Following a release by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the appointment of Lt. Gen. Shavendra Silva as the Commander of the Sri Lanka Army, Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera has stressed that the achievements of the past four years will be undone if the country goes back to its previous 'Westphalian' mindset.
Meanwhile, Editor of the Colombo Telegraph, Uvindu Kurukulasuriya on his personal facebook profile yesterday had posted the below note.
However, the Minister chose to respond to the international opinion on the appointment at a time the Foreign Minister has declared the decision as one made by a 'sovereign state.'
Meanwhile, a number of Ministers supporting Sajith Premadasa’s Presidential bid had posted on social media congratulating Shavendra Silva on his appointment.
Addressing the media Minister, Champika Ranawaka responded to the US reaction in the below manner.
Pohottuwa's eerie silence
While the government is in turmoil however, the Pohottuwa party and its candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s silence on the matter has not gone unnoticed.
When questioned by Reuters, an official of the US State Department has said that appointing an officer who has been accused of war crimes will affect military cooperation as well as investments going forward.
