The Hon. Ananda Wijepala - Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs

¶ 01 [11.54 a.m.]

¶ 02 Hon. Deputy Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity to speak during the Debate on the motion by Hon. Darmapriya Wijesinghe to launch the “Nation Together” national operation to eradicate drugs.

¶ 03 Drug abuse has become a pervasive national scourge affecting all strata of society, including within the Police and Armed Forces, as well as among school and university students. We have also recently uncovered domestic production. Therefore, the Cabinet, under the leadership of the President, has established a National Council including all religious leaders, and aligned the education, health, and rehabilitation sectors in a coordinated structure. The national launch will be on the 30th at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium. With the participation of Public Security Committees, the Police, the Tri-Forces, public officers, and local government and provincial officers, we have activated district and local operational mechanisms.

¶ 04 This operation functions at four levels: the National Council; District Operations; Local Operations; and approximately 14,000 Public Security Committees at grassroots level. A strategic plan has been drawn to eradicate drugs from the country.

¶ 05 Organized crime and drugs are two sides of the same coin; past governments nurtured these linkages. From “Gonawela Sunil,” who was recommended as a Peace Judge with island-wide effect by Ranil Wickremesinghe when he was MP for Biyagama; to “Beddagana Sanjeewa,” who served in a President’s security detail and later became linked to the underworld and drugs; to “Soththi Upali,” whose political patrons are widely known—these connections are known to the public. While I do not say every current politician is linked, some relationships existed.

¶ 06 Regarding yesterday’s incident in Weligama, I said then and repeat now: we value every life equally. I immediately directed the IGP and Senior DIG (CID) to activate the law and deploy four police teams. Substantial information has been obtained; within a few days, all those involved will be arrested. Whether they are underworld or otherwise is irrelevant; every life is valuable and we will protect lives. Some may be afraid or agitated; we are committed to building a law-abiding society.

¶ 07 Police promotions are handled through the National Police Commission, not on ministerial lists. Enforcing the law against bribery, corruption, and financial misconduct will cause some to panic; we will not relent. We will eradicate drug menace and underworld activities with a sound plan.

¶ 08 In 2025 alone, 1,947 illegal firearms linked to underworld and drug networks have been seized. Weapons had circulated even from certain camps; of 78 T-56 rifles that reached the underworld in the past, about 36–37 have been recovered. Such was the condition we inherited; we are rebuilding methodically.

¶ 09 We have also substantially curtailed the supply chain—seizing large quantities, including ship-borne consignments—thanks to the Navy, STF, and Police. We are proceeding against illicit assets and have established investigative units. On the demand side, we will conduct awareness through schools, universities, local authorities, divisional secretariats, state and non-state institutions, and religious bodies. Public Security Committees at village level, and divisional and district committees, are in place. Under the NDDCB, there are 48 rehabilitation centres; we plan to establish 25 more—one in every district—including recruitment of counsellors, and conduct 6,250 awareness programmes this year. Budget 2026 will allocate substantial resources. We appeal for voluntary rehabilitation; punishment alone will not solve this.

¶ 10 Our pledge is a law-abiding society and the rule of law. Thank you.