Cabinet approval has been granted to reorganize the prison intelligence unit for “special duties” including riot control.
The government says it has identified the need to reorganize the prison’s intelligence unit, which is not limited to that purpose, but can also be used to protect special prisoners / suspects, suppress riots and carry out security duties.
Accordingly, the Minister of Justice has proposed to the Cabinet to reorganize the present Prison Intelligence Unit into the “Sri Lanka Prison Emergency Response Strategic Force” so that it can assign identified specific duties in addition to the duties performed by ordinary prison officers.
The media has not been told what those “special duties” are. The Cabinet, which met on Monday, February 1, approved the proposal, the Government Information Department said.
A government report has revealed that the Mahara prison massacre that took place two months ago was caused by prison officials shooting to quell a riot by inmates.