The derogatory comments made by Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka in parliament on 3rd May, when he referred to the officers and soldiers of the Army’s security detail provided to the former President, Mahinda Rajapaksa, MP, as being uneducated and untrained, are being strongly objected to, by the public.
These comments were made in response to a question raised by the Joint Opposition, on the removal of the security provided by the Army to the former President, when Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka attempted to justify its removal, by referring to one ‘Neville’, an assistant to the former President, as not having even passed the 8th Grade and alluded to the entire contingent as being uneducated and unqualified to provide security.
Colonel Mahendra Fernando, the commander of the special security detail of the former President, is an officer with over 15 years experience in the battlefront and has been awarded many medals for gallantry and bravery, such as WWV (Weera Wickrama Vibhushana), RVP (Rana Weera Padakkama), RSP (Rana Shura Padakkama) and USP (Uththama Seva Padakkama). A student of Ananda College, he joined the Army as an Officer Cadet upon completion of Advanced Level. He also has experience in Military Intelligence and has been highly trained in VIP protection in India and France. The officers serving under him, in the rank of major, also joined the army as Officer Cadets and served extensively in the battlefront and subsequently received specialized training in VIP protection, both locally and overseas. The soldiers of the Commando Regiment, who serve under them have performed exceptionally in the battlefield and have severed their motherland with deep commitment and sacrifice. It is therefore considered a great dishonour to ridicule and devalue the services of such experienced and capable officers and soldiers.
During the period when the Police and Special Task Force (STF) were in charge of the Presidential security, President Ranasinghe Premadasa was killed in a suicide attack and President Chandrika Kumaranatunge sustained severe injuries in a similar attack. It is the Officers and soldiers of the Presidential security unit of the Army, who ensured protection of President Mahinda Rajapakse and safeguarded his life, at the height of terrorism in this country. It is the same unit, which provided close protection for visiting foreign dignitaries such as His Holiness The Pope, Prince Charles, Princess of Thailand, Presidents of China, Pakistan and Palestine, Prime Minister of Japan, Emir of Qatar etc.,.
It is deemed a grave injustice that such highly qualified and well experienced professional officers and soldiers, who served their motherland at the risk of their own lives, are insulted and ridiculed by Field Marshal Fonseka, a former commander the Army, due to his narrow political agenda. It is even more surprising that such comments are being made by the person who, as the Commander of the Army at the time, appointed these very officers and soldiers to the Presidential security contingent, considering them as the best in the army.
