At present the country is not at war, the security situation is stable and I do not understand how former President Mahinda Rajapaksa can argue that he needs more Security and privileges than I do, former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga says. 

She also alleged that in September 2007, 15 months after her retirement, former President Rajapaksa and his brother Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who was responsible for the entire security apparatus of the Sri Lankan state, instructed the relevant authorities to withdraw every single one of her security personnel, all vehicles and weaponry and she was left without any security for two months. 

“I retired in November 2005, while the civil war between the State of Sri Lanka and the LTTE was ongoing. The LTTE issued several formal statements announcing that they would attempt to assassinate Chandrika even after her retirement, giving the main reason for this as the take-over of Jaffna from the LTTE by the Kumaratunga Government and clearing Jaffna of the LTTE, compelling the LTTE to limit themselves to the smaller areas of Killinochchi and Mullativu,” Kumaratunga said in a statement. 

She also added that the Special Committee of the Security Council studied her security needs after retirement and suggested that she be given a security detail of 300 personnel with the required vehicles and weaponry. “I rejected the Security Council proposal and agreed to only 150 personnel and 10 vehicles, including security vehicles,” she said. 

She further stated that the Sirisena/ Wickremesinghe Government did inform her that she could ask for more security and her security has now been increased by only eight more security personnel.

“I have watched with amusement the agitation of the Joint Opposition MP’s regarding the reduction of the Security accorded to former President Mahinda Rajapaksa. It is pertinent to remind Rajapaksa of the manner in which he treated another former President and the security he accorded her,” she added.

“I am not surprised that Mahinda Rajapaksa is acting, as usual, as if the country owes him and his family special privileges that need not be given to any other Sri Lankan,” Kumaratunga added.