26 February 2010 06:47 pm
The Defence Ministry said that Army security will no longer be provided to politicians, in an attempt to de-politicize the Army. Speaking to Daily Mirror online Secretary of the Ministry of Defense Gotabaya Rajapaksa stated that, in future politicians would be given the protection of the Police and STF.
“In order to de-politicize the Army the security of the MP’s and Ministers will be transferred to the Police and STF,” he said.
He reiterated that only those within the close security circle would be given Military protection. “In future only the President, Secretary of Defence and those involved in defence matters will be given Army protection,” he said.
The Secretary made these statements in response to a question posed by Daily Mirror Online on the removal of Security for Eastern Province Chief Minister and TMVP Leader Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan. “His Security has not been removed it has just been transferred from the Army to the Police. And this has been applied not just to him but to all MP’s and Ministers,” Rajapaksa told Daily Mirror online.
“This is a step to bring in discipline to the Army and distance it from politics,” Rajapaksa said.