The Sri Lankan Army and Police have been enlisted to carry out renovation work on the country’s Parliament building, in a move that underscores the continued militarisation of civilian infrastructure on the island.
According to the Parliamentary Media Unit, the renovation will focus on urgent maintenance tasks, including repairs to roof leaks, the refurbishment of the main copper door’s operating mechanism, expansion of sanitary facilities, upgrades to the Parliamentary Medical Centre, and the installation of a fire detection system. The works were approved by the Parliamentary Staff Advisory Committee earlier this month.
Local reports state that the roof repairs alone have been estimated to cost Rs. 5 billion.
The involvement of the Sri Lankan Army and Police in renovation work at one of the country’s most prominent civilian institutions illustrates the ongoing militarisation that takes place on the island.
More than 16 years after the end of the armed conflict, Sri Lanka maintains one of the highest military-to-civilian ratios in the world. Militarisation remains particularly pervasive in the Tamil North-East, where army-run farms, hotels, and even tourist resort continue to operate.
