Defence establishment that doesn’t know its place

Former Deputy Speaker Chandima Weerakkody raising a matter of privilege in Parliament last week alleged that he was threatened by the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence over his remarks on the excessive use of vehicles by top military officials. The MP claims that Defence Secretary Kamal Gunaratne gave him several threatening phone calls after the waste in his ministry was raised in Parliament.

In discussions within the sectoral oversight committee Weerakkody had pointed out that instead of reducing the number of soldiers, attention should be paid on curbing unnecessary expenditures by high-ranking officials, including the Defence Secretary.

Weerakkody is correct to point out the expenditure and wastage incurred by the Defence Ministry. Sri Lanka which ranks at 58 according to the size of its population size has the 17th largest military in the world. In the 2022 budget, the highest allocation was made to the Ministry of Defence. Even while a pandemic was raging in the country allocations for healthcare were reduced and expenditure on education has remained stagnant for years.

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. In addition, unlike other countries, Sri Lanka does not have a military industrial sector that produces weapons or ammunition, either for itself or for export. Therefore, much of the capital expenditure incurred by the military is primarily for imports that hardly create any economic activity within the country other than for commissions for a selected few.

There are numerous examples of colossal waste and allegations of corruption regarding the money allocated to the military. The massive defence ministry complex partially constructed at Akuregoda, the selling of the army headquarters’ land at the heart of Colombo, and corruption, numerous allegations during weapons procurement are examples. It is necessary to address the issue of military expenditure in addition to the issue of unprecedented militarisation since the end of the conflict. As Sri Lanka faces its worst economic crisis in history, it is essential not only to drastically curtail military spending but evaluate and redefine its role to suit a democratic country which is not at war.

The Sri Lankan military is also on very thin ice when it comes to human rights and adherence to the law. It has for years been accused of numerous human rights and humanitarian law violations. Since 1971 the military along with the police were responsible for over 100,000 extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances. The division led by the current Secretary of Defence during the final phase of the war is among those that have come under severe scrutiny for alleged war crimes. More recently elements of the military have been accused of colluding with the terrorists who carried out the country’s deadliest attacks, the Easter Sunday massacre that killed more than 260 civilians. To this date there has not been a credible investigation into these alleged crimes nor a single individual held accountable.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe as the Minister in Charge of Defence is duty bound to inquire and take actions over the alleged conduct of the Secretary of his Ministry. At the very least he should educate Kamal Gunaratne on the role of the military within a democratic society and the fundamental concept of civilian control of the military.