National security, foundation of our freedom – Defence Secretary

Guarding against various threats and ensuring the safety of the nation is the first duty of the government, because national security is the foundation of our freedom and our prosperity. As such, the government needs to be fully aware of all the issues that impact the country in areas such as defence, foreign policy, economic affairs and internal law and order. It must formulate a comprehensive national security strategy to deal with them, Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said.

A viable national security strategy needs to be aligned with the aspirations of the people, and it must have public support, he told students following the National Interest Module of the inaugural MPhil/PhD Programme of the Kotelawala Defence University. The speech was on ‘Sri Lanka’s National Security Concerns’.

Ideally, if comprehensive security is to be ensured, it requires the achievement of national cohesion, political and economic stability, the elimination of terrorism, the countering of extremism, and the formulation of effective responses to external challenges, the Defence Secretary said.

The government must make every effort to keep aware of a continually changing situation and take appropriate action in response to new developments and challenges. It is only then that the safety of the nation can be assured, the Secretary added.