Army Commander warns against attempts to separate country

Friday, 18 October 2013 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Army Commander Lieutenant General Daya Ratnayake on Wednesday issued a stern warning to any individuals or parties that try to divide the country again. Addressing troops gathered at an event at the Security Force Headquarters-Wanni (SFHQ-W) in Vavuniya, the Army Commander said certain groups, buoyed by the Tamil party’s victory at the Northern Province elections think the victory is a mandate for a separate state and attempt to separate the country once again.

The Army Commander said although the terrorist organisation was defeated, the underground members of the organisation and intelligence operatives are still very active, especially overseas, and are trying to create problems in the country again. “Our message to the society is anyone can live in a democratic society within the framework of democracy but if anyone attempts to step outside the boundaries of democracy and take extreme measures to separate the country, the only thing that will be separated is their heads from bodies,” the Army Commander warned. He said the whole world saw how Sri Lanka answered those who took to extremes to divide the country in the past and what happened to Prabhakaran (the terrorist leader) when he tried to separate the country. He told the troops that he gets a response that after all the development the Government and the Army had done for the Northern Province, the Tamil people decided to vote against them but it is not a concern. “We don’t need to be rattled by the Tamil party’s victory. The real winner of this election is not the political parties but the soldiers,” he said. The Army Chief during his speech to the soldiers emphasised the importance of maintaining the highest degree of discipline and continuous training programs while supporting the country’s development drive. Commenting on the army’s behaviour during Ratupaswala protest, Lieutenant General Ratnayake reminded the soldiers of repercussions if anyone was found guilty for any anti-social act or breach of discipline. Strict action will be taken against any soldier who breaks the Army’s code of conduct, the commander warned.