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- 18 November 2025 The Hon. R.M. Ranjith Madduma Bandara SJB AI summary R.M. Ranjith Madduma Bandara argued that the Government has weakened police independence by sidelining the National Police Commission and allowing the IGP and political actors to influence OIC appointments, transfers, promotions, and Civil Security Committees. He raised concerns over reported police shootings, drug control statistics, and alleged links between ruling party members and drug-related cases, calling for enforcement without political interference or media spectacles. He also criticised the Government’s handling of the Easter Sunday attack investigations, saying it had come to power promising accountability but had not delivered meaningful progress. Committee Stage Debate: Appropriation Bill 2026 - Defence and Public Security Expenditure Heads Read →
- 18 November 2025 The Hon. (Dr.) Sellaththamby Thilaganathan JJB AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Sellaththamby Thilaganathan defended the 2026 Budget allocations for the Defence and Public Security Ministries, rejecting allegations that security forces in the North are involved in drug trafficking or excessive checkpoint deployment. He said military camps and lands in parts of the Vanni had been released under the Government, and that naval personnel in Mullaitivu assist fishermen, prevent banned fishing methods, and help curb drug entry. He highlighted Government measures including arrests of drug traffickers, a planned rehabilitation centre in Oddusuddan, appointment of Tamil-speaking police officers, procurement of vehicles for Northern and Eastern police stations with Indian assistance, and Civil Security Department support for preschools. Committee Stage Debate: Appropriation Bill 2026 - Defence and Public Security Expenditure Heads Read →
- 18 November 2025 The Hon. Major General (Rtd.) Aruna Jayasekera JJB AI summary Maj. Gen. (Rtd.) Aruna Jayasekera denied allegations by Hon. G.G. Ponnambalam that the Tri-forces were involved in criminal activities in the North and East, asking for specific incidents and individuals so action could be taken, while stating that identified cases had already been addressed. He said the Tri-forces remain disciplined and committed to national security, including in those regions. He also acknowledged that some lands remain under military use for strategic and security reasons, but noted that figures on released lands had been tabled and that further releasable lands had been identified for release in coming months and by the following year. Committee Stage Debate: Appropriation Bill 2026 - Defence and Public Security Expenditure Heads Read →
- 18 November 2025 The Hon. G.G. Ponnambalam ACTC AI summary Hon. G.G. Ponnambalam argued that allegations of wartime abuses by the Sri Lankan military require a genuine international inquiry, stating that the State and military cannot credibly investigate themselves and that such a process is necessary to identify perpetrators and clear the names of others. He referred to reported travel bans on senior officers and their families and claimed that continued opposition to international accountability makes the current Government no different from previous administrations. He also alleged the JVP had helped mobilize support for the war and urged it, particularly in relation to the Defence and Public Security portfolios, to address these issues if it seeks to distance itself from past state conduct and build legitimacy among Tamil people. Committee Stage Debate: Appropriation Bill 2026 - Defence and Public Security Expenditure Heads Read →
- 18 November 2025 The Hon. G.G. Ponnambalam ACTC AI summary Hon. G.G. Ponnambalam argued that the Defence Ministry remains a central source of Tamil mistrust due to wartime abuses, continued militarisation in the North and East, and alleged links between security forces and the post-war drug trade. He cited high troop-to-civilian ratios, extensive military and naval presence on private land, and alleged police refusal to record complaints, urging the Government to stop denying these issues and address them with Tamil representatives’ cooperation. He also called for accountability for serious wartime crimes, which he characterized as genocide, arguing that credible investigations are necessary both for victims and for clearing those in the armed forces not implicated. Committee Stage Debate: Appropriation Bill 2026 - Defence and Public Security Expenditure Heads Read →
- 18 November 2025 The Hon. Major General (Rtd.) Aruna Jayasekera JJB AI summary Major General (Rtd.) Aruna Jayasekera addressed recent discussion about the Memorandum of Understanding signed on 14 November 2025 between the Ministry of Defence, the Montana National Guard, and the US Coast Guard. He stated that it was signed transparently with Cabinet approval and legal advice, and tabled the MoU for Members to examine. Committee Stage Debate: Appropriation Bill 2026 - Defence and Public Security Expenditure Heads Read →
- 18 November 2025 The Hon. Amirthanathan Adaikkalanathan DTNA AI summary Amirthanathan Adaikkalanathan welcomed some Budget measures but questioned the scale of Defence allocations, alleging that the military continues to occupy private lands in the North, use them for commercial activity, and operate businesses without transparent accounting. He urged the Government and President to release all civilian lands held by the forces, move a Mannar checkpoint to allow public development, reduce defence expenditure, and provide accounts for military-generated revenue. He welcomed more equal policing and anti-drug efforts but requested urgent repairs to the Mannar police station and action against online financial scams affecting rural people. He also called for repeal of the Prevention of Terrorism Act and cautioned against using archaeology or religious claims to create ethnic or religious tensions. Committee Stage Debate: Appropriation Bill 2026 - Defence and Public Security Expenditure Heads Read →
