Defence Attaché recalled from Moscow after Dayan’s protest
Air Force Group Captain Channa Dissanayake, Sri Lanka’s Defence Attache in Moscow, has been re- called to Colombo.
Instructions went out last week after an official complaint by Sri Lanka new Ambassador in Moscow Dayan Jayetilleke.
The ambassador has said the Air Force officer had allegedly “partitioned” the Embassy premises calling it the “Defence Section” leaving other areas in the diplomatic mission outside it. Dr. Jayetilleke contended that he could not be the head of only one part of the Sri Lanka Embassy. He also alleged that the Defence Attache had imported a vehicle for his use in Moscow and it cost US$ 80,000. This payment, howev- er, has been authorised by Air Force Commander Kapila Jayampathi.
Air Marshal Jayampathi quipped to top officers recently that even he did not have such a good vehicle.
Air Marshal Jayampathi was first told of the actions of the Defence Attache by Ambassador Jayetilleke when he visited Moscow recently. Thereafter, the envoy had also sent in a report to the Foreign Ministry which in turn went to the Defence Ministry. Both have concurred that the Defence Attache, a pilot and the son of an SLAF high ranker, should be asked to return immediately.
MoD sources said yesterday that the Sri Lankan Defence Attache’s name had also been linked to other issues. One is an instance where he had asked Air Force Commander Jayampathi for a VSV ( Vishista Seva Vibushana) award but it had been turned down. However, notwithstanding this, a senior official in the Presidential Secretariat had written to the Defence Attache in Moscow that the award had been granted. This official has since been moved out of the Secretariat.
Another has been the allegation – denied by the Defence Attaché – that he regularly visited a compound of the United States diplomatic mission in Moscow and mingled with military personnel there. A request by the Defence Attaché for an extension of his service has been turned down.
Sri Lanka’s new Defence Attaché in Moscow will be Group Captain Uditha Piyasena from the Technical Engineering Division of the Air Force.