Daily NEWS Srilanka

The incident where the Eastern Province Chief Minister reprimanded a uniformed Naval Officer at a school festival held in Sampur area recently has created a sensation by now.

One report says that Ahamed Nazeer has not been named as an invitee for the festival on that
particular day while another report says that he had attended the occasion because the Governing Lady Secretary had sent him an invitation. It is understood that at the moment of the prize giving the Governor and the American Ambassador had been present on stage and since the stage in that instance was blocked by cameramen and a group of school children, the Navy Officer who who was present there had to face this nasty incident and has taken measures to clear the path on the two sides at that moment, it is learned. At that moment the Governor who was on the top stage had waved his hand to the Chief Minister who was then below and thus beckoned him to come to the stage above and it is said that the Chief Minister had tried to make his way to the top without any special announcement.  The relevant Navy Officer who may have without properly knowing who this person who was trying to come to the top or the stage, thinking that his coming forward on that occasion was not suitable had obstructed him coming that way.

The Chief Minister who went into a frenzy over this incident had played hell once he came on stage, it is said. He had then publicly reprimanded the officer and had ordered him to immediately leave the stage, it is learned. Though the Governor had tried to console him, it had been to no avail. In this instance the Navy Officer had only smiled in the most humble manner. The behaviour of the Chief Minister in the presence of the American Ambassador was of course a terrible dishonour and humiliation to the Navy Officer.

It was after some days after this incident that a sensation was observed when a video tape went across the media. It was Commanding Officer Captain Ranjith Premaratna of the Vidura Naval Force Camp in Sampur, Trincomalee who had to face this incident. Incidentally he happened to be an officer who offered his services with much dedication in that area and was someone who was popular among everybody. All three armed forces have by now come into a decision of prohibiting this Chief Minister of the Eastern Province from entering the camps and not to attend festivals and celebrations which he represents. A report concerning the incident of Eastern Province Chief Minister Ahamad Nazeer shouting out, forwarded by the Naval Force has already been handed over to the Hon. President.

Whatever it is, BBC reports that the Chief Minister had said that his hands are clean in this incident, at a meeting held in Batticaloa yesterday. He had mentioned that the Navy Officer had held him by his abdomen and had pushed him and that it is considered as a disgrace done for his entire area. Whatever it is, on an enquiry made from the Navy Force about this incident, what their response was that even though a naval officer is subjected to ridicule in the presence of dignitaries the sense of patience he had displayed a patience which no doubt was an honourable attitude. The response by the Chief Minister with regard to the incident is seen below