Sri Lanka’s all intelligence services will be empowered and strengthened to safeguard national security meeting any type of threat whether it is national or international.
In today’s world context, national security and peace have become more concerned with the emergence of terrorism and non-traditional security threats.
The need for security and institutionalisation of that in national strategy are becoming a prime concern for nations in the 21st century international system.
The government has given the green light to draft the ‘National Intelligence Act’ (NIA) to regulate and empower all intelligence services in the country to protect national security.
The Cabinet has approved the proposal to draft the NIA tabled by the State Minister of Defence Chamal Rajapaksa.
Co - Cabinet Spokesperson Minister Bandula Gunawardene said at a media briefing that the Government took the decision to introduce NIA to prevent future security threats by strengthening country’s intelligence arms.
He said the Legal Draftsman would be advised to prepare the NIA Bill.
The Cabinet paper submitted for approval reveals that certain intelligence activities have been restricted due to lack of adequate legal provisions to regulate those activities.
The new Act would give powers to intelligence agencies to manage national security by giving feedback, guidelines and recommendations and also monitoring the country’s security situation, he said.
The ‘National Intelligence Act’ (NIA) is to mitigate the damage caused to the state intelligence agencies under the Yahapalana government, prevent repetitions and strengthen the State intelligence services to face any threat to National Security.
“During the yahapalana government, intelligence officers of the police and armed forces were arrested and remanded for months without framing charges’he alleged.
This treacherous act done on political influence totally destroyed demoralized and weakened Sri Lanka’s intelligence service which ultimately led to the carnage on April 21 Easter terror last year.
“The government is of the view that it must re-invigorate the State intelligence services, strengthen it, give the intelligence services their due place in the security establishment and restore confidence among intelligence officers,” he said
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