The President made this remark yesterday (18) in Parliament while participating in the debate pertaining to the expenditure heads of the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Public Security.
Following is the full speech delivered by President Dissanayake:
What is happening now is arson being committed by opportunistic groups. However, we will not, under any circumstances, allow room for racism (or 'communalism'). It's not just me; the Buddhist populace of this country will not allow it either. The Hindu, Muslim and Catholic people of this country will not allow it either. Therefore, if anyone attempts to revive the old racist dramas in this country, it will remain only in history. It is neither the present nor the future. Everyone must understand that our country's future political agenda and indeed the current political agenda, will not be written on the basis of racism.
During this debate on the expenditure heads of the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Public Security, given the special involvement of these two Ministries in many tasks concerning our nation, I intend to present a few points.
In particular, we know that racist tendencies, with various manifestations, emerge in our country at different times. In the past, governments in our country fell due to anti-corruption forces. However, such an accusation cannot be levelled against our government. Similarly, the government that was in power until 1994 collapsed, centering upon democracy. Our government cannot be accused on that front either. In recent times, governments have collapsed centered on economic problems. Even regarding that, an accusation cannot be levelled against this government. Therefore, no constructive slogan remains for these defeated political forces. As a result, the objective of these defeated forces has become the creation of racist opportunities.
Therefore, attention must be paid to the Police, the law and the social unrest that could arise through the enforcement of that law. In certain sectors, the associated political activities related to this must also be taken into consideration. I have informed the Secretary to the Ministry of Public Security to provide a report regarding the issue pertaining to the Buddha statue in Trincomalee. Moreover, the note regarding the transfer of the Buddha statue to the relevant police station clearly states that the statue was brought to that location for security. However, what happens next is that if the Buddha statue is housed at the police station, the next conflict will be between the Police and those racist groups. Therefore, the Buddha statue has been returned to that location and the necessary security has been provided for it.
That issue is now before the judiciary. Prior to this, a discussion was held at the District Secretariat yesterday. There was a permit granted for this in 2014. Although it is now being referred to as a temple (Viharaya), it has not been used as a temple in recent times. It has been used as a canteen.
The Coast Conservation Department had determined that there were illegal constructions at that canteen and issued an order to remove the illegal constructions at that canteen. An appeal against that order was submitted to the Ministry of Environment. The Secretary to the Ministry of Environment maintained the position that these structures must be removed. Following that, during a discussion between the Police and the Urban Development Authority, the Venerable Monks requested one more week, stating they intended to appeal to the Court of Appeal. That period ended on the 14th. However, this incident arose on the 16th. It appears there is a different story here, beyond merely establishing a religious place. The Monk had land ownership at this location, but there was no designated site for religious observance. That is the factual situation.
In the discussion held at the District Secretariat after the incident, an agreement was reached: that proper surveying would be carried out to allocate the section belonging to the Coast Conservation Department and to separately designate and allocate the land belonging to the temple. However, the order issued by the court, coupled with the old case, is to not carry out any new construction and also to not remove the existing constructions. It has been stated that the relevant work can be done after a judgement is issued by the court and after the land belonging to the temple is demarcated. Accordingly, this issue has now been resolved.
What is happening now is arson being committed by opportunistic groups. However, we will not, under any circumstances, allow room for racism. It's not just me; the Buddhist populace of this country will not allow it either. The Hindu, Muslim and Catholic people of this country will not allow it either. Therefore, if anyone attempts to revive the old racist dramas in this country, it will remain only in history. It is neither the present nor the future. Everyone must understand that our country's future political agenda, and indeed the current political agenda, will not be written on the basis of racism.
Furthermore, as the Ministry of Defence, we understand that any armed force prepares based on the assumption of what kind of threat might emerge. We currently anticipate that large-scale internal civil conflict will not recur in Sri Lanka for a long time. Similarly, there is no likelihood of us being invaded by any Western nation in the near future. At this time, we are structuring our military mechanism to confront threats that may arise in the technological domain, cyberspace and from modern technological tools. We also have a responsibility for the security of our maritime borders and a threat profile exists there. Likewise, we have identified the threats and security requirements in our airspace. We are preparing our military according to the nature of the threat. Therefore, building a military equipped with modern technological tools is the policy of our government.
