Rajapaksa's lavish security ‘intact’ confirms Sri Lanka

by admin
Nov 5, 2024

Sri Lanka’s Presidential Secretariat has dismissed recent media reports alleging a reduction in security measures for former president Mahinda Rajapaksa, detailing who the accused war criminal still enjoys lavish state protection.

Calling such claims "completely false," the Secretariat reaffirmed that Rajapaksa continues to enjoy the full range of entitlements specified under Sri Lanka’s Presidents’ Entitlements Act No. 4 of 1986, giving him access to more than 200 security officers and luxury vehicles.

According to the official statement, Rajapaksa retains a pension and access to an official residence on Wijerama Mawatha in Colombo, as well as allowances for a private secretary.

In terms of transportation, the former president has been allocated three luxury vehicles: a 2008 Mercedes Benz Maybach 600, a 2017 Toyota Land Cruiser, and a 2013 Mercedes Benz G63 AMG 4×4. To fuel this fleet, he is granted a staggering monthly fuel allowance of 1,950 litres, and each vehicle is equipped with a designated driver.

Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Public Security have also allocated a significant security presence for Rajapaksa. Military protection includes a team of three commando officers, four unit officers, and 56 additional ranks, totaling 63 army personnel. The police have also deployed an extensive force comprising 180 officers, including 29 police drivers.

These measures underscore the continued prioritization of Rajapaksa's security, despite ongoing public criticism over the resources dedicated to safeguarding former officials in a country grappling with economic challenges.

Under Rajapaksa's leadership tens of thousands of Tamil civilians were killed in 2009, and his administration has been widely accused of systematic human rights abuses, including indiscriminate shelling of no-fire zones and the enforced disappearances of thousands. The crimes he committed have increasingly been recognised as a genocide.

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Official trailer for film below.

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