r Ministry of Defence - Sri Lanka

Nobody would be allowed to take up arms – Defence Secretary

January 01, 2021
  •    No room for separatism and extremism
  •    No room to handle drug ring from overseas

Defence Secretary Gen. Kamal Gunaratne (Retd) said yesterday (Dec 31, 2020), there is no room for separatism and extremism during next year (2021) since we have taken steps to thwart such attempts.

Responding to a question from the media he also affirmed “Nobody would be allowed to take up arms” citing recent information disseminated in the society.

“Remand prisoners involved in large-scale drug ring were not released due to the prison's space constraints and the spread of coronavirus in prisons”, Gen. Gunaratne said, elaborating the situation in prisons.

The Defence Secretary underlining that “There is no room to handle drug ring from overseas” said “We had several rounds of discussions with the countries where mega level drug ringleaders live and have also issued 18 red notices through Interpol to nab such Sri Lankan notorious characters evading justice”.

The Defence Secretary also explained the plans afoot to arrest persons involved in mega drug deals from overseas during next year.  

“We conduct weekly discussions over the table about these issues including the underworld activities” he noted.

Operations to curb illegal drug ring in the island would be further strengthened during next year (2021), he also reiterated.

Further responding to alleged human rights violations likely to be raised yet again during the early quarter of new year, he recalled “These allegations have been levelled against our military since year 2009” and asserted “There were no such war crimes committed since we led a humanitarian operation”.