In the recent past, we have received considerable international support for the restructuring of our military. Specifically, we have received approximately 70 jeeps from India. Furthermore, a proposal for an academy required to turn our military into a highly proficient force has been received and support for this has also been provided.
Moreover, the United States of America (USA) has agreed to provide us with 10 TH- 57 helicopters as aid in 2026. Similarly, the USA and Australia have agreed to provide us with two C-130 aircraft as aid in 2026 and 2027. We have also already received a Beechcraft KA 360 and two Beechcraft KK 350s as aid from the USA and Australia. Our Air Force helicopter fleet has been significantly depleted and now we will be getting 10 new helicopters. Tenders have been called and all arrangements made for the refurbishment of the existing helicopters. Therefore, we have established a very good, modern and efficient military. We believe this is our responsibility.
I would also like to address the issue of reconciliation. This is currently being implemented in four interconnected stages. The first is the pursuit of truth. We have a responsibility to investigate what exactly happened. We agree to establish a mechanism for this truth-seeking.
Next is the pursuit of justice. We will absolutely not hesitate to deliver justice against crimes. In delivering this justice, there is a risk that old discussions, such as the ‘hunting down of war heroes’, may resurface. Certain Naval officers have been accused concerning the abduction and murder of 11 students in our country. The Navy played a significant role in bringing the war to an end. However, there is an allegation regarding the abduction and disappearance of 11 children who were in no way connected to those operations.
Now, as a nation, should we sacrifice the entire Navy to that accusation? Or should we identify the rightful culprits for the charge and punish them? For the sake of protecting the honour of the Navy and concerning the disappearance of those eleven people, investigations are being conducted and the guilty parties will be brought before the law. I do not believe any Naval officers will oppose this. Investigations have been conducted. Some might ask, why the delay? The nature of the process itself contributes to the delay. Some individuals may obtain Writs to prevent arrest. However, we allow for those processes too. We will provide that legal protection and security to the accused and conduct a very clean investigation, ensuring the guilty are punished. This must never be interpreted as a witch-hunt against war heroes.
Likewise, military intelligence units have been accused in relation to certain murders. We need to understand this. Should we leave those accusations as they are, thereby adding a stain on the military intelligence unit? Or should we investigate whether the accusation is true and punish that group? There are mechanisms for the operations of a country.
There are incidents that occur outside of the normal operating procedure. These must be properly documented for the sake of state security. For that, we must have a strong intelligence unit. However, the general public must have confidence in the reputation of that intelligence unit. If you look at many incidents in the recent past, several individuals have faced accusations. It is our responsibility to ensure these institutions become clean and reputable in the eyes of the international community, the general public, and their own staff. We have initiated the investigation into the Lasantha murder.
If our government had been in power when this murder occurred, the suspects would already be in custody. The problem is that this murder is being investigated 17 years later. It's not easy to investigate after 17 years. But we are pursuing them. It is the responsibility of the Jathika Jana Balawegaya (JJB) government to safeguard the discipline and reputation of these institutions. Take the Thajudeen murder as a specific example. Investigations have started and some naval officers need to be questioned. Should we not seek out the perpetrators? I recently specifically asked the investigating officers for their position: was this a natural accident or a murder? Both the investigating officers and the court proceedings have confirmed that this was a murder. Therefore, this was not a natural death. When investigating these matters, do not call it a "war hero hunt."
We need to investigate the Ekneligoda murder and the Easter Attacks that occurred in the past. This process has now begun and investigations are underway. These facts must be established in a court of law.
Mere statements are not enough to file a case in court. We conduct investigations because evidence is required for confirmation in a court. Telephone analysis and establishing their connections are necessary. The mastermind we are looking for is not the assassin, is he? The Easter Attacks should have been investigated while they were fresh. That problem could not be resolved. Subsequently, power went to the groups suspected of having carried out the murders. Once they were in power, a lot of evidence was suppressed. Pages were torn from books.
After any murder in our country in recent memory, suspects were arrested within three days. Because power went to them, for the first time in Sri Lanka, close to 500 officers from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) were issued travel bans. Some CID officers were removed. Shani Abeysekara was imprisoned. They dismantled these investigative bodies and transferred the officers who conducted the investigations. It is difficult to investigate after five years. However, I have great confidence in our investigative teams. I know they will conduct this investigation properly and bring the guilty before the law.
