Armed forces committed to ensuring national security, development: Defence Secy.

Defence Secretary General Kamal Gunaratne

Defence Secretary General Kamal Gunaratne yesterday reiterated that the armed forces had played a vital role in ensuring national security, nation-building and the development process over the past two years.

The Defence Secretary expressed these views while speaking at a briefing organised by the Presidential Media Centre on the activities of the three armed forces over the past two years. President’s Media Spokesman Kingsly Rathnayaka moderated the briefing.

Gunaratne said the country’s national security had been ensured and that there was no room for separatism, and also added that no Sri Lankan should have any undue fear. He also said that the State intelligence service and other intelligence services were being operated as a strong single network today.

“The freedom that war heroes made available in the country by sacrificing their lives, and the national security of the country, was turned upside down following the Easter Sunday attacks,” he pointed out. The Secretary of Defence said that the investigations had not been carried out properly during the previous Government’s tenure and said that all necessary assistance would be provided to the judiciary in order to bring justice to the innocent families affected by the attacks.

Responding to a question on whether the country was being militarised, Gunaratne said a few retired army officers holding Government posts was not a sign of militarisation and countered, asking whether it would be wrong for a retired military officer to use his years of knowledge and experience to serve the country and the people.

He said that it was the responsibility of the armed forces to ensure the national security of the country as well as to take the necessary steps to build the nation. The Defence Secretary pointed out that the Army, Navy and Air Force were playing a major role in this regard.

Explaining the role of the Army in the development of the country during the past two years, Army Headquarters Media Director Brigadier Nilantha Premaratne said that the Army had contributed to the development of the country using its maximum capacity.

“At the same time, the Army has made a significant contribution to the COVID-19 control program,” he added. Premaratne said that the Army was making an immense contribution in maintaining treatment centres and quarantine centres, as well as intermediate treatment centres, under the guidance of the Army Commander. The Army was also instrumental in developing the infrastructure facilities to meet the needs of the people, he noted.

Navy Headquarters Media Director Captain Indika De Silva said that the Navy also has a great role to play as the Navy of an island nation.

De Silva said that the Navy had seized more than Rs. 35 billion worth of illicit drugs in the last two years alone and that, as the nation’s foremost defence line, it had done a great service to the country and the future of its youth.

“At the same time, the Civil Engineering Division of the Navy has been providing an extensive contribution to the construction sector. The Navy is also committed to upholding the welfare of the people and has implemented several projects to provide clean drinking water facilities to the people,” he said. 

De Silva said that the Navy was working to ensure the safety of the Coastal Ecological Zone as well as to conserve mangroves. He added that the Navy was actively involved in controlling the COVID-19 virus spread, as well as the management of the vaccination drive of the country.

Air Force Media Director Group Captain Dushan Wijesinghe also expressed his views. “With the spread of COVID-19, the Air Force was committed to cleaning and disinfecting operations, as well as contributing to launch environmental conservation projects, including aerial seeding for protected areas in order to increase the forest cover of Sri Lanka as mentioned in the ‘Vistas of Prosperity and Splendour’ policy statement,” he said. He further said that the Air Force was also actively contributing to a joint project with the Sri Lanka Police to reduce urban traffic congestion.