A Sri Lankan military regiment celebrated its anniversary by donating blood in Jaffna last month, despite previous controversial comments from military and government officials on how the blood of Sinhalese soldiers runs in Tamils that have received treatment.
The 10 (V) Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment of the Sri Lankan army decided to donate blood at the battalion premises in Maruthankerny.
The move comes despite increased controversy over the military’s blood donations in Tamil areas, with the governor of the Northern Province claiming that the blood of Sinhalese soldiers runs in Tamils who have received treatment from hospitals in Jaffna.
His statement came on the back of previous similar comments from senior military officials, such as Major General Hathurusinghe, who said in 2014,
“Our blood is in the majority of the Tamils that live here, therefore Tamils cannot call themselves pure Tamils anymore. Our army’s Sinhalese blood is in Tamils.”
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