Topic
Security & Defence
869 speeches · 214 speakers
Party share
By the speaker's party · counts only, no scoring. "Unattributed" = speeches not resolved to an MP.
Most active on this topic
| # | Member | Speeches |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hon. Major General (Rtd.) Aruna Jayasekera, M.P. JJB | 77 |
| 2 | Hon. Ananda Wijepala, M.P. JJB | 65 |
| 3 | Hon. Sajith Premadasa, M.P. SJB | 39 |
| 4 | Hon. (Dr.) Nalinda Jayatissa, M.P. JJB | 23 |
| 5 | Hon. Bimal Rathnayake, M.P. JJB | 18 |
| 6 | Hon. Ravi Karunanayake, M.P. NDF | 18 |
| 7 | Hon. Dayasiri Jayasekara, Attorney at Law, M.P. SJB | 17 |
| 8 | Hon. Mujibur Rahman, M.P. SJB | 16 |
| 9 | Hon. Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam, M.P. ITAK | 16 |
| 10 | Hon. G.G. Ponnambalam, M.P. ACTC | 15 |
Speeches
869 on this topic- 19 December 2025 The Hon. Mujibur Rahuman SJB AI summary Mujibur Rahuman argued that the Government had advance warnings from the Meteorological Department and related agencies about the developing depression and possible cyclone, including advisories issued between 11 and 23 November, but failed to take timely action. He questioned what decisions were made at disaster-management meetings, whether the President as the responsible Minister was informed, and why a Defence Secretary circular dated 28 November declared a disaster situation effective from 21 November. He also challenged the Government’s response to reported Indian Meteorological Department alerts and said proposed amendments to disaster laws should have been pursued earlier. He called for a Special Parliamentary Committee to identify lapses and responsible officials to prevent recurrence and ensure accountability to affected people. Debate: Supplementary Estimate – Head 240 – Programme 02 – Cyclone Disaster Relief (Rs. 500 Billion) Read →
- 19 December 2025 The Hon. Major General (Rtd.) Aruna Jayasekera - Deputy Minister of Defence JJB AI summary Foreign disaster relief supplies are being managed through a formal system by the National Disaster Relief Services Centre and the Ministry of Defence, with storage at warehouses in Orugodawatta. The Deputy Minister said items are transported from the airport to the warehouse and then distributed to beneficiaries through Grama Niladharis, and offered to provide details or facilitate a visit to the warehouses in response to concerns raised by Hon. Hector Appuhamy. Debate: Supplementary Estimate – Head 240 – Programme 02 – Cyclone Disaster Relief (Rs. 500 Billion) Read →
- 19 December 2025 The Hon. Ananda Wijepala – Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs AI summary Minister Ananda Wijepala defended the Government’s disaster response, stating that warnings, evacuations, rescue operations, circulars, and funding were initiated promptly, and rejected Opposition claims that action was delayed. He outlined ongoing relief measures, including restoration of public infrastructure, assessment of damaged homes, Rs. 25,000 cleaning grants, Rs. 50,000 household equipment payments, crop and livelihood compensation mechanisms, and concessional loans for affected businesses. He said relief centres would be closed as quickly as possible, with relocation or resettlement for those unable to return safely, and paid tribute to security forces, public officers, and others who died or served during the disaster response. Debate: Supplementary Estimate – Head 240 – Programme 02 – Cyclone Disaster Relief (Rs. 500 Billion) Read →
- 19 December 2025 The Hon. (Dr.) Pathmanathan Sathiyalingam ITAK AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Pathmanathan Sathiyalingam expressed condolences for disaster victims and argued that Sri Lanka’s disaster governance has failed to function as required under the Disaster Management Act No. 13 of 2005, particularly because the National Council for Disaster Management has not met quarterly as mandated. He said weaknesses in mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery—such as inadequate planning, lack of drills, staff shortages at the Disaster Management Centre, and insufficient divisional officers—have worsened recurring disaster impacts. He welcomed proposals to amend the 2005 Act but urged a policy of relocating repeatedly affected communities, including in Vavuniya, Mullaitivu and Mannar, to safer areas rather than resettling them in unsafe locations. Debate: Supplementary Estimate – Head 240 – Programme 02 – Cyclone Disaster Relief (Rs. 500 Billion) Read →
- 19 December 2025 The Hon. Thanura Dissanayake JJB AI summary Hon. Thanura Dissanayake expressed condolences to victims of the natural disaster and praised public servants, the Armed Forces, volunteers, and affected communities for emergency response efforts, including in the Central Province where access, communications, power, and water systems were severely disrupted. He defended the parliamentary scheduling of the debate, citing staff needs, and criticized Opposition conduct during visits to affected areas, saying some members did not reflect ground realities and politicized relief efforts. He said the Government would use existing fiscal space, including an additional Rs. 500 billion and 2026 Budget allocations, to restore livelihoods and infrastructure without extra borrowing or disrupting fiscal plans. Debate: Supplementary Estimate – Head 240 – Programme 02 – Cyclone Disaster Relief (Rs. 500 Billion) Read →
