Eastern Province CM condemns tri-forces boycott, says everybody should apologize
Sun, May 29, 2016, 

May 29, Colombo: The Chief Minister of Eastern Province Nazeer Ahamed condemned the decision taken by the tri-forces to boycott events he attends as a political decision and said everybody involved in the dispute at the event in a Sampur school should apologize for their wrong actions.

In a letter to the President and Prime Minister, the beleaguered Chief Minister pointing out that the Sampur Maha Vidyalaya is a school under the Eastern Provincial Council, blamed the organizers and the governor for not directing the officials to follow the "proper protocol" at the event.

He said the officials should apologize for not following the proper protocol and the naval officer subjected to his verbal abuse should apologize for his "grossly offensive conduct, an offence under the Penal Code."

The Chief Minister said It would be in the best interest of the country for the responsible officers to apologize and he would not hesitate to apologize to all those who were present at the event.

"I would not hesitate to express my unequivocal regret and apologies to all those who were present, including the staff and students of the school, the foreign dignitary and the concerned naval officer for my strong but justifiable reaction."

The Chief Minister at an event on May 20 in Sampur Maha Vidyalaya, where Eastern Province Governor Austin Fernando, who was the Chief Guest and US Ambassador Atul Keshap were also present, has berated a navy officer telling him to "just get out from here."

"Get out from here idiot. If you don't know what protocol is, just get out. Who the hell are you to stop me? Even you, Governor don't know what the protocol is. I respect the Excellency the Ambassador much more. You should know Governor, you should know the protocol," the Chief Minister was seen saying to the Navy officer in a video clip of the event.

The Navy has submitted a report to Defense Secretary Karunasena Hettiarachchi calling for appropriate action on the verbal assault directed at the Navy officer by the Chief Minister. The Defense Secretary said the report handed over by the navy was forwarded to the President and the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe called for a report from the Chief Minister as well as from the Navy and said he would submit both reports to the President. He said the President will make a decision after reviewing the reports.

Full text of the Chief Minister's letter:

Sampur Maha Vidyalaya is a school under the Eastern Provincial Council. It is not a national school.
A well- known business organisation in Colombo had volunteered through the Sri Lanka Navy to donate computers and other items to the school. In appreciation of this good gesture, in my capacity as the Chief Minister of the Eastern Province, I attended the function held at the school. The Hon. Minister of Education of the Eastern Province Hon. Thandayuthapani also attended the function. The function was organised by the school.

As I arrived at the function, the Hon. Governor's name and the name of HE Atul Keshap, the Ambassador of the USA in Sri Lanka were announced by the compeer who was the English teacher of the school. My name or the name of the Minister of Education of the province was not announced, though both of us had arrived. The Hon. Governor perhaps, noticing the lapse, signaled me to come up to the stage.

When I came up on stage, a naval officer who was acting as the 'master of ceremonies', physically obstructed me from proceeding to take my place on the stage. It may be due to the fact that he was trying to stop the media personnel getting on to the stage. His grossly offensive conduct, an offence under the Penal Code, shocked me. I censured him, questioning him as to who he was to stop me. I also blamed the Hon. Governor for not directing the officials to follow proper protocol. I felt insulted in the presence of a foreign dignitary and a large public gathering.

Though it was clearly a usurpation of the functions of the Eastern Provincial Council and in violation of the country's Constitution, I attended the function without raising any issue, out of respect to Your Excellencies and the foreign guest in attendance in the province of which I happened to be the Chief Minister.

I also understand that the Tri-Forces have today decided to boycott functions attended by me even before Your Excellency the President had looked into the matter. I condemn this as a political decision by the forces whose leaders appear to have joined hands to look at the issue from the limited perspective of protecting the offenders within their ranks and not from the broader prospect of establishing truth and justice.

In any event, the issue has broader implications. It would be in the best interest of the country for the responsible officers to apologise. I would not hesitate to express my unequivocal regret and apologies to all those who were present, including the staff and students of the school, the foreign dignitary and the concerned naval officer for my strong but justifiable reaction.


I wish to leave any further steps in this regard in the hands of Your Excellencies.