Quotes:
The CID was given full authority to do their investigations and the Government did not get involved or influence the CID and we did not use the CID for political revenge. The Government did promise the people that we would investigate those issues and that’s what we did
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The constitutional coup which happened in October resulted in the President and the Government not seeing eye-to-eye. So when it came to defence related issues, the Government was largely kept in the dark. The former President was the one who conducted the defence affairs
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I think we have to admit that there were lapses in our Government when it came to national security mainly because there was quite a lot of animosity between the former President and the Government at the time. I feel that was one of the main reasons there was such a disconnect when it came to very important subjects like national security during our time
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By Skandha Gunasekara
Former State Minister of Defence, United National Party (UNP) MP Ruwan Wijewardena said there were lapses in the United National Front (UNF) Government when it came to national security mainly due to animosity between former President Maithripala Sirisena and the Government at the time.
He noted that the Easter Sunday attacks could have been averted if proper protocols were followed. He also said the intelligence services in the country were divided until the attacks in April.
“Once the Easter bombings happened we made it a point to say that the intelligence services had to come together; there has to be a proper intelligence head who would take charge and disseminate the information,” Wijewardene said. However, he added that the UNF was prepared to work with the Government on issues related to national security.
Below are excerpts of his interview with The Sunday Morning:
Members of the former Government are being arrested by the current regime. Do you consider this political revenge?
Well, it definitely looks like it in the sense that there is a certain procedure they must follow when they arrest a Member of Parliament; but when you look at the way MP Patali Champika Ranawaka was arrested, there were at least six to seven police chiefs present during the arrest of one person. It looked like it was more of a political statement than an arrest which was made for genuine reasons. It definitely looked like political revenge or a political statement rather than a genuine arrest.
There has been allegations levelled that the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) was influenced by the UNF Government. How do you respond?
This is the usual allegation that is made but, from what I gathered, our Government didn’t get involved in the investigations. The investigations were carried out by the CID.
In 2015, when the UNF came into power, one thing that we promised was to take to task, people who were accused of corruption during the previous regime. So those investigations were going through, plus of course all the disappearances and abductions that happened and the CID was given full authority to do their investigations and the Government did not get involved or influence the CID, and we did not use the CID for political revenge. The Government did promise the people that we would investigate those issues and that’s what we did. We gave the CID the freedom to carry out investigations but we never got involved in them.
Looking back, what is one thing your Government could have done to prevent the Easter Sunday attacks?
Well, if the proper investigations were given and the proper channels of communications were followed, I think this could have definitely been averted.
Unfortunately, the constitutional coup which happened in October resulted in the President and the Government not seeing eye-to-eye. So when it came to defence related issues, the Government was largely kept in the dark. The former President was the one who conducted the defence affairs. But if the intelligence services got the information beforehand – if they had followed the usual protocol where the information flows to not only the higher up but to the Government as well, then I think we could have prevented it; at least to a certain extent prevented such a disaster happening on that particular day. But the information was kept from not only the Government but the various intelligence services as well. Most of the people were kept in the dark. If the proper protocol was followed, I think this could have been averted.
What new permanent security measures did your Government introduce after the bombings?
One thing we found was that intelligence services had to share the information that they had. During the previous years, most of the intelligence services seem to be quite suspicious of each other. They were very protective of their own information and their own informants. So what we did was, once the Easter bombings happened, we made it a point to say that the intelligence services had to come together; there has to be a proper intelligence head who would take charge and disseminate the information. What we needed was someone to properly analyse information that intelligence services get. What we saw at the time was that there was a lack of a specialist who could analyse the information that you get rather than just dishing the information out. So we formed that. From that point onwards, I think everyone came to the table and decided that there had to be a proper flow of information and we put a new Chief of National Intelligence (CNI) there to look at it and since then, there was far more structure in the defence department.
On national security issues, would the UNF look to work with the current Government?
Absolutely. We are willing to work on national security issues. We in the Opposition will always help the Government and are willing to work with them on that. I don’t think we should play politics when it comes to national security. If the Government is using the national security to suppress the rights of the civilians, then of course we will have to raise our voices, but if not, for the sake of national security of course we are willing to work with the Government.
