[9] One of its members, Don David Rajapaksa, held the feudal post of Vidanarachchi in Ihala Valikada Korale. At the 2010 Parliamentary Elections, Chamal Rajapaksa, Basil Rajapaksa and Namal Rajapaksa were elected. [70][71], In April 2019, Ahimsa Wickrematunge, the daughter of Lasantha Wickrematunge, filed a lawsuit against Rajapaksa in the state of California. After initial education, Gotabaya Rajapaksa did his master’s degree inDefense Studiesat the University of Madras in 1983. [25][26], On 3 February 2009, Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa stated to the international media (in reference to the only hospital in the war front being shelled), that everything is a legitimate target if it is not within the safe zone the government has created and that all persons subject to attack by the armed forces were legitimate LTTE targets as there are no independent observers, only LTTE sympathisers, radio announcements were made and movement of civilians started a month and a half ago. [77] Former President and the elder brother of Gotabaya, Mahinda Rajapaksa was also accused of using his executive powers to grant his brother, the Sri Lankan citizenship after commencing his first term as president in November 2005. [39], 1. [65] Rajapaksa rejected the allegations regarding occupying a house rented for a consulate in LA. In order to assist his brother's presidential election campaign, Rajapaksa returned to Sri Lanka from the United States in 2005. During this time he attended the senior staff and tactics course at the Panagoda Cantonment and took part in preparing a report on encroachment of state lands in the north and eastern provinces for the Defense Ministry. [34][35], On 23 January 2015, The Seychelles government announced that would assist Sri Lankan government in search of funds that were transferred by Rajapaksa regime into Port Victoria offshore bank accounts. Namal Perera identified two of his would-be-killers Duminda Weeraratne and Hemachandra Perera in April 2017. [95], Gotabaya Rajapaksa received an Honorary Doctorate, a Doctor of Letters from the University of Colombo on 6 September 2009, along with his brother President Mahinda Rajapaksa following public acclaim as a war hero. Two of his other elder brothers, Chamal Rajapaksa and Basil Rajapaksa, are also current Members of Parliament. With his position, Rajapaksa also pursued projects like the Colombo Beautification Project, which revitalised public centers and parks in Colombo,[15] as well as many other development projects focused on places such as Battaramulla Diyatha Uyana, Ape Gama Park, Wetland Park, Nugegoda, Arcade Independence Square, Weras Ganga Park and Defence Headquarters Complex. View phone numbers, addresses, public records, background check reports and possible arrest records for Ioma Rajapaksa. Police believes that the van may have been used for other crimes as well as being part of the operation to murder Lasantha Wickrematunge. Army, Sri Lanka. SLPP victory is mainly owing to the predominant success in curbing the COVID-19 pandemic and due to the negative publicity about the UNP-led government, which was accused of a major intelligence failure triggered by the aftermath of the 2019 Easter attacks. [100], Sri Lankan politician, 8th and current President of Sri Lanka, Secretary to the Ministry of Defence and Urban Development, 1 Gotabaya Rajapaksha-Talk at "Tech Colloquium" organised by Microsoft, CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (, socialist states not espousing Marxism–Leninism, Rebel Zapatista Autonomous Municipalities, Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, Ministry of Defence and Urban Development, General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Counter-Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School, Sri Lanka Armed Services Long Service Medal, List of Sri Lankan non-career Permanent Secretaries, "Police to probe Gota's citizenship, passports", "Gota's Lanka citizenship in doubt, candidacy under cloud", "Gota's citizenship challenged in Court of Appeal", "People want non-traditional politicians - Gotabhaya Rajapaksa", "CT finds Gota's true U.S. renunciation certificate", "Know your president : Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa | COLOMBO MAGAZINE", "Sri Lankan