Colombo, Oct. 12 (Daily Mirror) - President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has vowed to end political impunity and ensure that the law is enforced equally for all, stressing that national development must be built on the rule of law, the elimination of corruption and unity among communities.
Addressing a public gathering in Nikaweratiya, the President said the country could not progress without establishing a strong foundation, adding that while infrastructure development, including roads and reservoirs, was important, the fundamental systems necessary for the country's progress had to be strengthened first.
He identified five key pillars essential for national development: the rule of law, the elimination of fraud and corruption, a strong public service, peaceful relations with other countries, and harmony among the Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim communities.
A country could not move forward if its people remained divided, its relations with other nations deteriorated, or corruption and weaknesses in the legal system continued, he said.
President Dissanayake said the Government was strengthening law enforcement and the justice system by providing the Police with the necessary resources to carry out their duties effectively.
He said investments were being made to improve facilities for the country's approximately 80,000-strong Police force, including new headquarters, vehicles and communication equipment.
The President also stressed the need to strengthen the Attorney General's Department, ensure an independent and digitally equipped judiciary, and develop an effective prison system that prioritised rehabilitation.
He said these investments were essential to establishing the rule of law and safeguarding the country's future.
Dissanayake also warned that the era in which individuals enjoyed political protection from law enforcement authorities was over. He criticised past practices under which people wielding local political power allegedly engaged in illegal activities, including unauthorised logging, sand mining and illicit liquor production, without facing legal consequences.
“There are no longer special laws for anyone,” he said, insisting that political influence would not provide protection from the law.
The President further criticised the previous political culture in which individuals holding high office, including parliamentarians, ministers, presidents and their family members, were accused of treating public wealth as their personal property.
He pointed to what he described as a double standard in the administration of justice, where large-scale corruption involving powerful individuals went unpunished while ordinary citizens faced legal consequences for minor offences.
The primary objective of the National People's Power (NPP) Government was to eliminate such disparities and ensure that every citizen was treated equally before the law, regardless of political position, wealth or social standing, he said.