The Ministry of Defence today issued an order prohibiting Eastern Province Chief Minister Nazeer Ahamed from entering any military camps, following a joint request from the military to Defence Secretary Karunasena Hettiarachchi, after Ahmed in an angry frenzy rebuked and insulted a Navy Officer, who failed to acknowledge him at a school function in Sampur.
Nazeer Ahamed
The military has also decided not to take part in any functions attended by Ahamed as a protest against his behavior. Defense Secretary Karunasena Hettiarachchi said the decision was taken after considering a request by the security forces to do so.
On Wednesday, Ahamed tried to defend his outburst blaming Eastern Province Governor Austin Fernando for not informing the compere that he was the Chief Minister, when he was trying to get on stage at the function, which was held at the Sampur Maha Vidyalaya last Friday. Ahamed also went on to add that Fernando had been undermining his authority and also interfering with his duties, a claim flatly rejected by the Governor.
Meanwhile, even though President Maithripala Sirisena was briefed yesterday about the incident, he is expected to take a decision on the matter upon his return to the country from Japan after the G7 Summit. Sirisena and the Defence Secretary Karunasena Hettiarachchi are under intense pressure from top military officials demanding action be taken against Ahamed, who rebuked the Navy Officer and told him, ‘get out, you idiot,’ in front of a large gathering including school children.
K. Arulananthan / May 27, 2016
Everybody seems to claim ownership to the defeat of LTTE, but we should remember that the Muslim Community greatly helped to the defeat of LTTE. If the Muslim community had taken the side of LTTE, the war would have taken another dimension with the help of Middle East.
Somebody seems to suggest, the School’s Lab was built by NAVY, the whole problem is why did the NAVY built it up?. Navy gets treasury money and its employees get salary from treasury, then why treasury fund is channeled via Navy.
Who has invited Navy? Provincial education ministry (under the CM) should have organized the function, decided the invitees and drafted the agenda for the function. How did the Navy get the upper hand and pretended to play the organizing role?
I guess in no other democratic world (including America), the military would be more powerful than the civilian elected government. It happens in the military rule. That’s’ what happen in North and East. Its not “good governance” President! Please remember that the whole Muslim community voted to you, not for this!
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Deshapremiya / May 28, 2016
If this happened in Saudi Arabia the chief Minister will be beheaded.
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MrRetort / May 27, 2016
Keeping him away from camps and hose arrest the donkey
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Shrikharan / May 27, 2016
I don’t think the navy or any arm of the military can say such a thing the Chief Minister. Chief Minister is not a man called Nazeer Ahmed and you should give due respect to the post and not to a man called with a name.
So can Navy or anyone ask Prime Minister or the President keep out of their camps? No he cannot. As long as Ranil Wickremasinghe or Maithripala Sirisena is the Prime minister or President they Military cannot tell them to keep out. But when these two were just ordinary people then they could.
I can see the same habitual racism is rising again because the CM is a Muslim but it would set a dangerous precedence. The Government should support the CM not the Navy as CM is a people’s representative and Nazeer Ahmed as a people’s representative has every right to pull up anyone he wishes to. It is up to the navy officer to lodge his complain in a respectful manner if he felt he was unfairly handled.
The next time this happens to a CM from the majority community then a precedence will be raised and am sure the present CM of Eastern Province will support the navy against the Sinhala CM quoting precedence and inform he himself suffered for making the mistake and no one supported him so the (Sinhala)CM too should bow to the navy.
Then might as well we hand over the country to the military to rule. Adios
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sach / May 27, 2016
I can see some fishing in troubled waters
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CITIZEN / May 27, 2016
It looks like bro. Arulananthan has embraced the religion of Islam! Well, one more for the community.
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Shrikharan / May 27, 2016
sachooooooo!
“I can see some fishing in troubled waters”
So I can see you will be a good and obeydient Cheif Minister and you will not pull up anybody under you. Yeah you are tuely a public servant
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Devin / May 28, 2016
A man holding such a prominent and influential position in the political sphere addressing a military officer as “an idiot” is down right unacceptable. This clearly shows the amount of respect this man has for the military which is a disgrace. If such an incident occurred in “Western countries”, that will like to refer to frequently, he would be forced to resign.
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Joseph De Vazz - Kotte / May 29, 2016
Armed Forces should be confined in their camps and not in Schools and this shows that the Army-Navy- and the Police is controlling the Public in the North & East. North & East of Sri Lanka is Under Military junta.
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j.waduge / May 28, 2016
No media has reported the real reason for CM’s unwarranted outburst. Did the navy officer prevented the CM getting on to the stage?
Military cannot unilaterally make decisions affecting elected representatives. Therefore the Military cannot say they will not allow the CM to visit there camps. These are matters to be decided by political authorities after a proper inquiry. Civilian control over the military is a very important feature of a representative democracy. Military should not overstep its role.
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Andy / May 28, 2016
Elected representatives will stay out of military camps when the military stays out of civilian buildings.
The navy stole Sampur Maha Vidyalayam from the local people but now wants to make a show and dance about how great the navy is for giving it back to the people.
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Shrikharan / May 28, 2016
Andy
“Elected representatives will stay out of military camps when the military stays out of civilian buildings.”
Well said, nicely coined sentence, congratulations.
This habit of hitting and then giving a public patting to show they are good people, must stop. They are fooling everybody including themselves.
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Shrikharan / May 28, 2016
“Stay Out Of Camps,” Military Tells Eastern Province Chief Minister
Wait and see this is testing grounds, everyone is finding fault with the elected Chief Minister. Soon the next step similar drama will be also staged on the Prime minister and President to tell “Stay Out Of Camps,”!
Then all will look fools and the Eastern Province Chief Minister will certainly look the other way and support the military! Then might as well give the Government to the military and run into exile.
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Shawn / May 28, 2016
Is US Ambassador aiding and abating military occupation in the Eastern Province by joining the Navy at the school?
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