The Civil Security Department (CSD) will begin withdrawing personnel assigned to security duties at State institutions in Colombo by the end of February.
They will be replaced by security guards from the State-run Rakna Arakshana Lanka Ltd., CSD Director General Rear Admiral Ananda Peiris told the Daily FT. At present, CSD provides security for 137 state institutions. The bulk of the CSD (previously known as the Civil Defence Force or the Home Guards) are made of personnel from rural districts, and their long-term deployment in Colombo is problematic, Peiris explained, pointing out the President and Secretary to the Ministry of Defence had looked in to the matter, and directed him to withdraw such personnel by end February.
Peiris said that only a limited number had joined the CSD from Colombo district and those personnel will remain on duty in Colombo.
(FT)