- 18 November 2025 The Hon. Mahinda Jayasinghe - Deputy Minister of Labour JJB AI summary Deputy Minister Mahinda Jayasinghe defended the Defence and Public Security Budget Heads, stating that the Government has strengthened national and public security, professionalized the Police, and continued a nationwide anti-drug operation without political interference. He rejected Opposition allegations on police appointments, narcotics, and political manipulation, contrasting them with past incidents he attributed to previous governments and asserting that all suspects, including those linked to the Government, are being dealt with under the law. He cited allocations for defence, police staffing figures, promotions since 2020, and planned recruitments as evidence of ongoing institutional support and reform. Committee Stage Debate: Appropriation Bill 2026 - Defence and Public Security Expenditure Heads Read →
- 18 November 2025 The Hon. Dilith Jayaweera SB AI summary Dilith Jayaweera criticized the Government over events at the Seethawaka Municipal Council, alleging political interference against an opposition councillor, and said this reflected a departure from promised democratic standards. In the Committee Stage debate on national security, he argued that the Government had weakened the armed forces and intelligence services, damaged morale and public trust in enlistment, and exposed the country to external pressure, including in relation to Geneva and accountability issues. He linked weakened intelligence to the Easter Sunday attacks and urged the Government to reassess its security policies, protect military personnel, and address what he described as imminent national security threats. Committee Stage Debate: Appropriation Bill 2026 - Defence and Public Security Expenditure Heads Read →
- 18 November 2025 The Hon. Namal Rajapaksa, Attorney-at-Law SLPP AI summary Hon. Namal Rajapaksa argued that national security must include public safety, energy security, food security, health services, and professional retention, citing shootings, power disruptions, agricultural imports, drug shortages, and emigration of professionals as areas of concern. He called for clearer government plans, stronger Navy and intelligence capabilities, and accountability over allegedly unchecked containers and narcotics-related incidents at the Port. He also accused the Government of politicizing anti-drug operations and applying detention orders selectively, while questioning contradictory official statements about an alleged “ice” factory in Nuwara Eliya. Committee Stage Debate: Appropriation Bill 2026 - Defence and Public Security Expenditure Heads Read →
- 18 November 2025 The Hon. Lieutenant Commander (Rtd.) Prageeth Madhuranga JJB AI summary Lieutenant Commander (Rtd.) Prageeth Madhuranga said the Government is expanding local and foreign training for service personnel, facilitating UN peacekeeping participation, and extending the 2026 Budget public service salary increases to the tri-forces. He rejected calls to reduce military presence in the North and East, citing 2025 military-supported community services such as assistance to religious sites, schools, housing, drinking water projects, medical equipment, and religious festivals. He argued that the tri-forces’ presence benefits local communities and stated that the Defence and Public Security Ministries have stabilized national security. Committee Stage Debate: Appropriation Bill 2026 - Defence and Public Security Expenditure Heads Read →
- 18 November 2025 The Hon. Lieutenant Commander (Rtd.) Prageeth Madhuranga JJB AI summary Hon. Prageeth Madhuranga defended the Government’s handling of security-related investigations and criticised the Opposition for its attacks on security officials and ministers. Speaking during the debate on the Budget Heads of the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs, he outlined the Defence Ministry’s mandate, its 25 institutions, and the 2026 allocations, including Rs. 455 billion overall and specific allocations for the Navy, Army and Air Force. He said the Government is strengthening surveillance and monitoring capacity to secure Sri Lanka’s large maritime zones and maintained that the armed forces are now deployed only for national and urgent needs, unlike under previous administrations. Committee Stage Debate: Appropriation Bill 2026 - Defence and Public Security Expenditure Heads Read →
- 18 November 2025 The Hon. Mujibur Rahuman SJB AI summary Mujibur Rahuman questioned the Government’s handling of the Easter Sunday attacks investigation, arguing that promised deadlines had passed without identifying the mastermind. He said State Minister of Defence Aruna Jayasekera had been Eastern Security Forces Commander during key related incidents in 2018 and 2019, and that officers under him, as well as Jayasekera himself, were now connected to ongoing inquiries. He maintained that Jayasekera remaining in office created a conflict of interest and repeated the Opposition’s demand that he step aside to allow an impartial investigation, while accusing the Government of shielding individuals linked to the matter. Committee Stage Debate: Appropriation Bill 2026 - Defence and Public Security Expenditure Heads Read →
- 18 November 2025 The Hon. Chathura Galappaththi SJB AI summary Hon. Chathura Galappaththi criticized the handling of the Trincomalee statue incident, arguing that protection should have been provided at the site rather than by removing the statue. He raised concerns over public security, citing 104 shootings, 55 deaths and 56 injuries under the current Government, and questioned the official response to the assassination of Weligama Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman Lasantha Wikramasekara, including the use of the “IRC-registered” label. He accused the IGP of failing to act on written threats against the Chairman and urged the National Police Commission to take disciplinary action, while also calling for disclosures on the Easter Sunday attacks. He further demanded that the Government table a report on the 323 containers, including those allegedly linked to drugs, and warned of possible links between arms, drugs and escalating violence. Committee Stage Debate: Appropriation Bill 2026 - Defence and Public Security Expenditure Heads Read →
