President Ranil Wickremesinghe emphasized that, following the establishment of law and order in July 2022, the citizens will have the opportunity to vote for a new President on September 21, 2024 and that it is the responsibility of himself as the President, the Election Commission and the Police Department to support free and independent elections by maintaining law and order in the country.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe made this statement during the opening of the Special Operations Command of the Police Special Task Force in Sri Jayawardanepura, on Tuesday (13) afternoon.

This command centre will act as the primary hub for managing public order and motorcycle patrols. The Director of Special Operations will oversee the operational command of the specialized units within the Special Task Force, reporting directly to the Special Task Force Commander through the Deputy Operations Commander.

The specialized teams at this centre will handle emergencies such as terrorist attacks, violent extremism, public protests, hostage situations, and other similar crises.

The President further stated,

‘The opening of this Special Operations Centre today marks a significant milestone for the Special Task Force. Originally deployed to Batticaloa to combat LTTE terrorism, this team has evolved into a key force for maintaining law and order in Sri Lanka and has gained international recognition. The world today is different from the past and will continue to change in the future. By 2030, our country’s security must be updated and modernized to keep pace. Increasingly, technology plays a crucial role in every sector, and we need to leverage it more in our security measures.

Today, the line between ordinary crimes and special crimes has blurred. What were once isolated criminal acts have evolved into organized conflicts. Drug trafficking, for instance, has become a battleground among competing groups. As a result, we need to re-evaluate and update our strategies for combating these illegal activities.

Today, individuals involved in the underworld can exploit new technology, necessitating the introduction of specific laws to control them. I propose establishing a new agency under the Anti-Narcotics Act, which would consolidate all police, military, and civil agencies into a single entity with designated powers. This agency could be tasked with long-term engagement in combating drug-related activities. It is crucial that drug dealers are prevented from undermining society.

Ensuring that citizens live under law and order is fundamental to protecting their basic rights, and we aim to protect this principle in the law.

Additionally, a significant task lies ahead next month with the Presidential Election scheduled for September 21. It is the responsibility of the Police Department to maintain law and order and to facilitate the election process in a lawful manner. This duty extends not only to me as President but also to the Election Commission and the Police Department.

Furthermore, violence often occurs after elections, and we must prevent it. There must be no violence following this election, and we need to focus on this issue carefully.

We are able to hold this election today because law and order have been maintained in the country and our constitution has been upheld. A new government will be appointed in accordance with the constitution.

Since 1931, Sri Lanka has consistently upheld universal suffrage and democracy, making it unique in this regard. While there have been other allegations of human rights violations, Sri Lanka is the only country that has maintained this democratic system. It is crucial to protect and preserve this system; it must never be compromised. Despite political disagreements, the system allows for the peaceful transition of power, with parties accepting election results and changing governments accordingly.

However, two years ago, the government of this country collapsed. Protesters attempted to seize the Presidential Secretariat, the Presidential Palace, and Temple Trees, set fire to the Prime Minister’s private residence, occupied the Prime Minister’s Office, and took control of Parliament.

However, due to the efforts of our armed forces and other law enforcement agencies, we were able to prevent the loss of Parliament that day. After taking over the government, I implemented the necessary steps to stabilize the economy and avert bankruptcy. As a result, we are able to hold an election today, which is something we can be proud of. But we must consider what could have happened if we hadn’t taken those steps to uphold law and order.

The election today is possible because of the decisive actions we took then. In contrast, the government of Bangladesh has been ousted, and no one is willing to take over. Members of Parliament are being killed, and key figures like the Defence Secretary, Chief Justice, and Central Bank Governor has been forced to flee. Hotels have been set on fire and destroyed, and the situation in that country remains far from normal.

But we were spared from such a situation because of the actions taken by you, the security forces of our country. Now, on September 21, the people of this country have the opportunity to vote for the candidate of their choice.

We have consistently maintained law and order in the country. I extend my best wishes to my friend Mr. Muhammad Yunus and hope that law and order will soon be restored in Bangladesh. It must never be neglected.

Democracy and the existence of a legitimate government are fundamental rights in this country. If a government is duly elected, it must be protected. I learned this in 1970 when the United National Party was in opposition. During the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna rebellion, Mr. J.R. Jayawardene, who was the Leader of the Opposition, said, “We may not like this government, and it should be replaced, but it must be done within a democratic framework. This rebellion is a threat to democracy, so I fully support Mr. Bandaranaike’s government. It may not be the government I prefer, but it is the government chosen by the people.” Since then, we have upheld this principle.

In 1989, the Leader of the Opposition, Mrs. Sirimavo Bandaranaike, along with Mr. Anuruddha Ratwatte, met with President Premadasa and declared, “We give you our full support.” That is part of our history.

Because you restored law and order in July 2022, the people of this country now have the opportunity to vote for a President on September 21, 2024. I thank you all for making this possible.”