This issue of delivering justice should never be seen as a witch-hunt. These investigations are being conducted while ensuring fairness to everyone. No one is being influenced. We are carrying out the pursuit of truth and the pursuit of justice correctly. Recently, two burial sites were discovered. Instead of appointing Commissions for these, we have appointed the proper investigative teams under court orders. No one can say those investigations are wrong. We need a voice for justice.
Thirdly, compensation. Where damage has occurred, we are providing compensation payments. Recently, our intelligence services recovered a stockpile of gold and handed it over to us. We made every effort to find the owners. Now, the owners cannot be traced. We have taken a decision to convert it into money and give it to the people of that area. We must ensure fairness in these matters.
We must take action to prevent such a situation from recurring. Only we have the ability to create the environment to prevent such situations from recurring. And we will do that.
We will absolutely not allow room for racial conflicts to arise in our country again. We recognise the right of the people to be involved in politics fairly. On one side, we are a country that has been plagued by ethnic conflicts. Ethnic conflicts, like a bonfire, cannot be extinguished simply by pouring water on them. The hatred and suspicion between ethnicities has existed for a long time. In this context, we will build national unity and reconciliation without allowing even the slightest mistake to occur. We will hold a Sri Lanka Day for ethnic harmony this December. We intend to meet with politicians representing all ethnicities to discuss this programme. Someone said, "Watch out if you hold such a day." I say, "Watch out if you come." Is there no need for cultural exchange between the people of the North and the South?
Therefore, our military and we have done a great deal of work to build national unity in this country. The Ministry of Public Security and the Police Department are carrying out their work very effectively. Now, they are talking about bringing a No-Confidence Motion against the Secretary to the Ministry of Public Security. Why is he an accused party?
The Secretary works day and night to suppress drugs and the underworld in our country. He is a friend of the people. Whose enemy is he? Not these people here. They are not enemies. He is the enemy of the criminals.
Next, I observed the significant attacks being levelled against the Secretary of the Ministry of Public Security, Mr. Ravi Seneviratne. These are wrong. They are officials accepted by everyone. They act courageously against drug-related crimes. They act bravely against these murders and crimes. In such a situation, people want to bring down such officials. Attacking Mr. Ravi Seneviratne means siding with the criminals. Siding with the corrupt. Siding with the organised criminals. That is the truth of the matter. How can those officials be the enemies?
Next, how can Shani Abeysekara be an enemy? As far as I know, nearly all of the investigations Shani conducted resulted in convictions in court. A large number of those resulted in the death penalty. These are people who know all this.
Five people were sentenced to death in the Udatalawinna case. The individual in the Rajagiriya Royal Park incident was sentenced to death. The fact that Maithri later released him is a separate matter. But the death penalty was handed down. He is an official who conducts large-scale investigations of this nature. We need officers with such experience to train the new recruits. These people who were not subservient to anyone.
Did these people, who dedicated themselves to the establishment of law and order in this country, risking their lives, become your accused for what they did for the country? We will protect those people. Should we not do so? But why is he being made an accused today? When investigations start moving in the direction of these criminals, that is when Shani becomes a criminal.
Next, Ranga Disanayake of the Bribery Commission was widely accused by you. We need a courageous public service in our country. These officials are working towards that today. What is the responsibility of a Parliament? The entire Parliament should collectively protect those officials. That is the responsibility of a Parliament. That is where the national responsibility of a country lies.
But what are they trying to do here? If officials work bravely, work with discipline and are not involved in corruption, the aim here is to bring those officials down. This Parliament must reach a common, collective process to protect such skilled, brave officers. I have told them too: "Do your job properly." We will stand up for their protection, both while they are in service and after they have retired.
Next, I will tell you who is being accused by you. Our Inspector General of Police, who is currently partly accused by you. Next, Mr. Karawita of the CID. While they are pursuing the frauds, corruption and crimes you committed, the work of the corrupt and criminals has begun to pursue these officials. I urge you to stop that. Don't do it!
Next, we are aware of the problem of the drug menace. If we look at the late seventies and early eighties, we know there were usually village thugs. There were ordinary drug dealers who brewed illegal alcohol and sold cannabis. When that thug went to prison, the whole village was free. Society also showed them disgust. Typically, if that corrupt person came down the right side of the road, people would move to the left. They were not invited to weddings or functions; they were ostracised by society. There was also a social opinion against them.
