Features

WHEN INFORMATION BECOMES INTELLIGENCE

Published

5 years ago

2021/04/25

by Merril Gunaratne

The investigations which followed the Easter Sunday carnage in 2019 gave rise to considerable speculation and inquiry concerning the manner in which the State Intelligence Service (SIS) handled information received from India about plans of the National Thowheed Jamath (NTJ) to commit terror strikes. The manner in which those handling as well as receiving such information at various levels sought to shift responsibility may have culminated in considerable confusion in the mind of the observer.

I therefore thought it apt to discuss the essential differences between ‘information’ and ‘intelligence’ because therein appears to lie the clue to identifying why the public have been left in a state of confusion. In fact when appearing before the Presidential Commission, I had the opportunity to clarify the essential differences between ‘information’ and ‘intelligence’.

ESSENTIAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN ‘INFORMATION’ AND ‘INTELLIGENCE’

All sleuths in intelligence agencies including the SIS, the premier agency, commence their careers by being taught to discern the difference between information and intelligence. An intelligence career cannot advance without absorbing this fundamental lesson. When an informer provides a piece of information, the officer has to test whether it is suitable to be converted into intelligence. In other words, an intelligence officer has to determine whether the information is credible or reliable.

This test requires the sleuth to take cognizance of the previous record of the informer, and whether he had previously been consistent with procuring and providing reliable information. The officer has also to check abundant records of subversives and terror groups available in the subject and personal files stored in the “Registry” of the SIS to buttress his convictions further.

Once satisfied about the credibility of the piece of information received, his next step would be to put it down on paper. He would, in the same document, assign reasons why he believes the information received to be credible. This is done to convince those above him in the hierarchy to whom he would be reporting of the credibility of what is submitted. We call this part of the report ” assessment or analysis”, where the reasons adduced would help convince the recipient that the information is credible, and should be viewed seriously.

A piece of information can therefore emerge as “Intelligence” only if the writer can offer reasons to convince his superior of the credibility of information. I would quote from the book ‘Army of Evil’ by Adrian Weale to illustrate the point at which information converts to intelligence: “Broadly speaking, intelligence is information that is gathered and analyzed before informing decisions. Without the crucial analysis step, it is of no value”.

To express this in simple terms, the officer has to first satisfy himself about the credibility of the information received. He then converts it to intelligence. In fact the CIA sent officers in 2002 to help SIS officers here to polish the art of analysis by setting up an ” Analytic Unit”. It helped improve our ‘analytical’ capabilities considerably.

The process of ‘marketing’ the product (Information) begins at the point the officer prepares the intelligence report embodying his assessment . In the case of the SIS, the first such classified report has necessarily to be despatched to the president, with a copy to secretary of defence. Depending on the nature of intelligence, copies may also be sent to the IGP (as should have been the case with Easter Sunday), secretary to president, minister of defence and the service chiefs. Such highly classified reports have necessarily to embody intelligence, not mere scraps of untested information replete with ambiguity which the highly placed recipients will not bother to waste their time on.

If the intelligence in a report is of a grave and urgent nature, the SIS has to simultaneously alert the president, the secretary of defence and the IGP (as in the case of Easter Sunday) on the telephone without any delay. In the matter of intelligence pertaining to the terror plans of National Thowheed Jamat for Easter Sunday, the point could also have been made that an immediate discussion was warranted. The SIS had to act as the spur to goad, galvanize and energize the recipients to believe the intelligence and swing into action immediately. The process commences with the despatch of INTELLIGENCE Reports to the president and secretary of defence, the IGP etc, and would extend towards addressing them on the phone as well.

SIS RESPONSE TO INFORMATION FROM INDIA

Did the SIS deviate from established standards? The memo sent by Chief of National Intelligence( CNI) on behalf of secretary of defence to IGP dated April 9, 2019 refers to attacks planned on ‘some important churches’, and the ‘Indian High Commission’. To his letter was attached an unsigned note of the SIS where the modes of attack, and the leading figures of the NTJ have also been reflected. At paragraph four, this note had stated, “The input maybe kindly enquired into on priority and a feedback given to us.”

