7 January 2010 01:36 pm
Presidential Candidate General Sarath Fonseka has been denied extra security for his Presidential Campaign. According to Fonseka the security recommended by the Elections Commissioner to him as a Presidential candidate has been rejected by the President.
“I have not been given any security as a Presidential candidate. The security I have with me are those that I was given when I retired as Chief of Defence staff and no additional security personnel have been assigned to me,” General Fonseka told Daily Mirror Online.
The General claims that he is requesting only the mandatory security that is given to all Presidential candidates. “I am not asking for anything extra, just the security that I should receive as a Presidential candidate and other candidates are receiving as well. I need security for my campaign and for the rallies that I am expected to attend and organise,” he said.
According to Fonseka the security recommended by the Elections Commissioner has been halted by the President. “The Elections Commissioner recommended that I be given additional security to that which I was receiving now that I was a Presidential Candidate. However the President has said that no such security should be given,” he said.
When Daily Mirror online contacted the Presidents Office they were unaware of such a order by the President. (DM Online)