Sri Lankan President, Gotabaya Rajapaksa has issued a special gazette calling on the armed forces to maintain public order across the country, for the safety of the general public, said media reports on Monday. The gazette notice was issued over the weekend and calls upon the army, navy and the airforce to be deployed in all 25 districts including the capital Colombo.
The Sri Lankan Defence Secretary, Kamal Gunaratne, told the local journalists that the special gazette was issued to maintain law and order in the state and not to carry out a military administration.
The Defence Secretary also said that any political violence after the recently held presidential election will not be tolerated and all those who are involved will be arrested by the armed forces.
Newly-elected President Rajapaksa last week vowed to strengthen national security and establish a secure country where everyone "can live without any fear", especially after the Easter Sunday suicide attacks on April 21 which killed over 250 people. Rajapaksa won the November 16 presidential elections with strengthening national security as his core point in his election pledge.
