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Preparations for SLN’s Red Sea operations will cost USD 40 mn: expert

Published

2 years ago

2024/01/13

Thilina Walpola

Y.N. Jayarathna

By Rathindra Kuruwita

The government will have to spend about USD 40 million to upgrade the offshore patrol vessel to be sent to the Red Sea to take part in operations against the Houthi rebels, Y.N. Jayarathna, retired Rear Admiral and hydrographer, said in a televised interview this week.

The Sri Lanka Navy would be able to operate in the Red Sea if the government was willing to spend necessary funds for upgrading the ships and bear operational costs, Jayarathna said.

“We need to use offshore patrol vessels. We have these ships. During the last phase of the war, Sri Lanka decided to go after the LTTE’s floating armouries, which were almost on the South of the Equator. We sent a taskforce under Commodore Travis Sinnaiah,” he said.

Jayarathna added that the Navy had operated on the high seas to curb drug smuggling from Iran via the Arabian Sea.

When a journalist asked whether it would serve Lanka’s national interest to send ships to the Red Sea to fight someone else’s war, Jayarathna said that by sending a ship to the Red Sea, Sri Lanka was fulfilling international obligations in safeguarding sea lines of communication.

“The government has to word our mission there carefully. It will be disadvantageous if others believe we are fighting someone else’s war. We must come off as a regional Navy with the capacity to contribute to coalition patrols,” he said.

Jayarathna said Sri Lanka would have to invest in the ships to make them able to operate in the Red Sea.

“The Head of State wants the SLN to operate in the Red Sea, but does the government want to spend money? There will be operational costs, and there will be maintenance costs. The cost of diesel, alone for an offshore patrol vessel for a one-month patrol, comes to about Rs 60 million. There is a huge cost, and the government has to be ready for it,” Jayaratne said.

The retired Rear Admiral said Navies could not be built overnight and that they had to be maintained. “We have the vessels, but do we have the necessary technology? There is a lot more to be done before we are able to send the ships. We need some new equipment. We need to replace some of our obsolete equipment.”

The Sri Lankan Navy needed detection and stabilisation equipment, he said. If Sri Lanka wanted to buy the equipment quickly, it will have to pay crisis purchase prices, Jayaratne said.

“So, about USD 35 to 40 million will be needed. If the government wants naval ships to be there, the government should pay.”

The Sri Lankan Navy will not be operational in the high-intensity combat zone. But even at the periphery, Houthi rebels are using cruise and ballistic missiles.

“In the power politics of the Indian Ocean, the US and its allies want us to be in their camp. The Chinese want us to be in their camps. It seems that we are siding with the US and its allies. We can’t make decisions on impulse. The decisions we make here have repercussions. So, political masters must make wise decisions. These are not decisions that a single person is taking. A body of people must make these decisions. We don’t know what went on behind the scenes,” he said.

The volume of transshipment cargo that the Colombo Port received had gone up because ships are taking the long sea route to avoid the Red Sea, he said.

Jayarathna said that Sri Lanka should go and operate on the Northern part of the Arabian Sea, which is a main route for drugs that come here.

“This means we don’t even have to be on the periphery of the conflict area. We will be in the vicinity. This is a good opportunity for us to be there and operate for our national interest while protecting the sea lines of communications,” Jayaratne said.

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Govt. extends ban on LTTE

Published

9 hours ago

2026/01/13

Sahan Weerasooriya

The NPP government has issued a new extraordinary gazette renewing and extending Sri Lanka’s long-standing ban on the LTTE and several Tamil diaspora organisations and individuals, continuing to designate them as “terrorists”.

The gazette, published recently, replaces a previous gazette issued in May 2025 and reaffirmed the proscription of a wide range of Tamil political and advocacy bodies operating around the world, alongside dozens of named individuals. The government alleged both the organisations and individuals listed are involved in “terrorism-related activities”.

The organisations blacklisted by the Sri Lankan government include:

• Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)

• Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO)

• Tamil Coordinating Committee (TCC)

• World Tamil Movement (WTM)

• Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE)

• World Tamil Relief Fund (WTRF)

• National Council of Canadian Tamils (NCCT)

• Tamil Youth Organisation (TYO)

While the majority of the designations mirror those contained in the May 2025 gazette, the latest document updates identification details and addresses for a number of individuals and introduces at least one additional organisation to the list. All entries have been reissued under new reference numbers for 2026, though the underlying allegations and framing remain unchanged.

Successive governemnts have maintained a sweeping proscription regime against Tamil diaspora groups and individuals. A ban can make it a criminal offence for Sri Lankan citizens to maintain contact with these organisations or their members, severely restricting political engagement and stifling links between the diaspora and the Tamil homeland.

The original mass listings were introduced in 2014 under the administration of Mahinda Rajapaksa. Despite repeated outcry, subsequent governments have continued to uphold and renew the proscription regime, even after the Rajapaksas were voted out of power.

News

Police obtain court order banning Wimal’s protest

Published

9 hours ago

2026/01/13

Sahan Weerasooriya

National Freedom Front (NFF) leader Wimal Weerawansa addresses a gathering outside the Education Ministry on Monday before launching a protest demanding the immediate resignation of Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya as Education Minister over the inclusion of a link to an adult content website in the Grade 06 English module. (Pic by Thushara Atapattu)

Police yesterday (12) obtained an injunction order from the Kaduwela Magistrate’s court against the protest launched by National Freedom Front (NFF) leader and former Minister Wimal Weerawansa opposite the Education Ministry, Isurupaya, at Battaramulla.

Police informed Weerawansa of the court order. In line with the court order, the police informed Weerawansa that the road near the Ministry should not be obstructed and that no sound amplification equipment be used while the GCE Advanced Level (A/L) examination is in progress. The examination, put off due to Cyclone Ditwah, recommenced yesterday.

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Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi expresses optimism that Sri Lanka is on the right path to progres

Published

9 hours ago

2026/01/13

Sahan Weerasooriya

FM Herath with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Vijitha Herath held productive discussions with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi today (12/01), during the latter’s brief visit to Sri Lanka.

The meeting aimed at further strengthening bilateral engagement and advancing the Strategic Cooperative Partnership between the two countries. Both Ministers reaffirmed the longstanding friendship and time-tested cooperation between Sri Lanka and China rooted in centuries of exchanges and consolidated since the establishment of diplomatic relations seven decades ago. The discussion also focused on enhancing partnership in the areas of trade, investment, development cooperation and tourism.

Minister Herath extended deep appreciation to the Government and the people of China for the steadfast support extended to Sri Lanka following cyclone Ditwah and requested further support for the second phase of resettlement, relocation and rebuilding, particularly for the restoration of affected infrastructure including identified roads, railways and bridges that are vital to connectivity, economic recovery and daily lives of people. Minister Wang assured China’s fullest support for this initiative and expressed confidence that Sri Lanka will continue its rapid recovery under the leadership of President Anura Kumara Disanayaka. He also welcomed the people-centric policies of the Government and expressed optimism that Sri Lanka is on the right path toward fulfilling aspirations of its people.

Minister Herath expressed appreciation for China’s constructive role in international fora and reiterated Sri Lanka’s firm commitment to the One China Policy and China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Both Ministers also recalled the successful high level exchanges in the recent past, including visits of the President and the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka to China in 2025.