Batticaloa SLA commander replaced

[TamilNet, Monday, 19 August 2002, 21:38 GMT]
Col. Rajitha de Silva will assume duties as the commander of the 23-3 Brigade of the Sri Lanka army in Batticaloa from Wednesday, replacing Lt. Col. V. L. R Anthoniz, sources in the eastern town said Tuesday.

Lt. Col. Anthoniz’s transfer comes in the wake of allegations in sections of the Colombo press recently that a brigade commander in the east had attempted to molest a female junior officer deployed in his sector.

Lt.Col. Anthoniz, an old boy of the elite St. Thomas’ College in Colombo, is a well-regarded officer from the artillery corps of the SLA. The officer has denied the charges against him

23-3 brig. Commander in Batticaloa has denied the allegations in the press.

Col. G. R. D. Silva is also an old boy of the elite school and is a classmate of Lt. Col Anthoniz, military sources in Batticaloa said

They added that the allegations against Lt. Col. Anthoniz had been concocted by two SLA officers who were involved in a conspiracy to “destroy his career”.