President said, ‘go ahead’- Army Chief

TUESDAY, 24 APRIL 2012

Despite international pressures to sudden stop the military operations when the Wanni humanitarian operations were entering a decisive phases, President Mahinda Rajapaksa ‘personally’ instructed the military to pursue the operations as planned, the Army Commander revealed.

“President Mahinda Rajapaksa was determined and did not give in to pressures of the international community to suddenly stop the military operations when the Wanni humanitarian operations were entering a decisive phases around April 2009,” Army Chief Jagath Jayasuriya told troops today addressing an event in Kurunegala.

The Army Headquarters in a statement quoting the Army Cheif also said, “I still remember, the President, personally giving me a call instructing me to pursue the operations as planned, though he remained under enormous pressure to stop it. It was the country’s political leadership that gave strength to us to be successful,’ recalled the Army Commander.