What required inclusion in assessing this information should have been the following: (1) whether the information was reliable or not, and the reasons for such a conclusion; and (2) a proposal to plan immediate security safeguards if the threat was likely to manifest. Instead of proceeding on these lines, what had been suggested was the conduct of “inquiries”. There was no sense of urgency shown here. It may therefore not be wrong to assume that priorities appeared to have been mixed up in the note of the SIS. Therefore, since the two papers of (CNI and the SIS) did not provide ‘assessments’, they were NOT INTELLIGENCE reports, but mere reports embodying untested information.

Besides, the SIS, if it believed a piece of information to be credible, had to submit serial or special Intelligence reports to the president, secretary of defence, and the IGP . This step had also not been taken. The process convincing those who mattered had therefore been incomplete. This is because on the face of the memorandum of April 9, 2019, there is no indication that the writers had decided to energize, galvanize and push the secretary of defence and the IGP to act without delay. In a nutshell, the reports of April 9, 2021 appeared vague and hazy. They were not ‘wake up’ calls.

Was it possible that the SIS may not have been sufficiently convinced of the credibility of the information received for whatever reason? It is difficult to understand why they had deviated from the standards that had been observed by the national intelligence agency for countless years. For many years, heads and senior officers of the premier Intelligence service, Cyril Herath, Ana Seneviratne, , Edward Gunawardene, A T Fonseka, Zernie Wijesuriya, B A Jeyanathan , Felix Alles, Kingsley Wickramasuriya, Pat Swaris, SBW de Silva, M A Jayatillake, Sathkunarajah, Deva Corea, Indradasa, Wakista, Gajanayake, Punya de Silva etc, had only furnished intelligence reports to the authorities, not untested pieces of information. They had been accomplished practitioners of this unbroken tradition of assessing information.

It is also surprising that the SIS omitted to crosscheck the information received with it’s Indian counterparts, or to take into consideration the ample records of the activities of the NTJ ( Mawanella, Kattankudi, Vanathavillu), stored in its registry. The adoption of such steps may have convinced officers that the information was of a serious and credible nature.

PUBLIC OUTCRY AGAINST THE FORMER PRESIDENT

President Sirisena has been at the center of a storm over perceived omissions on his part. In fairness to him, the question that requires an answer is whether the director of SIS, despite speaking on a monotonously regular basis to the president (I believe this proximate connection did exist), informed him that the information was of a reliable nature, even if we assume that he had made reference to the information perfunctorily. In my view, director of SIS may not have done so, for he had not, either in writing or orally, proceeded to convince even secretary of defence, Chief of National Intelligence and the IGP of the credibility of information received. Therefore, would he have briefed the president differently? The fact that an intelligence report had not been despatched to the president as had been the usual practice, may further support this point of view.

OMISSIONS OF OFFICIALDOM

Secretary of Defence, the IGP and his deputies who had received the flawed information reports should have examined the material by initiating discussions in their enclaves. These officials were assigned national security and defence responsibilities, and could not have chosen to ignore even the untested information which spoke of planned terror attacks. If secretary of Defence and IGP had held discussions with the participation of SIS officers, convincing material about the background of the NTJ may have come to light, leading to an awareness of dangers, and the need to prepare security plans. The inertia of Secretary of Defence, IGP, and his deputies to desist from engaging in conferences to test the veracity of the untested information is baffling. On the other hand, had the SIS made a proper intelligence report as should have been the case, it was possible that the officials concerned may have swung into action without being complacent.

IDENTIFYING ROOTS AND RAMIFICATIONS OF NATIONAL THOWHEED JAMAT (NTJ)

The Presidential Commission was required to explore the roots and ramifications of the NTJ. This is a vast tract. In effect, the process requires a study of many fields: the causes or grievances which sustained the NTJ, their local and foreign links and patrons, financiers; procurement and storage of arms, arms training and indoctrination, safe houses, methods of communication, district operational cells etc. Most information in such spheres in respect of clandestine, highly sophisticated terror groups emerge from intelligence received from secret sources, not from those who can provide overt, peripheral information. Even material which accrue from open police investigations are inadequate to build up a convincing dossier.