President Gotabaya, the first person with military credentials to be elected as President", "Gotabaya Rajapaksa: Controversial 'war hero' who ended Sri Lanka's 3-decade-long bloody civil conflict", "Gota survives blast at Mankulam War on terror revisited", "Diyatha Uyana enhanced facilities under second stage", "President opens Weras Ganga Development Project", "President opens Arcade Independence Square", "Shangrila-La investment a case in point, says GR", "Defence Ministry adds UD to its name :::DailyFT - Be Empowered", Colombo ranked world's fastest growing city, "CHRONOLOGY-Attacks blamed on Sri Lanka's Tamil Tigers", South Asia | Sri Lanka accuses 'bullying' West, "How Mahinda Rajapaksa Justified Complaining to UNHRC in Geneva in 1990 About Human Rights Violations in Sri Lanka", "Mahinda Rajapaksa went to Geneva frequently during UNP rule and wanted the UN to intervene in Sri Lanka to uphold human rights", "Sri Lanka's Greatest War Criminal (Gotabaya) is a US Citizen: It's Time to Hold Him Accountable", "Gotabaya Rajapaksa should be tried for war crimes", "Fonseka will be hanged if he spills war secrets: Lanka", "Former Sri Lankan army chief convicted for war crimes claim | World news", "Gotabaya reveals why he can't go back to the US", "Obama administration urged to arrest Gotabaya Rajapakse", "Sri Lanka does not support calls for the US to arrest Gotabaya", "A Top Sri Lankan Major General, The US And Gotabhaya Rajapaksa", "Video: Signs of Sri Lanka moving towards authoritarianism-Pillay | Breaking News", "Opening remarks by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay at a press conference during her mission to Sri Lanka Colombo", "A van suspected to have been used to abduct Keith Noyahr found", "Sri Lankan journalist Namal Perera identifies his would-be killers", "Key suspect in Sri Lanka editor killing given diplomatic post by Gotabhaya", "Ex-leader's brother 'led death squad' in Sri Lanka", "Secret military death squad killed journalist Lasantha Wickrematunge, CID tells court", "Another Army soldier arrested for 2008 assault on Journalist Keith Noyahr", "Sri Lanka: Gotabaya Rajapaksa Is Still Dangerous", "Gota Paid Karuna Faction 50 Million To Kill Raviraj", "Gotabaya has given 50 million for the Raviraj killers", Sunday Times – Death bells toll for the free media, "HRC to review recommendations ::: Dailymirror.lk ::: Breaking News", "Britain exposes damn lie by the state media", Sri Lankan Army Is Pushing for End to 25-Year War Against the Tamil Rebels, "Sunday Leader tenders unconditional apology to Gotabaya", "Apology To Gotabaya By The Sunday Leader", Academic Exposing Corrupt War Procurement Tender Process Threatened By Rajapaksa Government, MiG Deal: Rajapaksas Paid US$ 10 Million To A Ghost Company: “No Company Called Bellimissa” – Interpol Confirmed, Gota’s MiG Deal: Investigation Finds Secret Bank Account In British Virgin Islands, "Sri Lankan court imposes travel ban on former defence secretary Rajapaksa", "Sri Lanka travel ban for Gotabhaya Rajapaksa over arms ship", "Court lifts travel ban on Gotabaya and 7 others", "Mangala levels charges against Gota over LA residence", "Gota rejects Mangala's allegation on his son", "B.M.U.D. [78][79] He was also allowed to contest at the elections but did not take part in the debate among Presidential candidates which was held on 5 October 2019, was also historically Sri Lanka's first-ever debate to have been conducted among Presidential candidates for an upcoming election. [27][28], As per Wikileaks, General Sarath Fonseka who led the war against LTTE had accused Rajapaksa of ordering at the end of the war the shooting of any LTTE leaders who might try to surrender under flags of truce. In October 2019, the court in California rejected the case based on lack of jurisdiction to consider Wickrematunge's claims, because, in the Court's view, Rajapaksa is entitled to common law foreign official immunity for the alleged acts of torture, extrajudicial killing, and crimes against humanity. During the campaign, several political parties including then ruling United National Party accused him of having American citizenship and claimed that he stayed and lived in America for more than ten years and revealed that he was not a Sri Lankan citizen. When Gotabaya Rajapaksa was to be nominated as the ‘Pohottuwa’ candidate, a report published on praja.lktitled "The historic decision that would see the transfer of power and popularity of the Rajapaksa family from Mahinda to Gotabaya," had briefly analyzed the change in power dynamics mentioned above. "[53], In May 2015, The Sunday Leader tendered an unconditional apology to Gotabaya Rajapaksa for a series of articles regarding the purchase of MIG 27 airplanes for the Sri Lanka Air Force. The only child of Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Mrs Ioma Rajapaksa, Daminda Manoj Rajapaksa entered in to married life today on 30 June. Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa directed officials to start building 700 houses for war heroes. Basil Rajapaksa received 425,100 preferential votes from the Gampaha District, the highest by any candidate at the 2010 General election while Namal Rajapaksa obtained 147,568 preferential votes from Hambantota District, the highest majority percentage-wise at the election. Following retraining, the 1st Battalion was deployed to the Jaffna peninsula between 1983 and 1984 and again 1985 with the escalation of the Sri Lankan Civil War. [23][24], Numerous other members of the extended family have also been appointed to senior positions state institutions. Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and Mrs Ioma Rajapaksa, Chairman of Sri Lankan Airlines Nishantha Wickramasinghe, many other family members, Chief Justice Mohan Peiris, Director General of the Central Environment Authority and many politicians and officials also participated the celebrations. [52], In the editorial titled A brother out of control (16 August 2011), The Hindu raised the observation, "President Rajapaksa would be well advised to distance himself swiftly from his brother's stream-of-consciousness on sensitive issues that are not his business. On 11 August 2019, Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna led by former president Mahinda Rajapaksa announced that Rajapaksa will be their candidate for the 2019 Presidential election. [48] He was also accused for threatening to "exterminate" the Daily Mirror journalist Uditha Jayasinghe for writing articles about the plight of civilian war casualties. Following assumption of the office of president, he announced intentions to form a new government and taking over the portfolio of defence. Trooping the Colour orginated from traditional preparations for battle and has commemorated the birthday of the sovereign for more than 250 years. Ioma's personal network of family, friends, associates & neighbors include Sevwandie Rajapaksa, Ioma Rajapaksa, Shameendra Rajapaksa, Basil Rajapaksa and Daminda Rajapaksa. ... by building a house to accommodate him and his family. During his tenure the Sri Lankan Armed Forces successfully concluded the Sri Lankan Civil War defeating the Tamil Tigers and killing its leader Velupillai Prabhakaran in 2009. [29] On his return, he was assigned as the signals officer to the Task Force Anti Illicit Immigration, based at its headquarters in Palaly, under the command of Colonel Tissa Weeratunga. Mrs Ioma Rajapaksa, together with MoD Seva Vanitha Unit officials and Mrs Neelika Rajapaksa, the wife of Dr Ajith Rajapaksa during the inspection tour to the construction site at Maha Girilla, Nikaweratiya in Kurunegala district, had a glimpse into it and discussed its … Thejani is related to Shakya Kapurubandara and Ioma U Rajapaksa as well as 2 additional people. [13] They were later joined by Nirupama Rajapaksa, Basil Rajapaksa and Namal Rajapaksa. [66], After the defeat of Mahinda Rajapaksa in the 2015 Presidential elections, he was replaced as Secretary of Defence by B. M. U. D. Basnayake a day after the new president was sworn in. His elder brother, Mahinda Rajapaksa was first elected to parliament as a member of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party at the age of 24 in 1970, who gradually rose through the party ranks becoming the Leader of the Opposition in 2001, Prime Minister in 2004 and the President of Sri Lanka in 2005. (1st Edition – October 1999). It was one of Sri Lanka's most powerful families during Mahinda Rajapaksa's Presidency,[1] where many members of the family occupied their senior positions in the Sri Lankan state. 