As published in Ceylon Today, June 20, 2015
By Skandha Gunasekera
On 8 January, the night of the Presidential Election results, it was alleged that there was an attempt by the former President Mahinda Rajapaksa to retain power through a military coup.
Former Commander of the Army, Daya Ratnayake, in a recent interview with the Sirasa TV, revealed the details of the events that took place at Temple Trees on the night of 8 January.
Excerpts of the interview:
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: Were you also present at Temple Trees on the eve of the Election results?
A: Yes, I was present at Temple Trees at the time. I think me being there was a benefit to the whole process of transferring power. Our Army has remained committed to protecting democracy in the island for decades. The Army’s integrity is unquestionable. The notion of such a dedicated Army attempting a military coup is one of the gravest insults to the Sri Lankan Army; its loyalty to the country is unshakeable.
Some said that there would be an attempt by the former President to retain power through the military but these were just false rumors without any basis. Military coups may take place in other countries but the Sri Lanka Army is devoted to ensuring the wellbeing of Sri Lanka and its people.
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: Was the Secretary of Defence present at Temple Trees at the time?
A: Yes, the Defence Secretary was there as well.
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: What were the reasons for the Defence Secretary being there?
A: All heads of the Security Services were present at the time. As it was a time of a major political change, I don’t believe there was a problem them being there. The presence of the leading Security Forces personnel greatly helped the process of transferring power.
The Heads of the Tri-forces were present as well as the Inspector General of Police, the Defence Secretary and Presidential Secretary.
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: While you all were waiting for the final election results, what did former President Mahinda Rajapaksa discuss?
A: He initially said that he was used to winning as well as losing and requested that the transfer of power be carried out smoothly in a calm manner. There was a worry among some of those gathered there that if the Opposing side won the elections, Temple Trees would be surrounded by the Army to detain those within but those with doubts were assured that the Army would not behave against protocol and that all would be well.
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: There are strong allegations that during the final hours of the night you were requested to use the Army to take control of the country, is this true?
A: This is not true. I consider such allegations a joke because there was no such request made.
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: Was the current Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe, called to Temple Trees after the election results?
A: Yes, it was we who suggested that he be called to Temple Trees. There was a brief time after the final results where SMS alerts, reports and rumors circulating of an attempt at a military coup. We took steps to spread the word that there wasn’t an attempted military coup and that the former President would be stepping down from his post in a peaceful manner. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was called to Temple Trees during this process. Another benefit of having the Heads of the Armed Forces present at Temple Trees during this crucial time was that as we have been trained to make vital decisions under extreme pressure and emotional stress, we were able to deduce the situation and make the correct decision in calm manner.
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: The Army keeps a record of every detail in their work. Are there any records of the comings and goings at that night at Temple Trees?
A: Definitely, there are records of everything. Furthermore, there is an investigation being carried out by the Police and Criminal Investigation Department into the events of that night and all such details have been revealed in the investigation.
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: Even recently, it was reported that the President has all the information of the attempted military coup on the night the Presidential election results were released. Was there such a coup attempt?
A: No, there was no coup attempt that night. President Maithripala Sirisena did not say he had information on an alleged coup attempt but that he had known about an attempt to impose curfew throughout the island. There were discussions of imposing curfew and it was even suggested that a local curfew be imposed for the district but the IGP assured that there was no need to take such drastic measures.
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