I requested deployed military troops to Weliweriya: Gnanasara Thera

General Secretary of the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS), Ven. Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thera, said that he has requested deployed military troops to Weliweriya last Thursday.

“It was I who sent them there after observing the situation in the area. Though the demand by the villagers was extremely justifiable when observing the situation, I figured that things could turn bad as the villagers were politically misled by a group. The protest they were planning to hold was not properly guided or organized. Therefore, I contacted the officials of the Ministry of Defence and emphasized the need to beef up security in the area,” Ven. Thera said. He however acknowledged the fact that, area residents were shot by the military personnel. “If the residents behaved accordingly and attempted to negotiate politely, things would not have turned this bad. They provoked the military personnel and we can’t blame the military entirely for the situation,” he added, while at the same time, expressing his dismay on the final outcome of the events related to the incident.