2,278,000.00) of public fund. Daminda Rajapaksa’s wedding took place at the Hilton Hotel, Colombo amidst a bevy of high profile guests, including his uncle President Mahinda Rajapaksa. The Rajapaksas are a rural land-owning family from the village Giruwapattuwa in the southern district of Hambantota. This includes an outrageous comment that because a Tamil woman, an “LTTE cadre” who was a British national, interviewed in the Channel 4 documentary was “so attractive” but had been neither raped nor killed by Sri Lankan soldiers, the allegation of sexual assault by soldiers could not be true. Rajapaksa played a major role in establishing the regimental headquarters of the newly formed regiment at Saliyapura. [2][3] As their political power grew, there were reports suggesting that the country was heading towards autocracy under their rule. [30] Rajapaksa, while on vacation in the United States, was served notice of two civil lawsuits. His elder brother Mahinda Rajapaksa also served as the President of Sri Lanka from 2005 to 2015. [49][50][51], A 5 December 2008 story from The New York Times quoted his news reporting position as "he insists that journalists should not be allowed to report anything that demoralises the war effort". Although the Rajapaksas had dominated politics in Hambantota District since 1936, national politics had been dominated by other families such as Senanayakes and Bandaranaikes. The First Lady won admiration for her humility and simplicity throughout her tenure as the President of the Seva Vanitha Unit. [62][63] The travel ban was lifted by the court in December 2016. [21], On 1 December 2006, at approximately 10:35 an assassin attempted to drive an explosive-laden auto-rikshaw into Rajapaksa's motorcade as it traveled through Kollupitiya, Colombo. Many of those abducted were believed to have been individuals who had fallen foul of the Rajapaksa trio, Mahinda, Basil and Gotabaya. The only child of Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Mrs Ioma Rajapaksa, Daminda Manoj Rajapaksa entered in to married life today on 30 June. He accused the UN of having been infiltrated by terrorists "for 30 years or so", and as a result the UN was fed incorrect information. [80], Rajapaksa's inauguration took place at the Ruwanwelisaya in Anuradhapura on 18 November 2019. [36], Earlier February 2015 India pledged to help the Sirisena Government in tracing the billion of dollars that were taken out of the country illegally. Following his basic officer training at the Army Training Centre, Diyatalawa in its 4th intake, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant on 26 May 1972, in the Sri Lanka Signals Corps. Whitepages people search is the most trusted directory. [7], Gotabaya Rajapaksa was born in Palatuwa in the Matara District,[8] as the fifth of nine siblings, and was brought up in Weeraketiya in the southern rural district of Hambantota. They have also lived in Fontana, CA and Eastvale, CA. He obtained dual citizenship from Sri Lanka but kept his US citizenship. [96][97][98], In July 2020, he was awarded the Zero carbon certificate for conducting his election campaign representing SLPP in eco-friendly manner. Don David Rajapaksa, Vidane Arachchi (colonial post) + Dona Gimara Moonesinghe, 3. Thereafter in 1980, he joined the newly formed Rajarata Rifles as its adjutant under its first commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel V. K. Nanayakkara. [10] Don Mathew died in 1945 and at the resulting by-election his brother Don Alwin Rajapaksa was elected without a contest. The only child of Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Mrs Ioma Rajapaksa, Daminda Manoj Rajapaksa entered in to married life today on 30 June. [24] Ironically in 1990 his brother Mahinda Rajapaksa was caught attempting to bring evidence of human rights violations to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights and the evidence was confiscated by the government during which Rajapaksa justified foreign intervention in Sri Lankan affairs. [39], Bandara Bulathwatte was a key suspect in the murder of Lasantha was given a diplomatic post in Thailand at the request of Gotabaya Rajapaksa near the 2010 presidential election. [32] Rajapaksa however visited the United States in 2016 and two Tamil groups