The Hon. Sunil Watagala, Attorney-at-Law - Deputy Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs

¶ 01 Hon. Chairman, let me begin with a few brief replies.

¶ 02 Hon. Dilith Jayaweera spoke of an “insecurity” in the Security Council and lack of experience. But after Easter intelligence came even to an “experienced” Council and what we obtained was a tragic lack of comprehension. With “experienced” leaders, the country still suffered that attack. Likewise, with “experienced” management, after many years Sri Lanka was labelled bankrupt. So, better reading would help the Hon. Member.

¶ 03 [Point of Order exchanges omitted to proceed with business.]

¶ 04 Now, to the Heads of Expenditure. First, on police salaries raised by the Opposition: we assure, and the Hon. President has reiterated, that a comprehensive salary review from the junior-most police officer up to the IGP is underway. The basic salary will be increased; we have a summary ready. There will be an allowance as well, to improve living standards across the ranks.

¶ 05 Lower-rank officers requested that if they possess certain qualifications, they be allowed to directly sit the ASP exam. We are working at the Ministry level to facilitate that.

¶ 06 Turning to policing: a primary purpose of the Department is to run Sri Lanka Police to prevent crimes—organized crime, terrorism, robberies, homicides, underworld activities, narcotics—so that people can live safely. Under the current Acting IGP, the Department is being managed properly. From 2024-09-21 to 2025-02-26, there were 44 shootings, 23 homicides, 12 dismemberment homicides, and 8 other homicides. In response, Police have not sat idle. Contrary to claims about intelligence weakness, there is a strong intelligence unit. For incidents: in the courthouse case, the suspect was arrested within 8 hours; for Kotahena, arrests within 5 hours; for the Negombo beach case, arrests within about 10 hours.

¶ 07 From 2024-09-21 to 2025-02-26, Police seized: fourteen T-56 rifles, twenty-one pistols, seventy-eight 12-bore guns, seventeen revolvers, 840 shotguns, and 248 other weapons—total 994 firearms.

¶ 08 Some tried to link national security to the underworld alone. These underworld activities have long had political roots, especially narcotics. Successive regimes patronized criminals: under J.R. Jayewardene, “Gonawala Sunil” was even made a peace justice; under R. Premadasa, we saw the abduction and killing of Richard de Zoysa after his dramatic critique; under Chandrika’s time, “Nawala Nihal” operated; under the Rajapaksas, “Wambotta” and “Julampitiye Amare” were patronized—Amare, as Namal Rajapaksa’s bodyguard, shot and killed three people at one of our meetings; when a prison incident occurred in Tangalle, even that was controlled through their underworld links. Those who milked the underworld now point fingers at the JVP/NPP Government, alleging no crackdown. They created this problem, blending it with drugs, living with the underworld, and now accuse us.

¶ 09 Police reports identify around 38 gangs now: “Kudu Anju,” “Rathgama Vidura,” “Kosgoda Suji,” “Kudu We,” “Loku Patti,” “Kehelbandara Padme,” “Baddegama Asanka,” “Lalith Kannangara,” and others. Earlier, political authority nurtured them. Police are still tracing their foreign hideouts.

¶ 10 For the first time, there is a political movement—the NPP—that does not patronize gangs. The current IGP has publicly stated he is finally able to run a depoliticized police. Former IGP C.D. Wickramaratne said 183 police appointments were political patronage. The Opposition now lectures about an “independent” Police Commission; it was under them that the Commission was interfered with. Today, the Commission functions independently and transfers are effected accordingly.

¶ 11 Two key orders by the Defence Secretary address hard truths that some retired and even serving officers have been involved with crime: (1) All firearms issued on threat assessments must be surrendered and reissued only after a fresh assessment. We know arms were distributed from the level of Pradeshiya Sabha Members upwards. (2) All those who deserted the Army must be arrested. These are good decisions.

¶ 12 We do not politically interfere in independent institutions. They now act directly against narcotics and organized crime. It has been 17 years since Lasantha Wickrematunge’s murder—still no accountability; why? Political figures muddied evidence. Today, new crime waves are being successfully curbed under the current IGP with appropriate interventions. That is the change—no more political cover that kills evidence in cases like Lasantha, Thajudeen, and Eknaligoda.

¶ 13 Some try to magnify today’s incidents to recruit a few officers to their side. When crime surged under their watch, it was never a “national security” issue; today, every incident is. We are acting through an active, depoliticized Police Department to suppress these, without political interference. Thank you.