Mahinda Rajapaksa attempted to persuade the Sri Lankan army chief to deploy troops when it became clear that he would lose the elections, reports Reuters.
“The army chief was under pressure to deploy but he did not. He declined to do anything illegal,” the chief spokesperson for the new president, Rajitha Senaratne told reporters on Saturday.
“We spoke to the army chief and told him not t do this. He kept troops in the barracks and helped a free and fair election,” Seneratne added.
The Sri Lankan military spokesman, Ruwan Wanigasooriya, said he was aware of such an order, adding,
“Sri Lanka’s military will not do anything to disrupt the democratic traditions and process.”
“The army chief was under pressure to deploy but he did not. He declined to do anything illegal,” the chief spokesperson for the new president, Rajitha Senaratne told reporters on Saturday.
“We spoke to the army chief and told him not t do this. He kept troops in the barracks and helped a free and fair election,” Seneratne added.
The Sri Lankan military spokesman, Ruwan Wanigasooriya, said he was aware of such an order, adding,
“Sri Lanka’s military will not do anything to disrupt the democratic traditions and process.”