Defence Secretary says not intimidated by death threats

By Shan Seneviratne

Defence Secretary Rtd. Mjr.Gen. Kamal Gunaratne said he was not prepared to be intimidated by death threats from the underworld and that he had taken up the responsibility to create an atmosphere for the people to be free from fear of any possible danger to life.   

He was speaking to the media during his visit to the Bogambara old prison to look into the feasibility of using it to detain suspects under the ongoing campaign against criminal gangs and illegal drugs. He said the police were carrying out continual raids and that the capacity of the prisons was inadequate to detain the suspects. The defence secretary also inspected the premises of the prisons at Pallekele. 

Commenting on the fast staged by a group of detainees at the Boossa prisons he said the demands were not justified and that they would not have any alternative but to call off the fast. He pointed out that steps had been taken to bring to book the corrupt officials in prisons and that they would be punished regardless of their position.   
“Corruption within the prisons should be eliminated first. If the officials in the police, the security forces and the prisons were corrupt and engage in contraband trades, it should be eliminated first.   An atmosphere for the honest officials to carry out their duty without trepidation could be created only by removal of corrupt officials” The Defence Secretary said.  He further said that the prisoners were citizens of this country , although they had turned criminals and that an effective plan would be implemented to rehabilitate and lead them along the right path.  Commissioner General of Prisons Thushara Upuldeniya, Commissioner of Prisons ( Adiministration and Rehabilitation) Chandana Ekanayake, Commissioner of Prisons ( Operations and Intellegence) I.T Uduwara were present at the occasion.