Security & Defence

Hon. Kins Nelson seconded a motion by Hon. Ranjith Madduma Bandara concerning the Civil Security Department (CSD), whose members historically performed village defence roles during wartime. He raised concerns about the President's Budget Speech proposal to second 5,000 CSD members to the Department of Wildlife Conservation and the Police, arguing that such transfers require proper training and that Wildlife protected zones have specific entry restrictions. He further urged that secondments be made within members' home districts — citing Ampara, Polonnaruwa, and Trincomalee — as many CSD members are farmers dependent on cultivation to supplement low wages, and distant postings would cause hardship to their families. He also called on the Minister to address longstanding shortfalls in basic equipment such as uniforms, boots, and raincoats, referencing a protest by CSD members' spouses in Kantale as evidence of the welfare concerns.

## Summary Hon. R.M. Ranjith Madduma Bandara moved an Adjournment Motion highlighting the difficulties faced by Civil Defence Force (CDF) personnel, who were originally recruited to protect border villages during the war and whose employment was regularised under the previous good governance government. He noted that approximately 28,000 CDF personnel — among the lowest-paid state employees — are now being deployed outside their home districts to serve at police stations in distant areas, where they must personally bear costs for food and lodging without receiving any allowance, unlike other state servants deployed away from home. As a result, many personnel have reportedly resigned due to inability to maintain their farms or service loan repayments. The speaker made two specific proposals: that suitable CDF personnel be absorbed into the Police Service, and that those deployed outside their home districts receive the same allowances provided to Police officers under similar circumstances.

Hon. Nanda Bandara referenced cyclone damage estimated at USD 4 billion, asserting that recovery and rebuilding remain achievable. He defended the President's position on international incidents involving loss of life or property, characterizing the President's remarks as a clear condemnation, and accused the Opposition of misrepresenting this stance through what he termed "false cries" of pressure against the government.

## Summary Deputy Minister Muneer Mulaffer delivered a speech condemning the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, asserting that violations of national sovereignty and military force cannot be accepted as legitimate means of resolving disputes, and that dialogue and diplomacy must prevail. He emphasised Sri Lanka's direct stake in the conflict, noting that approximately one million Sri Lankan citizens work in the Gulf region, and acknowledged the economic vulnerability of Sri Lanka—still recovering from bankruptcy—should the conflict escalate globally. The Deputy Minister also criticised those seeking to exploit public anxiety over the war for domestic political gain, characterising attempts to spread panic about fuel shortages or create artificial crises as unconscionable. He concluded by reaffirming the Government's position that all nations must respect international law and sovereignty, and called for a swift return to peace in the region.

Hon. Appuhamy raised a supplementary question regarding Sri Lanka's energy security, highlighting that the government's own admission of substandard coal imports has reduced Norochcholai power plant output from 900 MW to 600 MW. He warned that with only approximately one month's fuel stocks remaining, reliance on costly diesel generators as an alternative is precarious given global supply uncertainties, and demanded that the Minister outline concrete steps to prevent a severe power generation crisis and its consequent impact on the public.

## Summary Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa responded to a ministerial answer on police recruitment and public security, making two key interventions. First, he proposed that recruitment should exceed the planned 10,000 officers to fill all 35,116 vacancies, citing deteriorating law and order, public security, and national security concerns, and pledged opposition support for such an expanded recruitment drive. Second, while acknowledging the value of community policing through Public Security Committees, he raised concerns about their politicisation, alleging that committee appointments in many areas have been made on a partisan basis and citing the specific case of Chairperson Yasanta Ariyasena being required to provide character certificates to obtain Police Reports — a practice he argued undermines the committees' effectiveness in combating crime and contradicts the government's stated commitment to pursuing criminals.

## Summary Minister of Public Security Ananda Wijepala delivered a comprehensive response to a Standing Order 27(2) question from the Leader of the Opposition regarding policing and public security, while also providing an update on a recent lawyer's murder. The Minister reported a total police vacancy of 35,116 positions, attributing the shortfall to a 2021 recruitment freeze, ongoing attrition, and the expansion of police stations from 438 to 608 without corresponding recruitment; however, he announced approved recruitment of 10,000 personnel in 2026, including legal and medical officers. The Minister presented statistics showing a rising trend in organised crime incidents, from 76 incidents and 53 deaths in 2022 to 131 incidents and 63 deaths in 2025, alongside significantly increased drug seizures in 2025 compared to 2024 across heroin, methamphetamine, and cannabis. He outlined several remedial measures undertaken by the Government, including reorganisation of the Criminal Investigation Department, strengthened regional and international cooperation, a record 550 overseas police training placements in the previous year, and a successful joint operation with Indonesia that resulted in the repatriation of five suspects linked to Sri Lankan crimes.

## Summary The Speaker called upon the Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs, Hon. Ananda Wijepala, to deliver a Ministerial Statement on the topic of strengthening state security mechanisms to suppress crimes. This excerpt represents the procedural introduction to the statement, with the substantive content of the Minister's address to follow.

Deputy Minister Watagala concluded his remarks by defending the government's gas procurement process against Opposition criticism, asserting that allegations regarding gas queues were unfounded and that procurement follows proper tender procedures. He outlined the government's multi-pronged anti-drug strategy, encompassing maritime law enforcement, supply chain disruption, rehabilitation programmes, and asset freezing measures. He also referenced a proposed constitutional framework within which he stated the Opposition Leader's role would be formally recognised.

## Summary Hon. Priyantha Wijerathna spoke in support of proposed amendments to the Poisons, Opium and Dangerous Drugs Act and the Judicature Act (No. 2 of 1978), arguing they address a critical jurisdictional gap by extending Sri Lanka's legal authority to interdict drug trafficking on the high seas and prosecute suspects domestically. He cited significant drug seizure statistics from January 2025 to January 2026—including over 1,821 kg of heroin, 3,865 kg of methamphetamine, and approximately 4 million pills—to illustrate the scale of the narcotics threat, noting most hard drugs enter Sri Lanka by sea rather than being produced locally. The speaker also referenced an alleged attempt by a named political figure to establish a methamphetamine production facility in Tangalle, which was foiled by investigators. He framed the legislation within the broader "Rataama Ekata" national anti-drug operation, which he described as operating through committees at national, district, divisional, and village levels, encompassing enforcement, rehabilitation, and prevention.