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Public Security Minister tells police not to drop their guard against possible revival of Islamic terrorists
By Saman Indrajith and Norman Palihawadane
Public Security Minister Rear Admiral (retd) Sarath Weerasekera has called on police to be vigilant of possible revival of Islamic terrorists, while attending to COVID-19 prevention operations.
Addressing a meeting of senior DIGs and DIGs via zoom on Thursday, the Minister insisted that the police should not let their guard down just because they have been asked to attend the COVID-19 prevention operations.
“The police have to be extra vigilant of possible Islamic terrorist groups to ensure internal security in the country. We know that the police rendered a valuable service in getting rid of the LTTE that had been a major threat to the internal security. However, the scenario is now different because we no longer fight with an easily identifiable enemy. ISIS is an ideology and it is not an easy task to identify the persons who have been indoctrinated. Only the common sign of such people is that they become isolated from others first but later walk on the path from extremism to terrorism. This could be countered but we need the utmost vigilance of the policemen to fight against this latest threat,” the Minister said.
The Minister thanked the policemen who rendered a dedicated service in the government’s battle against the pandemic. “As per the records, 11,700 police personnel got infected by the virus while discharging their duties and 28 of them died. While fighting against the virus, the police continued to carry out raids and their fight against the underworld without letting the latter to raise its head again. We have two special investigation teams under the supervision of senior DIG crimes. One of them is attending to the affairs pertaining to the underworld activities and the other is working against the drug menace. Both teams have shown impressive achievements. I thank the IGP and all policemen for their services to maintain law and order while struggling against the pandemic, the Minister said.
The retired Navy Chief of Staff also said that he would submit a special Cabinet paper to continue to pay the salaries of police personnel who died from the coronavirus pandemic to their family members till those officers reached their retirement age.
Also present at the meeting were IGP Chandana Wickramaratne and Secretary to the Ministry Maj. Gen. Jagath Alwis.
BBC reported that thousands of people are being evacuated downstream of a major dam which has been blown up in Russian-held Ukraine.
President Zelensky said 80 towns and villages were at risk of flooding after the destruction of the dam at Nova Kakhovka, which he blamed on Russia. Water is surging down the Dnipro river and is said to pose a catastrophic flooding risk to the city of Kherson.
Russia has denied destroying the dam – which it controls – instead blaming Ukrainian shelling. Neither Ukraine or Russia’s claim has been verified by the BBC.
The Kakhovka dam is crucial in the region. It contains a reservoir, which provides water to farmers and residents, as well as to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. It is also is a vital channel carrying water south to Russian-occupied Crimea.
Video footage shows a torrent of floodwater gushing through a breach in the dam. Several towns are already flooded, while people in areas further downstream were forced to flee by bus and train.
Around 40,000 people need to be evacuated, Deputy Prosecutor-General Viktoriya Lytvynova said on Ukrainian television – 17,000 people in Ukraine-controlled territory west of the Dnipro River and 25,000 on the Russian-controlled east.
Chief of Staff to the President and National Security Advisor (NSA) Sagala Ratnayaka led the Sri Lanka delegation to the 20th IISS Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia’s premier Security Summit held in Singapore from 2 – 4 June 2023.
The highly anticipated summit commenced on 2 June with a powerful Keynote address delivered by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Throughout the event, a series of plenary sessions delved into various crucial geo-political issues, encompassing the establishment of a stable and balanced Asia Pacific, the resolution of regional tensions, the evolution of maritime security in Asia, US leadership in the Indo-Pacific, and China’s latest security initiatives, among other topics.
During the Special Session focusing on ‘Defence Cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region,’ Ratnayaka delivered an impactful statement, participating alongside representatives from India, Oman, France, and the United States. He emphasized the significance of keeping big power rivalries and external conflicts out of the Indian Ocean, highlighting Sri Lanka’s efforts in the United Nations to declare the region as a zone of peace. Furthermore, he underscored the country’s contributions to preserving freedom of navigation and over flight, stressing the crucial need for constructive dialogue among all stakeholders in the Indian Ocean region to pursue shared interests.
The Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal raised by the Minister of Health to reduce the maximum retail price of 60 medicines by 16% with effect from 15.06.2023 and review the price of medicines every three months
Thousands flee floods after dam collapse near Nova Kakhovka
Sagala Ratnayaka leads Sri Lanka delegation to 20th IISS Shangri-La Dialogue
Prices of sixty essential drugs to be reduced from 15th June
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