- 19 December 2025 The Hon. R.M. Ranjith Madduma Bandara SJB AI summary R.M. Ranjith Madduma Bandara said the Opposition would support the Rs. 500 billion Supplementary Estimate due to the scale of loss, but criticized the Government’s disaster preparedness and response, alleging that warnings from meteorological and irrigation authorities were not acted on in time. He argued that the concentration of Disaster Management and other ministries under the President weakened accountability, questioned delays in declaring an emergency and issuing relief instructions, and said assistance so far had been inadequate and inconsistent. He also claimed that previous disaster insurance arrangements had been abandoned, increasing reliance on public funds, and urged the Government to prevent political interference in relief distribution and to use proper mechanisms under the Disaster Management Act. Debate: Supplementary Estimate – Head 240 – Programme 02 – Cyclone Disaster Relief (Rs. 500 Billion) Read →
- 18 December 2025 The Hon. Major General (Rtd.) Aruna Jayasekera - Deputy Minister of Defence JJB AI summary The Deputy Minister of Defence outlined the State’s disaster response under the Sri Lanka Disaster Management Act and the National Disaster Management Strategic Plan, stating that the President convened the National Disaster Management Council on the 27th and directed coordinated action by the Tri-Forces, Police, Civil Security Department, ministries and district authorities. He reported large-scale deployments by the Army, Navy and Air Force for rescue and relief operations, and cited earlier preparedness measures including tsunami early-warning drills and public briefings on safe centres and emergency routes. He argued that repeated disasters show the need to restore natural defences and enforce environmental protections more effectively, and acknowledged support from Sri Lankans overseas, India, Pakistan, and international partners. Adjournment Debate: Current Situation of the Country After Disaster Caused by Cyclone Ditwah Read →
- 18 December 2025 The Hon. Upali Samarasingha - Deputy Minister of Co-operative Development JJB AI summary The Deputy Minister described the recent disaster response in the Northern districts, emphasizing inter-communal cooperation among Sinhala, Tamil, and Muslim communities and support from religious leaders, workers, prisoners, businesses, and citizens from other regions. He reported that in Vavuniya, Mullaitivu, and Mannar, officials, security forces, and villagers evacuated residents, cleared roads, managed reservoirs, and rescued about 665 people stranded on rooftops. He highlighted severe losses in Mannar, including around 22,000 acres of damaged paddy and more than 10,000 dead cattle, and said District Disaster Management Committees and central and provincial agencies were coordinating relief, rehabilitation, and future preparedness. Adjournment Debate: Current Situation of the Country After Disaster Caused by Cyclone Ditwah Read →
- 18 December 2025 The Hon. M.S. Uthumalebbe SLMC AI summary Hon. M.S. Uthumalebbe described the impact of the recent cyclone and floods, citing deaths, missing persons, housing damage and severe effects in parts of Kandy District, and noted volunteer and local authority assistance mobilized from the Eastern Province. He urged comprehensive disaster preparedness, including permanent safe resettlement lands for vulnerable hill-country communities, and said delayed relief payments of Rs. 25,000 and Rs. 50,000 had been raised with the President. He also called for implementation of standing disaster response plans and priority irrigation and drainage works in the Eastern Province, including repairs and schemes related to Mavil Aru, Senanayake Samudraya, Sammanturai–Periyakalappu and Kalmunai–Karavakulam, to reduce recurring flood damage to residents, lands and fishermen. Adjournment Debate: Current Situation of the Country After Disaster Caused by Cyclone Ditwah Read →
- 18 December 2025 The Hon. (Dr.) Susil Ranasinghe - Minister of Housing, Construction and Water Supply JJB AI summary The Minister reported extensive disruption to water services following Cyclone “Dicha”, with 156 National Water Supply and Drainage Board treatment plants and 622 community water schemes affected, leaving about 600,000 connections without supply. He said most systems were stabilized within five to seven days through coordinated work by water sector staff, other agencies, the armed forces, volunteers, and local communities, including emergency bowser supply to major hospitals. He cited preliminary damage estimates of Rs. 5.6 billion for NWSDB infrastructure and Rs. 600 million for community schemes, and stated that short-, medium-, and long-term resilience programmes would follow immediate restoration efforts. Adjournment Debate: Current Situation of the Country After Disaster Caused by Cyclone Ditwah Read →
