The Sri Lankan government announced on Sunday that 18,000 soldiers deployed to work in labour projects would be ordered back to their regiments, reports the Sunday Times.
Criticising the former government's deployment of soldiers in development projects, as demeaning, the deputy minister of urban development, Dinesh Gankanda said "the objective was to ensure that their jobs were protected and their services were not used for labour work as during the previous government."
The deployment of a large number of military troops in civilian roles across the Tamil areas in the North-East has been heavily criticised by the Tamil people and political leaders. It is not known where on the island these 18,000 soldiers will be identified, or indeed, how many soldiers in total are currently employed development work.
Citing the example of the development of a race course, Mr Gankanda told the newspaper: "The Race Course development project has been completed, but a Brigadier, a Major and 70 soldiers are stationed there. We don’t need such a large number."
In his election manifesto the current government, Maithripala Sirisena promised "the employment of all officers of the Security forces in occupations that undermine the dignity of their profession will be terminated and they will be directed to social services that would safeguard the dignity of their service."
Criticising the former government's deployment of soldiers in development projects, as demeaning, the deputy minister of urban development, Dinesh Gankanda said "the objective was to ensure that their jobs were protected and their services were not used for labour work as during the previous government."
The deployment of a large number of military troops in civilian roles across the Tamil areas in the North-East has been heavily criticised by the Tamil people and political leaders. It is not known where on the island these 18,000 soldiers will be identified, or indeed, how many soldiers in total are currently employed development work.
Citing the example of the development of a race course, Mr Gankanda told the newspaper: "The Race Course development project has been completed, but a Brigadier, a Major and 70 soldiers are stationed there. We don’t need such a large number."
In his election manifesto the current government, Maithripala Sirisena promised "the employment of all officers of the Security forces in occupations that undermine the dignity of their profession will be terminated and they will be directed to social services that would safeguard the dignity of their service."