Sirisena tells no-one represented him at NSC

NSC Gazette does not mention of Prime Minsiter; Ex-President tells PCoI

by Zulfick Farzan 15-10-2020 | 12:51 PM

Colombo (News 1st); Former President Maithripala Sirisena on Wednesday (14) told the Presidential Commission of Inquiry probing the 2019 April 21st Attacks, during his tenure, he summoned several opposition faction MPs to the National Security Council.

He told the PCoI there was no-one at the National Security Council who could represent him and therefore he decided to summon several MPs representing his political party who are trustworthy, to represent him at those meetings.

Former President Maithripala Sirisena said during the tenure of the 52 day-government, then Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa was not involved with National Security Council meetings, based on an agreement reached between them.

The Additional Solicitor General assisting the Presidential Commission suggested that many of those who testified at the PCoI had said it was Former President Maithripala Sirisena who instructed not to invite Ranil Wickremesinghe to the National Security Council meeting, after the latter was re-appointed as Prime Minister on the 16th of December 2018.

Maithripala Sirisena said the Gazette on the National Security Council contains the composition of those who need to be involved and it does not mention the Prime Minister.

He further said the Prime Minister can be summoned to the National Security Council only if the President requires his presence.