Army Commander Lieutenant General Crishanthe De Silva said that the army is prepared to do what it must in order to protect the unity of the country and national interests and also committed to protect the public at all costs.  

The Commander expressed these views when asked about comments made recently by the Chief Minister of Sri Lanka's Tamil dominated North, C.V. Wigneswaran which was seen as a threat to the unity in the country. "It is our duty to protect the public and as Army Commander I can assure you we will do that," he further said.

He spoke to the media yesterday after formally inaugurating a series of religious ceremonies in Kandy regarding the forthcoming 67th anniversary of the Sri Lanka Army.