Challenges before new Navy Commander

Tuesday, 20 December 2022 02:25 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

This week, President Ranil Wickremesinghe appointed Vice Admiral Priyantha Perera as the 25th Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy. This follows the retirement of Admiral Nishantha Ulugetenne.

Vice Admiral Perera has a service record of 35 years and has held several key commands including as the Commanding Officer of the elite Special Boat Squadron. He has a Master’s degree in defence studies and is an officer of the US Naval War College, Rhode Island. Vice Admiral Perera is taking over the command of the Navy at a crucial time when Sri Lanka is facing its worst ever economic crisis and there is a consensus to reduce military spending that has been disproportionate to requirements since the end of the ethnic conflict in 2009.

As Sri Lanka embarks on this difficult economic recovery it must rein in on military expenditure and address the more dire needs of a suffering population. Sri Lanka which ranks at 58 according to the size of its population size, has the 17th largest military in the world. As a percentage of GDP, Sri Lanka spends nearly 2% on military expenses, an extraordinarily high amount for a country that does not face an existential security threat. The need for reduction in defence spending should go hand in hand with a rationalising of spending and prioritising of key sectors. In this context it is vital that there be significant focus on the navy.

Unlike the Army which has struggled to define its meaningful role after the end of the conflict, venturing into numerous civilian areas of the economy including agriculture and hospitality, the Navy has a continuous and vital role in ensuring the maritime security of the country and the greater Indian Ocean region. Maintaining the safe sea lanes around Sri Lanka is crucial for international trade. The Navy along with the coast guard also has a key role to play in addressing human trafficking, narcotics and weapons smuggling and such non-traditional threats. It is therefore necessary to maintain a viable fleet and well-trained personnel to deliver on these duties.

On the human rights front, the Navy is accused of involvement in some very heinous violations and there has hardly been any internal effort to address these concerns. Members of an intelligence unit of the Navy were accused in a ring to abduct, hold to ransom, and execute mostly Tamil men. The case better known as the “Navy eleven” has now stalled after political interference but has seen some progress during the 2015-2019 period. The case involving the killing of at least 11 civilians has become emblematic of the impunity with which the military operated, even after the end of the conflict in 2009. This case has implicated at least two former Navy Commanders for the cover-up and interference in the investigations.

In recent years the Navy, more than any other branch of the military, has received significant international assistance in enhancing its capacity. If the Navy is to emerge as a modern, effective and respected institution it must address its past record, especially concerning human rights and humanitarian law violations. In these times of economic crisis, the new Commander Vice Admiral Priyantha Perera will have a difficult task in steering the Navy into an effective force that is universally respected. This newspaper wishes him well.