(UTV|COLOMBO) – Acting Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) Dr. Jayampathy Wickremaratne mandated to investigate the Easter Sunday terror attacks said that exposing the negligence of officials who did not thwart the terror attacks despite having ample warnings, is not a threat to the country’s national security.
“Opening of the PSC for media and public viewing is not only an opportunity but a challenge as we have no experience of having done this in the past,” he said. “This was a long felt need and we personally believe that every PSC from hereon should be open to both media and telecast on TV for the public to see. The public have the right to know and may as well exercise the Right to Information.”
He said that the PSC members have repeatedly cautioned witness from revealing information that might be prejudicial or threat to national security. “Both witnesses who appeared at the commission on Wednesday are seasoned officials and have spoken to us in private, none of the information revealed at the hearing was deemed confidential,” he said.
“Everyone knows the names of high ranking officials including the directors, as such revealing their names does not put their security at risk. But there are thousands who work in the intelligence services who we do not want to know of.”
Dr. Wickremaratne inquired as to why the opposition of which nearly 40 members signed a document that would make the sessions open for the media were now either backtracking on their decision and bickering about it.
“Revealing lapses, negligence and failure which led to the Easter Sunday attack is in no way a threat to national security,” he said. “But giving those individuals a sense of impunity is a threat to national security. They fear being exposed.”
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