- 18 November 2025 The Hon. Sunil Watagala, Attorney-at-Law - Deputy Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs JJB AI summary Many Opposition claims are unfounded, particularly regarding the Sambuddha Jayanthi Viharaya matter, which is before the Magistrate with a status quo order and concerns land boundaries, not religion. He said Police transfers fall under the IGP’s constitutional powers and the relevant Commission, with no political interference, and argued that the Government has worked to depoliticize the Police and Immigration and Emigration leadership. He stated that the current Police leadership has improved public trust and is targeting illegal arms and narcotics supply networks, including political links and foreign nodes, rather than only minor offenders. He also defended the 2025.10.27 circular on limiting improper public dissemination of operational material, saying it was lawfully issued to protect investigations. Committee Stage Debate: Appropriation Bill 2026 - Defence and Public Security Expenditure Heads Read →
- 18 November 2025 The Hon. Arjuna Sujeewa Senasinghe, Attorney-at-Law SJB AI summary Hon. Arjuna Sujeewa Senasinghe criticized the handling of the Trincomalee temple/statue dispute, arguing that the Police and relevant authorities should have acted through consultation and lawful procedures to prevent public disorder and communal tension. He alleged inconsistency and politicization in the Government’s approach to narcotics enforcement, CID and CIABOC investigations, and media communication, calling for impartial action rather than selective targeting of the Opposition. He also raised concerns over national security, military modernization, the impact of international resolutions on the armed forces, and several specific investigations and administrative actions, urging the Government to stop using law enforcement agencies as political tools. Committee Stage Debate: Appropriation Bill 2026 - Defence and Public Security Expenditure Heads Read →
- 18 November 2025 The Hon. Harshana Rajakaruna SJB AI summary Harshana Rajakaruna criticized the Government’s handling of the underworld and drug crisis, arguing that it had politicized the issue and should publicly name and prosecute any politicians alleged to be involved, with Opposition support for genuine action. He objected to alleged attempts to politicize the Police and weaken the Police Commission’s role in transfers, while calling for modernization of police and intelligence services. He also urged greater representation of women, Tamils and Muslims in the Police through positive measures, and said adequate security for all Members of Parliament was necessary to enable them to speak against crime and wrongdoing. Committee Stage Debate: Appropriation Bill 2026 - Defence and Public Security Expenditure Heads Read →
- 18 November 2025 The Hon. (Mrs.) A.M.M.M. Rathwaththe JJB AI summary Hon. Rathwaththe supported the Appropriation Bill expenditure heads for the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs, outlining the latter ministry’s mandate under Gazette No. 2412/08, including policing, immigration, drug control, NGO oversight, organized crime, and protection of women and children. She detailed measures for the Sri Lanka Police, including 4,447 promotions in 2025, planned recruitment, procurement of vehicles through Indian assistance, construction of 189 official quarters, increased uniform and footwear allowances, and expanded training. She also defended the Government’s “Rata Ma Ekaṭa” anti-narcotics operation and criticized the Opposition’s past and present responses to drug trafficking. Committee Stage Debate: Appropriation Bill 2026 - Defence and Public Security Expenditure Heads Read →
- 18 November 2025 The Hon. Rohitha Abeygunawardhana NDF AI summary Hon. Rohitha Abeygunawardhana raised concern over the removal of a Buddha statue in Trincomalee by Police, arguing that religious sites should be protected in place rather than having objects removed, and warned against actions that could create communal or religious tension. He cited rising shootings and killings in 2025, including a recent murder in Meetiyagoda and the killing of a Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman, and called for stronger public security for citizens and public representatives. He also urged improved welfare, facilities, sanitation, mental well-being and promotion procedures for Police officers, while questioning whether transfers of OICs and other officers were being politicized despite claims of non-interference. Committee Stage Debate: Appropriation Bill 2026 - Defence and Public Security Expenditure Heads Read →
- 18 November 2025 The Hon. Major General (Rtd.) Aruna Jayasekera - Deputy Minister of Defence JJB AI summary The Deputy Minister said national and public security had been assured over the past year, with recent incidents limited to clashes among organized criminal gangs, and argued that restored law and order had supported economic stability and tourism. He outlined the Defence Budget allocation of Rs. 455 billion across 25 institutions, including major allocations for the Tri-Forces, and said the Government had removed political interference from security institutions while maintaining regular National Security Council oversight. He emphasized a strategic shift toward maritime domain awareness, protection of the Exclusive Economic Zone, and operations against illegal fishing and drug trafficking. He rejected allegations against the Tri-Forces regarding drug trafficking and excessive presence in the North and East, citing narcotics seizures and tabling a residents’ letter requesting retention of an Army camp for local security. Committee Stage Debate: Appropriation Bill 2026 - Defence and Public Security Expenditure Heads Read →