High-security zones in Sri Lanka to ensure stability

Colombo, September 26

The Sri Lankan Government on Monday defended its decision to declare several key locations in Colombo as high-security zones, saying the move was aimed at ensuring stability and not curbing freedom of expression.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe on Friday declared several locations, including Parliament, the Supreme Court complex and the President’s Secretariat among others, as high-security zones (HSZs), banning any kind of protest or agitation in their vicinity.

“HSZs are nothing new. We saw how the Presidential Secretariat came to be surrounded by groups recently. They blocked officials from functioning. If the main place where key decisions are made is blocked, we have to take decisions to prevent it,” said Kamal Gunaratne, the secretary to the Ministry of Defence.