News

US keen to strengthen defence ties with SL despite alleged accountability issues

Published

5 years ago

2021/10/29

Rear Admiral YN Jayarathne addresses a section of the designated crew of the vessel taken delivery from the US (pic courtesy SLN

By Shamindra Ferdinando

The US is keen to further strengthen defence relations with Sri Lanka while calling for a probe into alleged accountability issues. Army Commander General Shavendra Silva, who is also the Chief of Defence Staff, has been blacklisted as an unwelcome visitor to the US.

In line with the US strategy, Sri Lanka Navy this week took delivery of Douglas Munro, the second Hamilton Class High Endurance Cutter formerly of the US Coast Guard at the U.S. Coast Guard Base in Seattle, Washington. Altogether, the SLN has received three vessels from the US with the first in 2005 during the war. The vessel was deployed in operations during the then SLN Chief Vice Admiral Wasantha Karanangoda’s time to hunt down the LTTE’s floating warehouses. Sri Lanka took delivery of the second vessel in 2018.

Chief of Staff of the Navy, Rear Admiral Y.N. Jayarathne led the SLN delegation to the event. Navy headquarters said that the vessel formally joined the SLN fleet on Oct. 26 under the pennant number P 627.

Authoritative political sources told The Island that the continuing US support for the SLN should be examined against the backdrop of ‘Quad’ security alliance comprising the US, India, Japan and Australia battling China for supremacy in this part of the world. Sources pointed out the increase in visits by Japanese warships since 2015 to Sri Lankan ports in the wake of the two countries entering into a Comprehensive Partnership Agreement.

Sri Lanka also re-entered ACSA (Acquisition and Cross Servicing Agreement) with the US in August 2017.

Designed for 187-member crew, Douglas Munro, measures 115m in length and is capable of achieving maximum speed of 29 knots and endurance of 14000 NM at cruising speed.

The designated SLN crew for the US vessel would undergo training and carry out necessary restoration of the vessel. The crew would be attached to the U.S. Coast Guard Base, Seattle over the next seven months as scheduled, and the vessel scheduled to sail in 2022. According SLN HQ, the voyage beginning from the Port of Seattle across the Pacific and Indian oceans to Sri Lanka will possibly be the longest ever sea voyage a Sri Lankan naval vessel has ever sailed in SLN history.

The SLN delegation included Captain Nimal Ranasinghe, Commanding Officer Designee P-627 and Captain Lanka Dissanayake, Commanding Officer Base Seattle.

At the behest of the US and its allies, Geneva-based United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) recently ordered a fresh investigation into accountability issues during the war and after.

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Geneva takes up Sallay’s case and govt. ignores opportunity to answer accusations

Published

50 mins ago

2026/10/5

Thilina Walpola

Suresh Sallay

The government has chosen not to respond to questions raised by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) regarding the detention of retired Maj. Gen. Suresh Sallay in connection with the ongoing investigations into the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) arrested the ex-official in late February this year. The Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health and the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers have jointly raised the issue on 20 July, 2026.

Drawing attention of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to what they called alleged arbitrary detention of Sallay, former Director General of the State Intelligence Service (SIS) and former Director of Military Intelligence (DMI), under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), as well as allegations of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment while in custody, resulting in the grave deterioration of his health, and imminent risks of retaliation through further torture and ill-treatment resulting in irreparable harm, should he be released from hospital and returned to custody, the UN sought the government explanation with a 60-day period.

The UN has stated: “This communication, and any response received from your Excellency’s Government, will be made public via the communications reporting website at the 60 days mark. Should your Excellency’s Government respond within 60 days, both the communication and the response, may be published before the 60 days mark. The communications and responses

will also be made available in the subsequent periodic report to be presented to the Human Rights Council.”

In the absence of the government’s response, the UN posted the letter, dated 20 July, 2026, addressed to President Dissanayake. The full letter can be accessed https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadPublicCommunicationFile?gId=31125

News

Section of wartime KKS High Security Zone vacated to facilitate economic development in the area

Published

51 mins ago

2026/10/5

Thilina Walpola

The Army, last week, vacated an area, within the wartime high security zone in the Jaffna peninsula. The Defence Ministry said that an extent of 187.56 acres of land, belonging to the Cement Corporation in Kankesanthurai, Jaffna, has been released by the military. The released land, located in Grama Niladhari Division J/233, Kankesanthurai West, within the Valikamam North (Tellippalai) Divisional Secretariat Division, had been utilised by the Sri Lanka Army since the middle of 1997.

The release of the 187.56-acre extent forms part of the initiative to make State land available for the proposed investment zone in Kankesanthurai, thereby facilitating future investment and economic development in the area.

News

Lawyer lodges complaint against Govt. Printer, Media Ministry Secy.

Published

52 mins ago

2026/10/5

Thilina Walpola

A complaint has been lodged with the Colombo Fraud Investigation Bureau against the Government Printer and the Secretary to the Ministry of Media regarding the online release of falsified documents bearing a forged Speaker’s certificate.

Attorney-at-Law Aruna Laksiri has lodged a complaint with the Colombo Fraud Investigation Bureau requesting legal action against the Government Printer of the Department of Government Printing (No. 118, Dr. Danister de Silva Mawatha, Colombo 08), Prasanna Jayaratne, and the Secretary to the Ministry of Mass Media (Asidisi Medura, 163, Kirulapone Mawatha, Polhengoda, Colombo 05), Dr. Anil Jasinghe.

The complaint alleges the commission of offences by forging and uploading falsified documents online using a forged Speaker’s certification, failure to perform statutory duties, and misappropriation of public property.

The complaint states that a copy of the English translation of the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution was downloaded and printed from the official website of the Government Printing Department (www.documents.gov.lk), which operates under the Ministry of Mass Media. On its outer cover and on page 1, the text “certified on 25th of September, 2026” is inscribed inside brackets.

The complaint pointed out that the Speaker has certified an English translation. Under Articles 23, 79, 83, and 80 of the Constitution, Parliament enacts laws and the Speaker certifies bills strictly in the Sinhala and Tamil languages; under the Constitution, therefore the Speaker cannot apply such certification to an English translation.