Joint Opposition writes to President, PM over Mahinda’s security

Several leaders of the “Joint Opposition” today requested, in writing, from the President and Prime Minister to revoke the order issued to withdraw army personnel assigned to the security detail of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa. 

They state that a threat still exists to the life of the leader who defeated the world’s most ruthless terrorist organisation and therefore requested that the special VIP military security accorded to him be continued. 

The letter further states that the government’s decision to remove specially trained army soldiers from the security detail of the “only VIP who requires such special protection” is completely unacceptable. 

The letter addressed to both President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe is signed by Joint Opposition representatives Dinesh Gunawardena, Wimal Weerawansa, Bandula Gunawardena, Tissa Vitharana and Raja Kollure.

The replacement of army personnel with members of the special task force and the police for the security of Rajapaksa has drawn the ire of certain MPs and the ex-president’s loyalists.

Announcing the withdrawal of the army personnel, numbering 50, with effect from Monday, a press release issued by the former President stated that the police personnel had been assigned but “they are not trained on VVIP security.”