Would you admit that your Government failed on national security?
Yes, I think we have to admit that there were lapses in our Government when it came to national security mainly because there was quite a lot of animosity between the former President and the Government at the time. I feel that was one of the main reasons there was such a disconnect when it came to very important subjects like national security during our time.
With elections due next year, do you see your party coming up with new policies to address national security related issues?
Yes. We have to do a proper overhaul of our policies. I think the Leader has now decided that we need to sit and put our heads together and see what the future of our party is and of course, what policies we will have to follow. I’m definitely willing to give at least the experiences that I had in the last four-and-a-half years and what I’ve learnt and I think I can definitely contribute to that.
Your Government lifted the ban on Diaspora groups and opened up negotiations. Do you see these groups as being a threat to the country?
I think we have to bring back the Diaspora to Sri Lanka and make sure that this country is open for all communities to live together. But there may be certain elements that are still harbouring certain extremist ideologies. One of the things I spoke about during the time I was in the Defence Ministry was that we need a proper broader force and that was also being worked on and I’m sure this Government will also take it forward. If we have the proper intelligence and the proper border control system, then we will be able to root out such elements from coming into the country.
Do you see these Diaspora groups working with the new Government?
I think certain groups will make it an excuse to start their activities again. I feel that certain LTTE sympathisers and LTTE groups in different countries are using this present Government as an excuse to start their activities again in those respective countries.
During the past four-and-a-half years, I think they had lost a lot of momentum and I think most of those groups were not moving forward but now, with Gotabaya Rajapaksa coming in as the President, I think it has kind of given them a bit of an injection. So certain groups I’m sure will go on to work with the current regime and certain groups will make sure that they can use this to prop themselves up again and continue their activities.
Do you see the new Government using national security as an excuse to curtail media freedom?
Unfortunately I do share that fear. I hope it doesn’t happen but just after the election, we saw some of the media offices – especially those on social media sites – being raided by the Police, so that sent some wrong signals and I hope it doesn’t continue. Unfortunately, I feel that they may use it to at least put pressure on the media.
The CID was given full authority to do their investigations and the Government did not get involved or influence the CID and we did not use the CID for political revenge. The Government did promise the people that we would investigate those issues and that’s what we did
-
The constitutional coup which happened in October resulted in the President and the Government not seeing eye-to-eye. So when it came to defence related issues, the Government was largely kept in the dark. The former President was the one who conducted the defence affairs
-
I think we have to admit that there were lapses in our Government when it came to national security mainly because there was quite a lot of animosity between the former President and the Government at the time. I feel that was one of the main reasons there was such a disconnect when it came to very important subjects like national security during our time
---------
By Skandha Gunasekara
Former State Minister of Defence, United National Party (UNP) MP Ruwan Wijewardena said there were lapses in the United National Front (UNF) Government when it came to national security mainly due to animosity between former President Maithripala Sirisena and the Government at the time.
He noted that the Easter Sunday attacks could have been averted if proper protocols were followed. He also said the intelligence services in the country were divided until the attacks in April.
“Once the Easter bombings happened we made it a point to say that the intelligence services had to come together; there has to be a proper intelligence head who would take charge and disseminate the information,” Wijewardene said. However, he added that the UNF was prepared to work with the Government on issues related to national security.
Below are excerpts of his interview with The Sunday Morning:
Members of the former Government are being arrested by the current regime. Do you consider this political revenge?
Well, it definitely looks like it in the sense that there is a certain procedure they must follow when they arrest a Member of Parliament; but when you look at the way MP Patali Champika Ranawaka was arrested, there were at least six to seven police chiefs present during the arrest of one person. It looked like it was more of a political statement than an arrest which was made for genuine reasons. It definitely looked like political revenge or a political statement rather than a genuine arrest.
There has been allegations levelled that the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) was influenced by the UNF Government. How do you respond?
This is the usual allegation that is made but, from what I gathered, our Government didn’t get involved in the investigations. The investigations were carried out by the CID.
