By Rathindra Kuruwita
Sri Lanka’s defence expenditure had risen by 300 percent, compared to that at the height of the war against the LTTE, Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) Propaganda Secretary, Duminda Nawagamuwa, said yesterday.
The proposed defence expenditure for 2023 was 488 billion rupees, he said, adding that it was equal to what the governemnt proposed to spend on health and education.
“As a percentage of the budget, I think we are only behind Israel when it comes to defence expenditure. We know why Israel spends so much money on defence. It’s not to protect itself from other countries, but to suppress people. We are doing the same,” he said.
The FSP Propaganda Secretary added that despite the increase in defence expenditure, Sri Lankans were increasingly vulnerable to all kinds of security threats.
“Are we secure in our energy, or food or health? All countries with sensible leaders prioritise them. A hungry and disease ridden nation can be manipulated by everyone. A nation without a continuous supply is doomed. We have increased spending for security, but we have squandered most of it,” he said.
Nawagamuwa said that the government relied exclusively on the IMF and bridging finance. It also hoped that tourists would arrive in Sri Lanka in winter.
“We are living in hope,” he said.