NPP condemns blacklisting of ex-military officers

NPP leader and MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday (24) raised in parliament blacklisting of three ex- military officers including retired Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha.Raising a question under Standing Order 27/2, Dissanayake told Parliament that AVM Thuyacontha had been banned from entering any Air Force base and participating in any Air Force events.

The MP alleged that wartime commanding officer of M1-24 squadron had been put on the blacklist because he threw his weight behind the NPP.

“There is no restriction for any retired military officer to engage in active politics. There are so many retired military officers such as Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka and Kamal Gunaratne in active politics. But, there is no issue or restriction on them carrying out their political ideologies. It is unfair to restrict these three officers, just because they do politics with a rival political party,” he said.

Responding to the question, State Minister of Defence Pramitha Bandara  Thennakoon said no restriction had been imposed on the retired military officer to engage in active politics and added that retired Air Vice-Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha was blacklisted for making a speech during a political rally in Gampaha thereby posing a threat to national security and tarnishing the image and discipline of the Air Force.

The Minister said retired military officers should ensure a clear-cut separation of politics and the military.