Only those who don’t consider themselves Sri Lankan refuse to take jab – Army Commander

Only those who do not consider themselves Sri Lankans would refuse to be vaccinated against the coronavirus from an Army hospital, Army Commander, General Shavendra Silva said yesterday commenting on the decision by certain Tamil MPs not to visit Army camps to take the jab.

Issuing a statement, the army media unit said the Sri Lankan army was engaged in humanitarian operations as was public knowledge.

The army does its best to protect the people and to help usher in development, the army media united said, quoting the Commander: “These people claim they can’t get vaccinated at an army hospital. I don’t think a person that considers himself to be Sri Lankan would say such things. This is a democratic country and people have the right to have any stance. We can’t vaccinate people by force. If someone or a group feels that they can’t visit an army camp to be vaccinated, its their problem,” General Silva said.

“We must all work as Sri Lankans and that politicians that represent the Tamil community must think of the safety of the community.

“We are giving this vaccine to MPs because they mingle with people. Essentially this is done to protect the Tamil community. If the MPs don’t want to protect the community that they claim to represent; they can not take the jab.”