However, these thugs later turned to politics. Especially what the UNP government that came to power in '77 did was that every Member of Parliament got a thug near him. That is when this person started getting political protection. Then, he was no longer the small-time Wijey or Marusira from the village. He became an influential, arrogant thug with political patronage. He didn't initially get into drugs; he got into contracts. Soththi Upali went and grabbed clods of earth at Gam Udawa events. Beddagana Sanjeewa started doing small contracts. They started earning money.
Then, a large global drug distribution network was created. These individuals entered the drug network. Now they have political power. They enter the drug trade. Huge amounts of money began to be generated from drugs. This generation of money allowed them to buy the state mechanism. Money began to bring social respect. If there was a big function in the village, the person who had illegally amassed wealth would become the chief guest. Then, instead of the social ostracism they once faced, they also received social protection. The person rejected by society created an alternative power through wealth for some of their activities. Through that wealth, they entered the state mechanism.
They started bribing Police officers. They started bribing the RMV (Department of Motor Traffic), Immigration and Customs. The state mechanism also became integrated into this. These people started investing their money. Accordingly, a business network built on money was also formed. Some businessmen even started investing money in the media.
This has now grown from a mere thug to a network: the political authority, the drug trafficker, the armed criminal, the corrupt state officials and the media network. Our intelligence services will soon reveal the connection with the media network.
Now, this is no longer just a drug seller or a mere thug. This is now an organised entity. Some organised activities have developed international links. We have seen this historically. After the President of Haiti was assassinated, information revealed it was a murder carried out against anti-drug efforts. A popular presidential candidate in Mexico is assassinated. After some drug traffickers are arrested, demonstrations are created. Therefore, whether internationally or domestically, this has developed into something else. It is no longer just the village thug; organised criminal gangs, all together, have become a ring of thieves.
Now, a large number of arrests are taking place. However, the operation is still continuing to some extent. This is because this network was operated with the blessing of the government. The network was functional. The network was needed by the state mechanism to maintain power in the villages, to frighten people, for security. I know some politicians had Julampitiye Amare for security when they addressed meetings. They used these underworld leaders for protection.
Similarly, when our colleague Nalintha Jayatissa held a meeting in Katuwana, shots were fired at the meeting. Two people were killed. Who did it? Julampitiye Amare. Is it a lie that Beddagana Sanjeeva and Soththi Upali went to receive ministerial positions? They created this unnecessary power. Along with this unnecessary power, drugs, other narcotics, various anti-social activities, and armed criminal gangs have been created. This is the current situation. We must defeat this situation. Do not have any doubt about that.
The entire society, North, East and South, has fallen prey to this. That is why we needed a national operation. It is not a government process. Regardless of who governs, we must destroy drugs and the associated armed criminal gangs. Our Ministry of Public Security and all associated institutions need to work towards this.
The public is giving great support to this today. However, opposition politicians are working against it. We are confident that the public will not allow any political party that works against this process to succeed. The political mechanism that has blessed and sponsored this for so long has been crushed by the people. Our intention is not to allow such political movements to seize power again for such destructive ends.
Therefore, we predict where the danger lies. We have an official mechanism that draws up plans based on these predictions. We have confidence in them. Today, the Defence Secretary can be contacted at any time. We used to have Defence Secretaries whom ministers would go and kneel before. In a country that existed like that, today anyone from the opposition or the government can talk to the Defence Secretary at any time. The Inspector General of Police (IGP) is the same. Therefore, the officials of the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of State Defence are working tirelessly to establish the supremacy of the rule of law and to ensure public security.
Finally, I would like to thank all the officials, including the Secretaries of those two Ministries, the Commanders of the three Armed Forces and the Inspector General of Police.
We appreciate the role they play. More than any other duty, they are risking their lives. They work with the suspicion of whether they will be victimised, whether they can enjoy retirement in this country. They are engaged in such difficult professions. As a government, we assure all of them that we will protect them and I guarantee we will protect them even if we are not in government. I thank all of you once again for your efforts to establish state security and public security in our country and to stop the underworld, crime and corruption, in order to build a better state. Source : PMD
