SL army chief warns military against dabbling in politics

Amid speculation that Sri Lanka's chief of defence staff general Sarath Fonseka may fight the presidential polls, the country's army chief has warned military personnel against dabbling in politics, saying soldiers in uniform have no right to engage in political work.
 
Army chief general Jagath Jayasuriya also made it clear that action would be taken against any personnel engaged in political work.
 
"We should be partial to the government in power. All governments at the end of their tenure hold elections. Army officer or a soldier wearing a uniform has no right whatsoever to engage in political work with any contesting candidates," the army website quoted Jayasuriya as saying.
 
"Any soldier or officer if found (violating the advisory) will be subjected to disciplinary action and faces discharge from the army," he said while speaking to senior army officers here late last week.
 
"Support given by president (Mahinda Rajapaksa) and secretary defence (Gotabhaya Rajapaksa) for the victory of the war directly attributed to its win over terrorism," he said.
 
Opposition parties are wooing General Fonseka, the war hero and the top army man, into the race for mid-term presidential polls, speculated to be held in coming months.
 
"Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said there was nothing wrong in military personnel entering politics but definitely not in uniform," the island nation reported.