In 2015, when the UNF came into power, one thing that we promised was to take to task, people who were accused of corruption during the previous regime. So those investigations were going through, plus of course all the disappearances and abductions that happened and the CID was given full authority to do their investigations and the Government did not get involved or influence the CID, and we did not use the CID for political revenge. The Government did promise the people that we would investigate those issues and that’s what we did. We gave the CID the freedom to carry out investigations but we never got involved in them.
Looking back, what is one thing your Government could have done to prevent the Easter Sunday attacks?
Well, if the proper investigations were given and the proper channels of communications were followed, I think this could have definitely been averted.
Unfortunately, the constitutional coup which happened in October resulted in the President and the Government not seeing eye-to-eye. So when it came to defence related issues, the Government was largely kept in the dark. The former President was the one who conducted the defence affairs. But if the intelligence services got the information beforehand – if they had followed the usual protocol where the information flows to not only the higher up but to the Government as well, then I think we could have prevented it; at least to a certain extent prevented such a disaster happening on that particular day. But the information was kept from not only the Government but the various intelligence services as well. Most of the people were kept in the dark. If the proper protocol was followed, I think this could have been averted.
What new permanent security measures did your Government introduce after the bombings?
One thing we found was that intelligence services had to share the information that they had. During the previous years, most of the intelligence services seem to be quite suspicious of each other. They were very protective of their own information and their own informants. So what we did was, once the Easter bombings happened, we made it a point to say that the intelligence services had to come together; there has to be a proper intelligence head who would take charge and disseminate the information. What we needed was someone to properly analyse information that intelligence services get. What we saw at the time was that there was a lack of a specialist who could analyse the information that you get rather than just dishing the information out. So we formed that. From that point onwards, I think everyone came to the table and decided that there had to be a proper flow of information and we put a new Chief of National Intelligence (CNI) there to look at it and since then, there was far more structure in the defence department.
On national security issues, would the UNF look to work with the current Government?
Absolutely. We are willing to work on national security issues. We in the Opposition will always help the Government and are willing to work with them on that. I don’t think we should play politics when it comes to national security. If the Government is using the national security to suppress the rights of the civilians, then of course we will have to raise our voices, but if not, for the sake of national security of course we are willing to work with the Government.
Would you admit that your Government failed on national security?
Yes, I think we have to admit that there were lapses in our Government when it came to national security mainly because there was quite a lot of animosity between the former President and the Government at the time. I feel that was one of the main reasons there was such a disconnect when it came to very important subjects like national security during our time.
With elections due next year, do you see your party coming up with new policies to address national security related issues?
Yes. We have to do a proper overhaul of our policies. I think the Leader has now decided that we need to sit and put our heads together and see what the future of our party is and of course, what policies we will have to follow. I’m definitely willing to give at least the experiences that I had in the last four-and-a-half years and what I’ve learnt and I think I can definitely contribute to that.
Your Government lifted the ban on Diaspora groups and opened up negotiations. Do you see these groups as being a threat to the country?
I think we have to bring back the Diaspora to Sri Lanka and make sure that this country is open for all communities to live together. But there may be certain elements that are still harbouring certain extremist ideologies. One of the things I spoke about during the time I was in the Defence Ministry was that we need a proper broader force and that was also being worked on and I’m sure this Government will also take it forward. If we have the proper intelligence and the proper border control system, then we will be able to root out such elements from coming into the country.
Do you see these Diaspora groups working with the new Government?
I think certain groups will make it an excuse to start their activities again. I feel that certain LTTE sympathisers and LTTE groups in different countries are using this present Government as an excuse to start their activities again in those respective countries.
During the past four-and-a-half years, I think they had lost a lot of momentum and I think most of those groups were not moving forward but now, with Gotabaya Rajapaksa coming in as the President, I think it has kind of given them a bit of an injection. So certain groups I’m sure will go on to work with the current regime and certain groups will make sure that they can use this to prop themselves up again and continue their activities.
Do you see the new Government using national security as an excuse to curtail media freedom?
Unfortunately I do share that fear. I hope it doesn’t happen but just after the election, we saw some of the media offices – especially those on social media sites – being raided by the Police, so that sent some wrong signals and I hope it doesn’t continue. Unfortunately, I feel that they may use it to at least put pressure on the media.