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Troop deployment: Govt. to continue the previous Govt.’s practice
View(s):A proclamation enabling the deployment of armed forces to maintain law and order will be issued every month, Public Order Minister John Amaratunga said yesterday.
He said such deployment would be done only when the necessity arose.
Mr. Amaratunga’s remarks came after questions were raised whether the new government would continue with the previous government’s practice of issuing gazette notification for the deployment of troops. Section 12 of the Public Security Ordinance says, “Where circumstances endangering the public security in any area have arisen or are imminent and the President is of the opinion that the police are inadequate to deal with such situation in that area, he may, by Order published in the Gazette, call out all or any of the members of the armed forces for the maintenance of public order in that area”.
On Thursday, Cabinet Spokesman Rajitha Senaratne, when questioned about the Gazette notification issued on February 2, said it was necessary because troops were to be deployed in view of the Independence Day celebrations. The Bar Association of Sri Lanka and civil society groups have demanded that the monthly gazette notificiation issued by the President be halted.
The Extraordinary Gazette notification says all armed forces personnel are called upon to maintain law and order in all 25 districts of the country.