanders felicitated by the Nation for winning the war.

Awarded Honorary Doctorate by the University of Kelaniya for the excellent contribution made towards the victory of war.

Military career
Joined Royal Ceylon Navy in 1971 when Sri Lanka was still a dominion of the British Commonwealth. Served in all types of warships in the Navy. Volunteered to serve in Fast Attack Craft and was appointed the first Squadron Commander of the Fast Attack Craft Fleet. Fought with LTTE suicide boats at Northern seas.

Awarded Ranawickrama gallantry medal for volunteering and landing Army Commandos in LTTE controlled Pooraryn ( in Jaffna Peninsula) in broad day light ( with minimum casualties) and rescuing 400 soldiers.

Awarded Vishista Seva Vibhushana medal for exemplary conduct in the Navy.

Appointed as Commander Northern Naval Area during LTTE ‘unceasing wave’ operation. He managed to bring Army’s MBRL’s to KKS harbor in midnight which were used to deter the terrorists advance to Jaffna Peninsula. LTTE ships carrying weapons to the country were destroyed in mid sea during his tenure as Director General Operations at Naval Head Quarters.

Geneva human rights council
When the Yahapalana government co sponsored the 30/1 resolution in Geneva UNHRC Admiral Weerasekera attended the Geneva Human Right Council on his own initiative and submitted documents and the rebuttal prepared by local patriotic intellectuals proving that all the war crime allegations levelled against SL troops were false.

From 2017 he consistently attended all UNHRC sessions in Geneva and challenged the false allegations of the pro LTTE NGOs. In March 2019 at UNHRC, when the UK alleged violations of HR in Sri Lanka, Admiral Weerasekera, in his speech said, that before the UK try to teach Sri Lankans about HR, they should tender a public apology to Sri Lankans for the atrocities they committed in 1818 and return all the Ola leaf books looted from Sri Lanka. He harnessed all the Nationalistic organizations in the country as the convener against the government’s activities detrimental to the nation. He is the convener of the National War Heroes Front. He is a pioneer member of Viyathmaga and Eliya organisations inaugurated by Mr. Gotabhaya Rajapaksha.

Important facts
In 2003 when he was the Commander Eastern Naval Area, during the “ Peace Accord”, the LTTE vehemently protested to the placing of a Buddha statute in Trincomalee town on Vesak day by the Sinhalese. The terrorists brought the entire town to a standstill by forcibly closing all shops, fuel stations, public transport and tried to destroy the Buddha statue by throwing grenades. When the police and the Army were under orders not to interfere as it was peace time, on the third day Rear Admiral Weerasekera, on his own initiative, took charge of the situation, proceeded to the town with naval troops, guarded the Buddha statue and brought back the town to normal. Within two days, at the demand of the LTTE, the then President Chandrika Bandaranayaka removed him from the Eastern Naval Commander appointment, and brought him to Colombo. However, after few days, a new post was created at NHQ as Deputy Chief of Staff and posted appointed him in it.

In 2002, when the government signed the peace accord with LTTE, he was the Commander Northern Naval Area. The LTTE was given full freedom to enter any Army, Navy camp but Admiral Weerasekera never allowed LTTE to enter Mandativu island which was a very important military strategic location. He also never allowed LTTE to come in wearing the cyanide capsule and he was categorized and warned by the government as “ anti peace element” in the peace process.

Out of the 225, he was the only Parliamentarian who opposed to the controversial 19 th amendment in the parliament.

He was the only parliamentarian who opposed to the National Anthem being sung in Tamil in parliament proving that it’s a violation of the constitution.

Personal life
Married to Hemanthi Weerasekera, has two children, a daughter and a son. Daughter is a speech pathologist and a weight management consultant. and son is a medical doctor at Police hospital, Colombo.

Film direction
He directed his first film Gamani in 2011, which is about the LTTE terrorist attack of Gonagala massacre in 1999. The film was critically acclaimed and also won many awards.

Director, script writer and song writer of the film “Gamani” which won 17 Derana film awards and 5 OCIC film awards including the best Director, best Script Writer, best song and best film of the year.

Acheivements
Obtained MA and M phil degrees in Buddhist Philosophy Author of three books; Sagaraya saha geheniya Noothana parevi sandeshaya Thotagamuve Sri Rahula himi