I therefore believe that about 60-70 % of intelligence about the roots and ramifications of a terror group can be procured from covert agents and informers, rather than from overt sources. Unfortunately the SIS has always shown great reluctance to permit access to such classified intelligence stored in their Registry. A study of roots and ramifications in former days was done by the national intelligence agency itself where periodic comprehensive reports were prepared and furnished for the National Security Council to take suitable remedial measures to thwart threats. I think this discipline was in vogue only up to the late 1980s. The point that such studies are usually handled by those with expertise in subjects of national security, intelligence, terror and subversion needs emphasis for findings and conclusions have invariably to be based more on intelligence (60-70%), than on oral evidence. Evidence is a scarce commodity with terror groups.

(The writer is a retired Senior DIG Police who had held important intelligence positions is the course of a long career. He testified before the Presidential Commission probing the Easter attacks.)

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Features

Digital transformation in the Global South

Published

14 hours ago

2026/02/24

Sahan Weerasooriya

AI Summit, India

Understanding Sri Lanka through the India AI Impact Summit 2026

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has rapidly moved from being a specialised technological field into a major social force that shapes economies, cultures, governance, and everyday human life. The India AI Impact Summit 2026, held in New Delhi, symbolised a significant moment for the Global South, especially South Asia, because it demonstrated that artificial intelligence is no longer limited to advanced Western economies but can also become a development tool for emerging societies. The summit gathered governments, researchers, technology companies, and international organisations to discuss how AI can support social welfare, public services, and economic growth. Its central message was that artificial intelligence should be human centred and socially useful. Instead of focusing only on powerful computing systems, the summit emphasised affordable technologies, open collaboration, and ethical responsibility so that ordinary citizens can benefit from digital transformation. For South Asia, where large populations live in rural areas and resources are unevenly distributed, this idea is particularly important.

People friendly AI

One of the most important concepts promoted at the summit was the idea of “people friendly AI.” This means that artificial intelligence should be accessible, understandable, and helpful in daily activities. In South Asia, language diversity and economic inequality often prevent people from using advanced technology. Therefore, systems designed for local languages, and smartphones, play a crucial role. When a farmer can speak to a digital assistant in Sinhala, Tamil, or Hindi and receive advice about weather patterns or crop diseases, technology becomes practical rather than distant. Similarly, voice based interfaces allow elderly people and individuals with limited literacy to use digital services. Affordable mobile based AI tools reduce the digital divide between urban and rural populations. As a result, artificial intelligence stops being an elite instrument and becomes a social assistant that supports ordinary life.

Transformation in education sector

The influence of this transformation is visible in education. AI based learning platforms can analyse student performance and provide personalised lessons. Instead of all students following the same pace, weaker learners receive additional practice while advanced learners explore deeper material. Teachers are able to focus on mentoring and explanation rather than repetitive instruction. In many South Asian societies, including Sri Lanka, education has long depended on memorisation and private tuition classes. AI tutoring systems could reduce educational inequality by giving rural students access to learning resources, similar to those available in cities. A student who struggles with mathematics, for example, can practice step by step exercises automatically generated according to individual mistakes. This reduces pressure, improves confidence, and gradually changes the educational culture from rote learning toward understanding and problem solving.

Healthcare is another area where AI is becoming people friendly. Many rural communities face shortages of doctors and medical facilities. AI-assisted diagnostic tools can analyse symptoms, or medical images, and provide early warnings about diseases. Patients can receive preliminary advice through mobile applications, which helps them decide whether hospital visits are necessary. This reduces overcrowding in hospitals and saves travel costs. Public health authorities can also analyse large datasets to monitor disease outbreaks and allocate resources efficiently. In this way, artificial intelligence supports not only individual patients but also the entire health system.

Agriculture, which remains a primary livelihood for millions in South Asia, is also undergoing transformation. Farmers traditionally rely on seasonal experience, but climate change has made weather patterns unpredictable. AI systems that analyse rainfall data, soil conditions, and satellite images can predict crop performance and recommend irrigation schedules. Early detection of plant diseases prevents large-scale crop losses. For a small farmer, accurate information can mean the difference between profit and debt. Thus, AI directly influences economic stability at the household level.