- 18 December 2025 The Hon. Eranga Weeraratne - Deputy Minister of Digital Economy JJB AI summary Eranga Weeraratne outlined the islandwide communications disruption caused by floods, landslides and fibre cuts during the disaster, noting that telecom tower outages fell from about 4,500 to full restoration through operator and military support. He said the Ministry, TRC and operators are reviewing stronger redundancy measures, including satellite backup, inter-operator “camp-on” roaming, and improved tower power resilience. He also reported the launch of a digital Flood Support System handling over 6,000 cases, Starlink and free telecom packages for relief and users, and the Rebuilding Sri Lanka Fund, which had received over Rs. 4 billion through official channels. Adjournment Debate: Current Situation of the Country After Disaster Caused by Cyclone Ditwah Read →
- 18 December 2025 The Hon. (Dr.) Dammika Patabendi - Minister of Environment JJB AI summary The Minister described the regional impact of the “Dicha” cyclone and stated that Sri Lanka had comparatively reduced fatalities, established shelters quickly, and restored normalcy in a short period. He linked such disasters to environmental degradation and reported damage to ecosystems, protected wildlife, endemic freshwater fish, national parks, and botanical gardens. He said assessments are underway and that a special committee was appointed on 11 December to evaluate ecosystem damage and guide restoration measures. Adjournment Debate: Current Situation of the Country After Disaster Caused by Cyclone Ditwah Read →
- 18 December 2025 The Hon. K.V. Samantha Viddyarathna - Minister of Plantation and Community Infrastructure JJB AI summary The Minister said the Government had managed the “Dicha” cyclone disaster while also dealing with the economic crisis, citing 1,702,719 affected people, 643 deaths, and 183 missing persons. He detailed restoration work in Badulla and surrounding areas, including drinking water, electricity, hospitals, roads, bridges, railways, and irrigation infrastructure, and thanked public officials, local authorities, defence forces, Indian assistance teams, and volunteers. He said Rs. 25,000 house-cleaning payments had been made to 257,479 families and Rs. 1,535 million in crop compensation to 26,072 farmers, while arguing that the State response had largely stabilized essential services and community life within 22 days. Adjournment Debate: Current Situation of the Country After Disaster Caused by Cyclone Ditwah Read →
- 18 December 2025 The Hon. Sunil Handunnetti JJB AI summary Hon. Sunil Handunnetti praised President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s leadership during the disaster response, saying his direct coordination with officials and local representatives helped mobilize the state and the public under the “Rebuilding Sri Lanka” effort. He commended the Disaster Management Centre, Defence Secretary, ministry officials, District and Divisional Secretaries, Grama Niladharis, and volunteers, noting that many worked despite personal losses and heavy pressure. He argued that the response showed strong national unity and voluntary public service, and expressed confidence that Sri Lanka could move quickly from relief to recovery. Adjournment Debate: Current Situation of the Country After Disaster Caused by Cyclone Ditwah Read →
- 18 December 2025 The Hon. Vijitha Herath – Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism AI summary The Minister said the Government declared a state of emergency under the Public Security Ordinance after the disaster worsened, mobilized the Tri-Forces and Police, and coordinated international assistance for rescue and relief, including support from India, Pakistan, UN agencies, financial institutions, civil society, and Sri Lankans overseas. He outlined mechanisms for receiving funds and in-kind donations, including authorized Finance Ministry accounts and a bonded warehouse system at the airport to route supplies through the Disaster Management Centre to local officials. He stated that tourism had remained resilient, with no tourist deaths and about 2.2 million arrivals year to date, and rejected claims of imminent economic collapse or LPG shortages, saying a new supplier had been contracted and the first vessel was expected early next month. Adjournment Debate: Current Situation of the Country After Disaster Caused by Cyclone Ditwah Read →