have urged the United States government to arrest and prosecute him. Rajapaksa won a majority in the predominant Sinhalese areas of the island which included the districts of Kalutara, Galle, Matara, Hambantota, Monaragala, Ratnapura, Badulla, Kurunegala, Puttalam, Gampaha, Kandy, Matale, Polonnaruwa Colombo, Kegalle and Anuradhapura, while Premadasa gained a majority in areas dominated by Tamil and Muslim minorities, which had been effected by the civil war. There are two Cabinet Ministers from that family - Chamal and Namal Rajapaksa. During her visit to the country, United Nations Human Rights Commissioner Navanetham Pillay expressed her disappointment over “white van” related disappearances reported in Colombo, and other parts of the country, which were not covered by the Commission of Inquiry on Disappearances set up by the government. Main opposition party Samagi Jana Balawegaya won just 54 seats. Returning in June, he was assigned as the battalion intelligence officer at the Echelon Barracks in Colombo and was promoted to Captain in April 1977. Raviraj. The Rajapaksas were represented in the country's legislatures continuously from 1936 till 1977. 700 billion) out of country illegally through Central Bank using Mahinda Rajapaksa's close association Ajith Nivard Cabraal the former governor of Central Bank of Sri Lanka. This changed in 2005 when Mahinda Rajapaksa was elected president. [40] Investigations on assassinations, abductions and assaults on journalist after the fall of the Rajapaksa government revealed that Gotabaya directed a death squad to attack journalists that was outside the Army command structure during this time 17 journalists and media workers were killed and others were either assaulted or abducted. The Sri Lanka Army Commandos guarding him obstructed the vehicle carrying the explosives before it reached Rajapakse's vehicle and two commandos were instantly killed. Daminda Rajapaksa’s wedding took place at the Hilton Hotel, Colombo amidst a bevy of high profile guests, including his uncle President Mahinda Rajapaksa. [18][19] Between them the three Rajapaksa brothers are in charge of five government ministries: Defence & Urban Development, Law & Order, Economic Development, Finance & Planning and Ports & Highways. Immediately after being elected president Mahinda appointed his brother Gotabhaya Rajapaksa as Defence Secretary (the most senior civil service position in the Ministry of Defence). In April 1974, he was promoted to Lieutenant and in October he transferred to the Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment as an infantry officer. [64] UNP MP Mangala Samaraweera claimed that Gotabaya's son illegally occupied a house rented for a consulate in Los Angeles and caused millions of rupees in losses to the state. He hails from a well-known political family in Sri Lanka. [81] On 19 November 2019, following taking over assumed duties at the Presidential Secretariat, he appointed P. B. Jayasundera as Secretary to the President and Major General Kamal Gunaratne as Secretary of Defence, as well as a new Secretary of the Treasury and the Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. His career in the Ministry of Defence ended at the same time as Mahinda Rajapaksa's presidency, on 9 January 2015. The family entered the political scene when Don David Rajapaksa's son Don Mathew Rajapaksa was elected in 1936 to represent Hambantota district in the State Council. In 1985 he led an ad hoc unit made up of new recruits that successfully ambushed a LTTE raiding party, for which he was awarded commendation from the President J.R. Jayewardene in the first combat award ceremony. Soon after the 1GR was moved to Matale and Rajapaksa was appointment as the military coordinating officer of the Matale District at the height of the 1987–1989 JVP insurrection undertaking counter insurgency operations in the district and remained in that capacity until end of the insurrection in December 1989. [14] Another brother, Basil Rajapaksa, was appointed Senior Presidential Advisor. The COVID-19 pandemic in Sri Lanka started in March 2020. Gotabaya Rajapaksa was born in Palatuwa in the Matara District,[citation needed] as the 5th of nine siblings and brought up in Weerakatiya in the southern rural district of Hambantota.