Employment and communication reshaped

Artificial intelligence is also reshaping employment and communication. Routine clerical and repetitive tasks are increasingly automated, while demand grows for digital skills, such as data management, programming, and online services. Many young people in South Asia are beginning to participate in remote work, freelancing, and digital entrepreneurship. AI translation tools allow communication across languages, enabling businesses to reach international customers. Knowledge becomes more accessible because information can be summarised, translated, and explained instantly. This leads to a broader sociological shift: authority moves from tradition and hierarchy toward information and analytical reasoning. Individuals rely more on data when making decisions about education, finance, and career planning.

Impact on Sri Lanka

The impact on Sri Lanka is especially significant because the country shares many social and economic conditions with India and often adopts regional technological innovations. Sri Lanka has already begun integrating artificial intelligence into education, agriculture, and public administration. In schools and universities, AI learning tools may reduce the heavy dependence on private tuition and help students in rural districts receive equal academic support. In agriculture, predictive analytics can help farmers manage climate variability, improving productivity and food security. In public administration, digital systems can speed up document processing, licensing, and public service delivery. Smart transportation systems may reduce congestion in urban areas, saving time and fuel.

Economic opportunities are also expanding. Sri Lanka’s service based economy and IT outsourcing sector can benefit from increased global demand for digital skills. AI-assisted software development, data annotation, and online service platforms can create new employment pathways, especially for educated youth. Small and medium entrepreneurs can use AI tools to design products, manage finances, and market services internationally at low cost. In tourism, personalised digital assistants and recommendation systems can improve visitor experiences and help small businesses connect with travellers directly.

Digital inequality

However, the integration of artificial intelligence also raises serious concerns. Digital inequality may widen if only educated urban populations gain access to technological skills. Some routine jobs may disappear, requiring workers to retrain. There are also risks of misinformation, surveillance, and misuse of personal data. Ethical regulation and transparency are, therefore, essential. Governments must develop policies that protect privacy, ensure accountability, and encourage responsible innovation. Public awareness and digital literacy programmes are necessary so that citizens understand both the benefits and limitations of AI systems.

Beyond economics and services, AI is gradually influencing social relationships and cultural patterns. South Asian societies have traditionally relied on hierarchy and personal authority, but data-driven decision making changes this structure. Agricultural planning may depend on predictive models rather than ancestral practice, and educational evaluation may rely on learning analytics instead of examination rankings alone. This does not eliminate human judgment, but it alters its basis. Societies increasingly value analytical thinking, creativity, and adaptability. Educational systems must, therefore, move beyond memorisation toward critical thinking and interdisciplinary learning.

AI contribution to national development

In Sri Lanka, these changes may contribute to national development if implemented carefully. AI-supported financial monitoring can improve transparency and reduce corruption. Smart infrastructure systems can help manage transportation and urban planning. Communication technologies can support interaction among Sinhala, Tamil, and English speakers, promoting social inclusion in a multilingual society. Assistive technologies can improve accessibility for persons with disabilities, enabling broader participation in education and employment. These developments show that artificial intelligence is not merely a technological innovation but a social instrument capable of strengthening equality when guided by ethical policy.

Symbolic shift

Ultimately, the India AI Impact Summit 2026 represents a symbolic shift in the global technological landscape. It indicates that developing nations are beginning to shape the future of artificial intelligence according to their own social needs rather than passively importing technology. For South Asia and Sri Lanka, the challenge is not whether AI will arrive but how it will be used. If education systems prepare citizens, if governments establish responsible regulations, and if access remains inclusive, AI can become a partner in development rather than a source of inequality. The future will likely involve close collaboration between humans and intelligent systems, where machines assist decision making while human values guide outcomes. In this sense, artificial intelligence does not replace human society, but transforms it, offering Sri Lanka an opportunity to build a more knowledge based, efficient, and equitable social order in the decades ahead.

