Mystery ad for Gota: Army says Defence Ministry, NEC should handle issue
The Sri Lanka Army does not plan on taking legal action against a controversial election campaign advertisement featuring its Commander, Lt. Gen. Shavendra Silva.
Army Spokesman Sumith Atapattu told the Sunday Times yesterday the Army did not envisage taking legal action over the ad “at this juncture.”
The Brigadier said the matter should be handled by the Defence Ministry and the National Election Commission (NEC). Election monitors, however, are calling for stern action to be taken against those responsible for publishing the controversial election campaign advertisement, featuring the Army Commander though the Army Chief insisted he had no knowledge of it.
On Friday, Elections Commission Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya said the Defence Ministry had forwarded a letter sent by the Army Commander to the Ministry Secretary asserting that the advertisement had without his knowledge used his image and a section of a speech he had made years ago.
Mr Deshapriya said the NEC was satisfied with the Army Chief’s explanation.
The NEC had also sought an explanation from the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), whose Presidential candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa had been promoted in the controversial advertisement. Aside from Lt. Gen. Silva, the advert, which appeared in a Sinhala weekend newspaper last week, also featured images and statements of former security forces commanders; namely Admiral of the Fleet Wasantha Karannagoda, Marshal of the Air Force Roshan Gunathilake and former Army Commander General Daya Ratnayake. The SLPP had written to the Commission denying all responsibility.
Election watchdogs said the denials raise several serious issues. “This is no ordinary citizen, but the Commander of the Army whose image had been used without his consent to promote a particular candidate,” pointed out Rohana Hettiarachchi, Executive Director of the People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL).
He said both the Army and the SLPP had ample reason to investigate the matter and take legal action against those who had placed the advert. “If no action is taken, it means that more such ads could appear in future,” he warned.