For three decades, Claudia Mary Antonette Sallay lived with the fear that came with having three sons serving in the Sri Lankan Army during a brutal conflict. Every military update carried the possibility of devastating news. Every phone call brought uncertainty. Today, years after the end of the war, she says she is facing another period of anguish as her second son, Major General Tuan Suresh Sallay, remains detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act.
Sallay, the former Director of Armed Intelligence of the Army and former Director of the State Intelligence Service, is currently receiving treatment at the Colombo National Hospital after falling ill while in custody. His mother, who joined a satyagraha held near Fort Railway Station in support of her son, has spoken about his childhood, his military career, the demands of intelligence work and the impact of his detention on the family.
The interview was originally published in Sinhala by Colombo-based newspaper Aruna.
Claudia, who raised four sons, said three of them became Army officers. Her second son is Major General Tuan Suresh Sallay, her third son Major Selwyn Sallay served in the Commando Regiment, and her youngest son Major General Ramesh Sallay continues to serve in the Army Disciplinary Regiment. Her husband, who worked as a data controller in the petroleum sector, spent much of the children’s early years abroad for work.
She said there was no family pressure or tradition that pushed her sons towards military service. Instead, she recalled that Suresh developed an interest in the Army from childhood.
“My son Suresh was eager to join the army since he was a child. He did not want to bow down to anyone and wanted to wear the stars on his uniform,” she said.
According to Claudia, the family never forced him to choose that path. She said they affectionately called him Roshan and described him as a determined child who studied without being pushed.
When Suresh decided to join the Army, teachers advised the family against allowing him to do so. Despite receiving excellent results at the Ordinary Level examination, he chose to join the Army at the age of 18 before sitting for the Advanced Level examination.
“The teachers said not to allow it. But because he wanted to, we allowed him to do what he wanted,” she said.
She recalled that her younger son Selwyn also entered military service, although she had not wanted all three of her sons to become soldiers.
“I did not want all three of my sons to join the army,” she said, adding that Selwyn eventually joined after obtaining approval from a senior teacher rather than a parent.
The years of the war tested Claudia in ways she said are difficult to describe. With all three sons serving in the military, every report of fighting brought fear.
“During the war, my lower abdomen would hurt when the news went on. I would always run to the bathroom,” she recalled.
She said she was especially worried about Selwyn because he served in the Commando Regiment. When he returned home on leave, she would ask him not to go back.
However, she said Suresh responded differently. Rather than discourage his brother, she said he encouraged him to continue his duty.
“When I told my son Suresh about it, my son would tell me, ‘Mommy, don’t discourage my brother. Don’t let morale down. We have to go to war,’” she recalled.
At the time, Claudia said Suresh was working at Army headquarters and was responsible for receiving information about soldiers killed in action. She said those losses affected him deeply.
“For thirty years, I was crushed in every way,” she said, adding that she developed migraines during those years of stress.
She also recalled the day Selwyn was injured in the Mankulam explosion, where around 80 people were killed. She said her son survived but suffered hearing problems because of the blast.
Speaking about Suresh’s years in intelligence, Claudia said his work demanded a level of secrecy that affected his personal life.
“Suresh’s son had almost no personal life. He wouldn’t even take a photo with us,” she said.
She recalled that even at family events, he often remained separate from others, focused on his phone because of his responsibilities. She said his daughter often travelled with a driver and that the family had to accept the limitations created by his work.
“When he was called an intelligence officer, he wasn’t just an army officer. Almost all of his work was done in secret,” she said.
Claudia said she often felt sadness because her son had dedicated his life to duty and missed many ordinary experiences.
“He does not go to see a play or a movie. My daughter does the work for both children,” she said.
Regarding the Easter Sunday attacks in 2019, Claudia said Suresh was not in Sri Lanka when the bombings occurred. She said he was undergoing training in India and had only briefly returned to Sri Lanka in December 2018 before leaving again on January 4.
She recalled that on the day of the attacks, Suresh called her after learning that Kochchikade church had been targeted because he knew she often attended the church.
“He searched for me as soon as he learned about the attack,” she said.
Claudia also spoke about her religious background. She said she is Catholic while her late husband was Muslim. She described Suresh as someone who respected different religions and said that after purchasing a new vehicle, he first visited Kochchikade church. She added that during his Army career, he also respected Buddhist traditions.
As allegations against her son emerged, Claudia said she struggled to understand them.
“I can’t even imagine the accusations against my son. My son never thought that such an accusation would come to him,” she said.
She described him as someone who avoided hurting others and trusted people easily.
According to Claudia, when Suresh was taken into custody, his home was searched and vehicles were examined. She said he remained calm and tried to reassure her.
“When they took my son, he told me not to be afraid, mom. Nothing will happen to me,” she said.
She said she has not seen him since he was taken away, explaining that he did not want her to visit him in hospital because he did not want her to suffer seeing him receiving treatment.
She said Selwyn prepared food and sent it to him, and that she was allowed to send one meal each week.
Claudia also spoke about attending the satyagraha near Fort Railway Station. She said she went there after hearing that her son had donated his eyes and prepared his final wishes.
“When I saw my son donating his eyes and writing his last will, I cried and cried,” she said.
“This is the child that came out of my stomach. I would jump into a fire for my son. No one knows the pain I feel,” she said.
She said she does not follow social media discussions about her family but acknowledged that her sons had told her about criticism directed at them.
Regarding reports that Suresh was refusing food while detained, Claudia said she believed it was connected to his feelings about his situation.
“He is refusing food because of the injustice done to his son. He cannot speak for him,” she said.
She said her son had suffered from severe migraines but had no other known illnesses before his detention. She expressed concern about the effect of confinement on someone who had spent years working under pressure.
“He does not read a newspaper. He does not have a pen or pencil. Wouldn’t it be psychological to keep someone who has done such work in a four-foot room like that?” she asked.
Claudia said she does not oppose an investigation into her son but insisted that it must follow legal procedures.
“If you want to conduct an investigation, do it according to the law. There is nothing wrong with that,” she said.
She said authorities could verify information, including the period Suresh spent in India, and argued that investigations should be carried out without unnecessary hardship.
Looking back at her years as the mother of soldiers, Claudia explained why she once said parents should not send their children to the Army.
“I said that out of the impulse I felt at that time. I am suffering today because I gave them that. I suffered for a while because of the war. Now I am suffering again,” she said.
As Major General Tuan Suresh Sallay remains under detention while receiving medical treatment, his mother continues to call for legal procedures to be followed while standing by her account of the son she says dedicated his life to military service.