by Milinda Mayadunna

Features

Governance cannot be a postscript to economics

Published

14 hours ago

2026/02/24

Sahan Weerasooriya

Kristalina-Georgieva

The visit by IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva to Sri Lanka was widely described as a success for the government. She was fulsome in her praise of the country and its developmental potential. The grounds for this success and collaborative spirit go back to the inception of the agreement signed in March 2023 in the aftermath of Sri Lanka’s declaration of international bankruptcy. The IMF came in to fulfil its role as lender of last resort. The government of the day bit the bullet. It imposed unpopular policies on the people, most notably significant tax increases. At a moment when the country had run out of foreign exchange, defaulted on its debt, and faced shortages of fuel, medicine and food, the IMF programme restored a measure of confidence both within the country and internationally.

Since 1965 Sri Lanka has entered into agreements with the IMF on 16 occasions none of which were taken to their full term. The present agreement is the 17^th agreement . IMF agreements have traditionally been focused on economic restructuring. Invariably the terms of agreement have been harsh on the people, with priority being given to ensure the debtor country pays its loans back to the IMF. Fiscal consolidation, tax increases, subsidy reductions and structural reforms have been the recurring features. The social and political costs have often been high. Governments have lost popularity and sometimes fallen before programmes were completed. The IMF has learned from experience across the world that macroeconomic reform without social protection can generate backlash, instability and policy reversals.

The experience of countries such as Greece, Ireland and Portugal in dealing with the IMF during the eurozone crisis demonstrated the political and social costs of austerity, even though those economies later stabilised and returned to growth. The evolution of IMF policies has ensured that there are two special features in the present agreement. The first is that the IMF has included a safety net of social welfare spending to mitigate the impact of the austerity measures on the poorest sections of the population. No country can hope to grow at 7 or 8 percent per annum when a third of its people are struggling to survive. Poverty alleviation measures in the Aswesuma programme, developed with the agreement of the IMF, are key to mitigating the worst impacts of the rising cost of living and limited opportunities for employment.

Governance Included

The second important feature of the IMF agreement is the inclusion of governance criteria to be implemented alongside the economic reforms. It goes to the heart of why Sri Lanka has had to return to the IMF repeatedly. Economic mismanagement did not take place in a vacuum. It was enabled by weak institutions, politicised decision making, non-transparent procurement, and the erosion of checks and balances. In its economic reform process, the IMF has included an assessment of governance related issues to accompany the economic restructuring process. At the top of this list is tackling the problem of corruption by means of publicising contracts, ensuring open solicitation of tenders, and strengthening financial accountability mechanisms.

The IMF also encouraged a civil society diagnostic study and engaged with civil society organisations regularly. The civil society analysis of governance issues which was promoted by Verite Research and facilitated by Transparency International was wider in scope than those identified in the IMF’s own diagnostic. It pointed to systemic weaknesses that go beyond narrow fiscal concerns. The civil society diagnostic study included issues of social justice such as the inequitable impact of targeting EPF and ETF funds of workers for restructuring and the need to repeal abuse prone laws such as the Prevention of Terrorism Act and the Online Safety Act. When workers see their retirement savings restructured without adequate consultation, confidence in policy making erodes. When laws are perceived to be instruments of arbitrary power, social cohesion weakens.

During a meeting between the IMF Managing Director Georgeiva and civil society members last week, there was discussion on the implementation of those governance measures in which she spoke in a manner that was not alien to the civil society representatives. Significantly, the civil society diagnostic report also referred to the ethnic conflict and the breakdown of interethnic relations that led to three decades of deadly war, causing severe economic losses to the country. This was also discussed at the meeting. Governance is not only about accounting standards and procurement rules. It is about social justice, equality before the law, and political representation. On this issue the government has more to do. Ethnic and religious minorities find themselves inadequately represented in high level government committees. The provincial council system that ensured ethnic and minority representation at the provincial level continues to be in abeyance.

