Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="mag123" data-source="post: 17720812" data-attributes="member: 73975">This is what Chinese News Papers say Today.   <a href="http://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/1678310/rajapaksa-asked-army-intervene-after-losing-sri-lanka-presidency-says-new" target="_blank">http://www.scmp.com/news/asia/articl...dency-says-new</a> Rajapaksa asked army to intervene after losing Sri Lanka presidency, says new administrationSpokesman for newly-elected President Maithripala  Sirisena says former leader asked the military to deploy troops when he  realised voters had rejected himPUBLISHED : Saturday, 10 January, 2015, 9:18pmUPDATED : Saturday, 10 January, 2015, 9:18pmAgence France-Presse in Colombo<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"> <a href="http://www.scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/980w/public/2015/01/10/sri_lanka_president_election_47612433.jpg?itok=Z77CZ9xT" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/486x302/public/2015/01/10/sri_lanka_president_election_47612433.jpg?itok=BZsncHrS" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></a></li> </ul>Former Sri Lanka president Mahinda Rajapaksa in Colombo after conceding defeat in polls on Friday. Photo: EPAMahinda Rajapaksa tried to persuade the army chief to  deploy troops when it became clear he had lost Sri Lanka’s election, a  spokesman for the country’s new president said Saturday.Rajapaksa has been widely praised for conceding defeat early on Friday,  even before the last votes had been counted, when he realised that his  rival Maithripala Sirisena had an unassailable lead.But in a press conference on Saturday, a top aide to Sirisena said that  Lieutenant General Daya Ratnayake, who is the head of the armed forces,  had come under pressure to intervene shortly before the concession.“The army chief was under pressure to deploy but he did not. He declined to do anything illegal.”Rajitha Senaratne“The army chief was under pressure to deploy but he did not. He declined  to do anything illegal,” Rajitha Senaratne, the chief spokesman for the  new president, told reporters in Colombo.“Even in the last hour, he [Rajapaksa] tried to remain in office. Only  when he realised that he had no other option, he decided to go.”There was no immediate comment from the military.Senaratne, who is tipped to become health minister, declined to say  whether the deposed president himself tried to contact the military  chief or used his younger brother Gotabhaya.Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has often been accused of meddling in his officially neutral role as defence secretary.<a href="https://www.scmp.com/sites/default/files/2015/01/10/sri-lanka-election_col14_47619271.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/486w/public/2015/01/10/sri-lanka-election_col14_47619271.jpg?itok=wBRTzJEf" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />Sri Lanka's newly-elected President Sirisena is sworn in on Friday in Colombo. Photo: Reuters</a>“There was a defence ministry conspiracy for Rajapaksa to remain in  office. Gotabhaya had openly defied election laws and addressed election  rallies,” Senaratne said, adding the new administration would put a  stop to public servants dabbling in politics.Senaratne said the defence ministry had also tried to deploy troops in  the island’s former war zone and stage explosions in a bid to discourage  ethnic Tamils from voting.Despite two explosions that caused no harm, the northern region voted overwhelmingly to support Sirisena.Rajapaksa was reviled by many members of Sri Lanka’s largest ethnic  minority for allegedly ordering the brutal military suppression of a  separatist insurgency in which thousands of civilians died.<a href="https://www.scmp.com/sites/default/files/2015/01/10/sri_lanka-politics-election_ik3376_47619223.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/486w/public/2015/01/10/sri_lanka-politics-election_ik3376_47619223.jpg?itok=WzCmcmFf" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />A Sri Lankan Special Task Force soldier stands guard as newly-elected President Sirisena is sworn in. Photo: AFP</a>Senaratne said the new Sri Lankan government had  guaranteed the safety of Rajapaksa and his family after the vote, but  vowed to pursue members of the former administration for human rights  abuses.“We don’t believe in revenge, but that does not mean we will not prosecute those accused of wrongdoing,” he said.Sri Lanka has been largely immune from military meddling in politics  except for a 1962 coup that failed to topple the government. Since then,  there had been no direct military role in the army.Sri Lanka’s former army chief Sarath Fonseka, who launched a failed bit  to challenge president Rajapaksa in 2010, was convicted of engaging in  politics while still in uniform and jailed for 30 months.</blockquote>

Verification: Hath warak paha keeyada? (hatha wadikireema paha)

Top Bottom