Sri Lanka's State Minister of Defence, Ruwan Wijewardene on Saturday attempted to distance the government from statements made by the minister and Field Marshall Sarath Fonseka, stating that Mr Fonseka had been expressing his "own personal view.
Mr Fonseka last week said he was prepared to stand as a witness against the former military general Jagath Jayasuriya who had to flee Brazil after human rights organisations filed law suits in Brazil, Peru and Chile over allegations of war crimes.
Mr Wijewardene said "that the bad blood between the two parties had been the reason behind the statement", Ada Derana reported.
He called on the Sri Lankan president to intervene. Mr Sirisena subsequently issued a statement assuring that he 'would not let anyone touch' Mr Jayasuriya.
Since Mr Jayasuriya's hurried departure from Brazil, there has been a war of words between himself and Mr Fonseka, with both men saying the other was primarily responsible for the military effort, and thereby most liable in allegations of war crimes.