Beyond IMF

The significance of addressing governance issues is not only relevant to the IMF agreement. It is also important in accessing tariff concessions from the European Union. The GSP Plus tariff concession given by the EU enables Sri Lankan exports to be sold at lower prices and win markets in Europe. For an export dependent economy, this is critical. Loss of such concessions would directly affect employment in key sectors such as apparel. The government needs to address longstanding EU concerns about the protection of human rights and labour rights in the country. The EU has, for several years, linked the continuation of GSP Plus to compliance with international conventions. This includes the condition that the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) be brought into line with international standards. The government’s alternative in the form of the draft Protection of the State from Terrorism Act (PTSA) is less abusive on paper but is wider in scope and retains the core features of the PTA.

Governance and social justice factors cannot be ignored or downplayed in the pursuit of economic development. If Sri Lanka is to break out of its cycle of crisis and bailout, it must internalise the fact that good governance which promotes social justice and more fairly distributes the costs and fruits of development is the foundation on which durable economic growth is built. Without it, stabilisation will remain fragile, poverty will remain high, and the promise of 7 to 8 percent growth will remain elusive. The implementation of governance reforms will also have a positive effect through the creative mechanism of governance linked bonds, an innovation of the present IMF agreement.

The Sri Lankan think tank Verité Research played an important role in the development of governance linked bonds. They reduce the rate of interest payable by the government on outstanding debt on the basis that better governance leads to a reduction in risk for those who have lent their money to Sri Lanka. This is a direct financial reward for governance reform. The present IMF programme offers an opportunity not only to stabilise the economy but to strengthen the institutions that underpin it. That opportunity needs to be taken. Without it, the country cannot attract investment, expand exports and move towards shared prosperity and to a 7-8 percent growth rate that can lift the country out of its debt trap.

by Jehan Perera

Features

MISTER Band … in the spotlight

Published

14 hours ago

2026/02/24

Sahan Weerasooriya

MISTER Band: For the past four consecutive years, they have performed overseas, during New Year’s Eve

It’s a good sign, indeed, for the local scene, to see artistes, who have not been very much in the limelight, now making their presence felt, in a big way, and I’m glad to give them the publicity they deserve.

On 10th February we had Yellow Beatz in the spotlight and this week it’s MISTER Band.

This outfit is certainly not new to our scene; they have been around since 2012, under the leadership of Sithum Waidyarathne.

The seven energetic members who make up MISTER Band are:

Sithum Waidyarathne (leader/founder/saxophonist/guitarist and vocalist), Rangana Seram (bass guitarist), Vihanga Liyanage (vocalist), Ridmi Dissanayake (female vocalist), Nuwan Cristo (keyboardist/vocalist), Kasun Thennakoon (lead guitarist), and Nuwan Madushanka (drummer).

According to Sithum, their vision is to provide high quality entertainmen to those who engage their services.

“Thanks to our engaging performances and growing popularity, MISTER Band continues to be in high demand … at weddings, corporate events and dinner dances,” said Sithum.

They predominantly cover English and Sinhala music, as well as the most popular genres.

And the reviews that come their way, after a performance, are excellent, they say, and this is one of the bouquets they received:

It was a pleasure to have you at our wedding. Being avid music fans we wanted the best music, not just a big named band, and you guys acceded that expectations. Big thanks to Sithum for being very supportive, attentive and generous.

: Sithum Waidyarathne: Band leader and founder

: Ridmi Dissanayake: MISTER Band’s female vocalist

The best thing is the post feedback from all the guests. Normally we get mixed reviews but the whole crowd was impressed by you.

MISTER Band was one of our best choices for our wedding.

What is interesting is that for the past four consecutive years, this outfit has performed overseas, during New Year’s Eve, thereby taking their music to the international stage, as well.

The band has also produced a collection of original songs, with around six original tracks composed by the band leader, Sithum Waidyarathne, including ‘Suraganak Dutuwa,’ ‘Landuni,’ ‘Dili Dili Payana,’ ‘Hada Wedana,’ and ‘Nil Kandu Athare.’

Two more songs are set to be released this month: ‘Hitha Norida’ and ‘Premaye Hanguman.’

In addition to their original music, they have also created a strong online presence by performing and uploading over 50 cover songs and medleys to YouTube.

“We’re now planning to connect with an even wider audience by releasing more cover content very soon,” said Sithum, adding that they are also very active on social media, under the name Mister Band Official – on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok.