News
Ex-CNI says he grappled with inadequate funding
By Rathindra Kuruwita
The Office of the Chief of National Intelligence (CNI) had not been able to maintain contacts with informants due to inadequate fund allocations, former CNI Sisira Mendis yesterday told the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) investigating the Easter Sunday attacks.
Asked by Commissioner whether the CNI’s office had maintained contacts on the field, Mendis said that funds were required for that purpose.
“We didn’t even have good vehicles. We needed money and other facilities to maintain a network of informants.
But funds were always in short supply.”
Mendis said that when he assumed duties on July 28, 2015, there had been about 22 army officers in the CNI’s office including a Lieutenant Colonel, but he was arrested by the CID. He was replaced. Then there were two majors. All of them were good officers.”
It was also revealed at the commission that although Mendis assumed duties on July 28, 2015, his appointment letter said that he had taken over as the CNI on April 10, 2015.
The Attorney General’s Department (ADG) Official, who led evidence, asked the witness whether that undermined his office from the very beginning. “You might be held responsible for something that happened when you were not in charge at all,” she said.
Mendis also said that he had been paid a salary of Rs. 42,000, a fuel allowance of Rs. 20,000 and a phone allowance of Rs. 8,000.
Mendis, 69, retired from the police in 2011 as a DIG.
The Rs. 42,000 is the pension he received.
The former CNI said he had found employment in the private sector after retiring in 2011. In April 2015, B. M. U. D. Basnayake called Mendis and asked if he was interested in becoming CNI, as the post had fallen vacant after Maj. Gen. (Retd.) Kapila Hendawitharana left on January 09, 2015. He had been hesitant initially, but he had been assured that he would receive the kind of support Hendawitharana had from former Defence secretary, Gotabaya Rajapaksa and other senior officers, Mendis said.
“Two persons called and assured me of this,” Mendis said. The names of the two officials were not revealed to the media.
“I had seen how Hendawitharana operated when I was the Director and DIG of the CID. I saw him coordinate with all intelligence agencies. How everyone cooperated with him and the support the current President gave when he was the Defence secretary and I felt confident that I too could do so.”
In line with the forthcoming 75th Army Anniversary (10 October) a solemn ceremony was held on 7th October 2024 at the Battaramulla War Heroes’ Monument (Ranaviru Smarakaya) to pay tribute to the heroic sacrifices of the nation’s fallen War Heroes.
The Commander of the Army, Lieutenant General Vikum Liyanage RWP RSP ndu, presided over the ceremony as the Chief Guest, lending a significant sense of respect and prominence to the occasion. The event commenced with singing the National Anthem, followed by a two-minute silence observed in honour of the nation’s fallen patriots.
Thereafter, the Chief Guest, accompanied by several Senior Officers and Colonels of all regiments of the Sri Lanka Army laid floral wreaths and saluted paying a solemn tribute to the fallen War Heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice for the sovereignty of the nation.
Former MPs not entitled to police protection
By Rathindra Kuruwita
There are laws and regualations stipulating the level of security to be provided to Presidents, former Presidents, Ministers, and MPs, but in the past they were given more security, Cabinet spokesman, Minister Vijitha Herath has said.
“According to the law, a person is not entitled to police protection after ceasing to be an MP. But previous governments allowed former MPs to retain their security in violation of laws and regulations,” Minister Herath said yesterday.
“In the future, intelligence services will conduct a threat assessment, and special security will be provided only to those facing security threats, Minister Herath said, stressing that elected representatives should be treated equally.
“The Ministry of Defence has also requested VIPs to return the weapons and ammunition issued to them. This does not mean the Ministry will retain these weapons indefinitely; they will be returned after a thorough assessment of threats and proper documentation,” he added .
By Rathindra Kuruwita
Sri Lanka had authorised a Chinese military training vessel to arrive, Cabinet Spokesman, Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath said yesterday.
Herath said the Chinese vessel was no threat to anyone’s national security and Indian, German and US warships had docked in Sri Lankan ports.
Asked by a journalist whether there would be a change in Sri Lanka’s foreign policy, Herath said that the NPP treated every country equally.
“We will not treat anyone more favourably than others. This is the basis of the non-aligned policy,” he said, noting that they had no problem with any country supporting Sri Lanka in a way that does not harm the country’s national interests.
Herath said that a senior US military official would visit Sri Lanka on Thursday (10) and the US was to present a naval vessel to the Sri Lanka Navy.
“National interest is our priority and based on that we will engage with everyone,” he said.
Herath added that they had prepared a list of relatives, and associates of politicians who had been appointed to various Sri Lankan missions. The list would be published soon, he said.
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