The road is long
There are mountains in our way
But we climb a step every day..’
Protests were organised and held all over the country. This was attended by people from all walks of life. Some of those who took part were legally prohibited from taking part in such demonstrations. These are police officers. The police are responsible for upholding the country’s law and order. However, when they realised that this was also their problem, they came to the protest site.
It is up to them to decide whether they believe it is correct or not, based on the applicable law or their job. We saw them as heroes among the general public.
The first uniformed officer joined the protest was a polie officer. He arrives and discusses his problems. He describes his anguish and suffering. we do not divulge his identity as authorities have already taken legal action against him, having his name prominently displayed on the internet could be detrimental to him.
The 9th of July marked a watershed moment in the protest. A massive protest was organised, and people from all over the country flocked to Colombo. Some walked all the way to Colombo while carrying placards and chanting slogans. When such a protest arrived in Mahragama, a police officer on his official motorcycle, dressed in a police tee-shirt and trousers, joined the protest.
He threw down his helmet and declared his support for the protest. Similarly, we saw some ‘officers from ‘forces’ joining the protest along the way. We noticed that they had joined the protest. We don’t want to reveal who they are.
Some sacrificed their jobs
Some, it was reported, have lost their jobs due to showing their approval of the protest. This story is about such a person. Even at this moment, much has been said about him. He is Mr. Anil Somaweera. The Sri Lanka Light Infantry,Brigadier in Charge, Colombo . By stating these names and designations, we humbly apologise if we have committed any mistake. The designations of these armed personnel are very important. By mistake, we could miss some inputs.
On July 13th, he was given a special mission to control the situation near the Prime Minister’s office. We don’t try to give our opinion on the incident or tell you what’s good and bad about it here.
There were some protests. It has a unique legal perspective. It also has a heart-to-heart appearance. We see it differently from a legal standpoint, and it is a different viewpoint from a heartfelt standpoint. At the time, we evaluated , what the army officer did, in the same way we did to the police officer’s actions mentioned above.
The reason for this is that when a uniformed officer does something, it can be classified as either wrong or right depending on how we perceive it as outsiders and ordinary citizens. It could be incorrect based on the terms and conditions they agreed to when they joined the force. As a result, we don’t know whether these actions are correct or incorrect. However, we must write about this incident and the officer involved. It is irrelevant whether he is a good or bad man.
Seniors officer comment
We discovered many things while looking for him. One such example is the note of one of his senior officers from his Facebook profile. This is more important than the notes written about his school, name, and hometown; it is about how he behaved on this specific day, his skills, confidence, and endurance.
He claims that this officer was in charge of staff duties as brigadier during his time in the Sri Lanka Light Infantry 4th Batalian. Many of his accomplishments have been written down. He also claims to be an excellent officer who has a postgraduate degree in security management from Kotalawala Defence Academy and is an Army tennis champion.
He had participated in the battle and sustained enough and more injuries to be considered a “war hero.” “Tennis champion” is his most notable skill. We also discovered that he was skilled in a variety of sports. His extra endurance is regarded as exceptional. Losing one’s temper, fights, and emotional breakdowns are minimised in sports, and sports develop additional endurance.
We don’t know the reason for the officer’s behaviour on that day. However, interesting reasons are provided. But the most important aspect for us is to know who this person is. For several years, he worked as an observer with the UN peacekeeping force in Congo. He has the ability and special skills to calm down and manage a dangerous battleground.
According to his superior, he is not a “hot-tempered” or “worried officer.” I’ve vented my frustrations through him on many a occasion, but he’s never reacted angrily to me, the senior officer adds. Many lives were saved as a result of his wise decision-making. The army’s reputation was also preserved. Because of this officer’s astute action, the international image of this country has improved. As a result, this officer is a valuable asset to the Sri Lankan army.
True war hero
This officer has joined to perform these duties may be due to these characteristics of his. On the protest day, his cry that he “will not shoot” was a strategic claim, or did he believe that if he shoot, the entire country would have gone into a bloodbath? The military had lost control of the protest grounds by that point. However, we do not view this individual through the lens of a “war hero.” If a war hero is corrupt or bad, we do not need to praise him just because he went to the battle field; in fact, we will not hesitate to expel him if this is the case.
We don’t know the reason for the officer’s behaviour on that day. However, interesting reasons are provided. But the most important aspect for us is to know who this person is. For several years, he worked as an observer with the UN peacekeeping force in Congo. He has the ability and special skills to calm down and manage a dangerous battleground.
According to his superior, he is not a “hot-tempered” or “worried officer.” I’ve vented my frustrations through him on many a occasion, but he’s never reacted angrily to me, the senior officer adds. Many lives were saved as a result of his wise decision-making. The army’s reputation was also preserved. Because of this officer’s astute action, the international image of this country has improved. As a result, this officer is a valuable asset to the Sri Lankan army.
This officer has joined to perform these duties may be due to these characteristics of his. On the protest day, his cry that he “will not shoot” was a strategic claim, or did he believe that if he shoot, the entire country would have gone into a bloodbath? The military had lost control of the protest grounds by that point. However, we do not view this individual through the lens of a “war hero.” If a war hero is corrupt or bad, we do not need to praise him just because he went to the battle field; in fact, we will not hesitate to expel him if this is the case.
Best wishes……..!
Jeewana Pahan Thilina