- 18 December 2025 The Hon. Arun Hemachandra – Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Employment AI summary Deputy Minister Arun Hemachandra thanked foreign governments, organizations and humanitarian partners for emergency relief, technical support and financial assistance after Cyclone Ditwah, stating that aid was coordinated through government mechanisms and respected Sri Lanka’s sovereignty. Reporting on Trincomalee, he said district disaster preparedness meetings, drainage investments and daily coordination among officials, security forces and agencies helped limit damage and avoid deaths, despite evacuations including the airlifting of about 260 people. He said 80 relief camps housed 26,694 people, and that payments of the Rs. 25,000 home-cleaning grant had been completed for 13,956 of 15,943 eligible families, with a decision to include public officers and persons abroad after initial circular-related delays. Adjournment Debate: Current Situation of the Country After Disaster Caused by Cyclone Ditwah Read →
- 18 December 2025 The Hon. Anton Jayakody - Deputy Minister of Environment JJB AI summary Deputy Minister Anton Jayakody attributed the recent floods and landslides to intensified rainfall linked to climate change, noting that infrastructure and slope-stability designs based on lower historic rainfall levels are no longer adequate for 400–600 mm short-duration events. He cited major landslide fatalities in past years and described severe flooding in river basins including Ma Oya, Deduru Oya and Malwathu Oya, while rejecting claims that Kotmale Reservoir spill gates were mismanaged and stating that decisions were made technically by engineers. He said around 95,000 families in Puttalam District were affected, outlined rescue and relief coordination involving district officials, Police, Navy, Army and helicopters, and thanked state agencies, public servants, businesses and citizens for their assistance. Adjournment Debate: Current Situation of the Country After Disaster Caused by Cyclone Ditwah Read →
- 18 December 2025 The Hon. Chamara Sampath Dasanayake NDF AI summary Chamara Sampath Dasanayake said disaster damage in Badulla, including blocked roads, damaged houses, and the Uma Oya anicut, far exceeds the Government’s proposed Rs. 500 billion allocation and called for urgent reconstruction and non-politicized relief distribution. He alleged that unofficial party-linked actors were interfering with Grama Niladharis in processing Rs. 25,000 grants, and urged the Government to treat all affected people equally. He also asked that deductions from soldiers’ wages for disaster contributions be stopped and that they instead be rewarded for relief work. Separately, he warned of a possible Litro LPG shortage if imports shift from the existing Oman supplier to a Swiss company, criticized the exchange rate increase, and cautioned against changes affecting Samurdhi Banks. Adjournment Debate: Current Situation of the Country After Disaster Caused by Cyclone Ditwah Read →
- 18 December 2025 The Hon. Sivagnanam Shritharan ITAK AI summary Hon. Sivagnanam Shritharan said the recent disaster exposed failures in environmental preparedness and weaknesses in Sri Lanka’s disaster-response capacity, noting that foreign forces had to assist and that affected communities in the North and East, including island areas such as Neduntheevu, Eluvaithivu, Nainativu and Analaitivu, require greater priority in relief, transport and communications. He alleged unequal treatment, obstruction of officials, and lawlessness by government-affiliated persons during relief efforts. He also criticised the Presidential Secretariat circular on the “Prajashakthi” poverty alleviation programme, arguing that it sidelines elected MPs and local government representatives by empowering presidentially appointed structures and Divisional Coordination Committee Chairs, and urged the Government to respect elected bodies, act democratically, and ensure just cooperation in disaster recovery. Adjournment Debate: Current Situation of the Country After Disaster Caused by Cyclone Ditwah Read →
- 18 December 2025 The Hon. (Dr.) Prasanna Gunasena - Deputy Minister of Transport and Highways JJB AI summary Deputy Minister Prasanna Gunasena outlined extensive cyclone damage to Sri Lanka’s road and rail networks, estimating A and B road rehabilitation at about Rs. 69 billion and overall road-related rebuilding needs at up to Rs. 190 billion if improved standards and safety measures are included. He detailed the status of reopened roads in Kandy, Matale, and Nuwara Eliya, and gave timelines for restoring key railway lines, including Trincomalee, Northern, Puttalam, Batticaloa, Talaimannar, and sections serving Badulla and Matale. He stated that the Ministry had prepared plans, estimates, and schedules, and emphasized reliance on coordinated state officials, volunteers, and political leadership to continue recovery while maintaining 2026–2027 development plans. Adjournment Debate: Current Situation of the Country After Disaster Caused by Cyclone Ditwah Read →