Being in the eye of a po litical storm over co habitation with the UNF Government seems to have not deterred President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga from asserting herself as Commander-in-Chief of the nation's armed forces.

As Opposition and Government leaders traded allegations against each other, she chaired a meeting of the National Security Council (NSC) last Wednesday.

This is after she had stopped summoning NSC sessions since April 2 this year, when the last meeting was held. The fact that she chose to do so after 18 weeks underscored its importance.

During a marathon three and half hour session, President Kumaratunga is learnt to have discussed a gamut of security related issues including mattersrelating to the UNF-Tiger guerrilla Ceasefire Agreement of February 22. The meeting appears to have given her the opportunity to fully update herself on various developments in the security establishment.

So much so, she reminded during her address to the nation on Friday night that the Constitution provides for the person holding the office of the President to be Head of State, Head of Government, Head of the Cabinet and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. She was also to affirm she will "not hesitate for a moment to exercise the executive powers" vested in her to prevent what she called the "dismemberment of this country and to avert any serious dangers that the country may be called upon to face."

A conspicuous absentee at the NSC meeting was Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. However, Defence Minister Tilak Marapana, Defence Secretary Austin Fernando, the three service chiefs - Lt. Gen. Lionel Balagalle (Army), Vice Admiral Daya Sandagiri (Navy) and Air Marshal Donald Perera (Air Force)-and Inspector General of Police Lucky Kodituwakku were present.

For the first time since the UNF was voted to power, the heads of two leading State intelligence agencies also took part. They were Felix Alles, DIG, Director of the Directorate of Internal Intelligence (DII) and Brigadier Kapila Hendavithana, Director, Military Intelligence. During the tenure of the PA regime, Cyril Herath, a former Police Chief who functioned as Director General of DII (and also the Directorate of Foreign Intelligence) represented the intelligence community.

One of the important areas where attention was focused on, The Sunday Times learnt, was the withdrawal of the security forces from places of worship, school and public buildings in accordance with provisions of the Ceasefire Agreement. Major General Shantha Kottegoda, Army's Director General - General Staff, is learnt to have made a detailed presentation with charts and maps to confirm that a troop pull out was fully complete.

It is the Army's position that troop withdrawals, particularly in the North, has been to the closest camp. Such camps, it has been pointed out, were located within a kilometre at the most, barring one exception. Hence, it was the Army's official view that the move will not compromise security. It holds the view that local contingencies could therefore be met.
However, some senior and experienced officers whom I spoke with do not share this view. For obvious reasons they did not wish to be identified. They argue that the very basis on which troops were deployed in some areas, in places of worship, public buildings and schools, underscored the importance of having them in those locations. "They not only dominated the ground. They were on location to provide intelligence feedback and ready for rapid deployment. This is now denied to the troops," said one senior officer.

"Whatever arguments are adduced, they cannot deny that these withdrawals have contributed to a 'security vacuum.' When areas in both the North and East are taken into account, this 'vacuum' is glaring," says another. All of them were agreed the provision for such withdrawals in the Ceasefire Agreement is ill conceived with regard to security and had obviously not been carefully studied before. Hence, the security forces have now been forced to make the best out of the situation. Location of troops by setting up their own camps has not yet begun. Identifying locations for such camps will be no easy task, particularly in the wake of intelligence warnings of likely 'civilian protests' of troop intrusions into their areas.

Another subject of discussion, The Sunday Times learnt was training. At present troops are being trained largely at the Army Training School in Maduru Oya. Already 16 battalions have gone through a six-week training process. Another is the Infantry Training School at Minneriya where a battalion is being trained at a time. Volunteer battalions are also being trained at Sinhapura (an area under the Army's 23 Division) and at Bogoda, Malwatu Oya (under the Security Forces Command, Wanni). Here too, a single volunteer battalion is being trained in each area.

Various training programmes with United States assistance under the Joint Combined Exercise and Training (JCET) programme have been going on. Recently, there has been training in psychological operations, public relations and close quarter battle. Lately, an element of ad hocism appears to have crept in with various interested groups or parties bringing in their own 'principals' from other countries to carry out training for the security forces. They are both at Government and private levels. These are for the payment of colossal amounts of money. At least in one instance, The Sunday Times learnt, the would be trainers are said to possess much less skills, professionalism or experience than their local counterparts though the fee they demand could easily help raise another security arm of the state.

In bringing in foreign training assistance it should be well remembered that the officers and men of the Sri Lankan Security Forces, particularly the Army, have an average combat training that is required will have to be of specific nature to bridge any shortcomings that have manifested themselves in the combat experience of the security forces. One example, to illustrate the point, would be in the field of intellingence. The dangers some of these ad hoc measures would cause to the security forces, unfortunately, will surface only after the monies are spent and the damage is done. Such adhoc measures are superfluous from the experience foreign trainers brought earlier.

More have benefited personally from the spin offs than the organisations from the services obtained.

Interestingly, Wednesday's National Security Council meeting came at a time when the UNF Government is preparing blueprints for a complete overhaul of the nation's security apparatus. As a prelude to the formulation of legislation, a three member committee has already embarked on the process of how to bring about these changes. The Committee is headed by Defence Secretary Austin Fernando and comprises a former Army Commander (and one time Sri Lanka envoy in Australia), Gen. Denis Perera and Charitha Ratwatte, the Treasury Secretary, who has creditably been keeping a scrupulous watch over providing funds for the security forces and the Police for procurement of equipment.

The first task of this reforms committee has been to call upon the Army, Navy and the Air Force to make recommendations on the following matters:

Recommendations on the composition and functioning of:

(a) The National Security Council

(b) The Ministry of Defence

(c) Any Joint Command of the Forces or Co-ordinating Headquarters

(d) The Headquarters of each of the Armed Forces

(e) The Headquarters of any subordinate Commands.

The Army, Navy and the Air Force have appointed their own Board of Officers to study the above matters and formulate reports for their respective Commanders. Thereafter, each service is to provide the three member Committee with an audio visual presentation.

Contrary to earlier expectations, that the now dormant Joint Operations Headquarters - the unified military apparatus that co-ordinated counter terrorist operations - would be strengthened through legislation with a military officer with wide powers heading it, there appears to be second thoughts on the issue now. Whether a joint mechanism would remain in place or not will now depend on the recommendations to be made by the three services.

The general consensus among the three Boards of Officers is on the need to have a tri-service co-ordinating mechanism. Hence, a joint body of some sort will be in place though it is not clear whether that will have the same powers of the present JOH or more.

Despite millions of rupees being spent for its operation every month, the Joint Operations Headquarters (JOH) now remains virtually non-functional. The question posed is whether such a unified mechanism is for co-ordination or command. The only activity at present is a Monday powwow of service commanders chaired by Defence Secretary Austin Fernando, the first non military officer in Sri Lanka's post independent history to overlook the work of a Chief of Defence Staff (CDS)-a post held by the country's highest ranking military officer. The post fell vacant after its last incumbent, General Rohan de S. Daluwatte, retired to take up appointment as Sri Lanka's Ambassador to Brazil. These meetings are confined to reviewing brief intelligence assessments given by officials from some agencies. Besides this, discussions are said to centre on mundane issues. An example would be the attention focused on rumours about a political coup at last Monday's meeting.

With troop withdrawals, training and a multitude of other developments taking place under a ceasefire, a JOH which is being funded with public funds being made to remain inactive, that too with a civilian head, has virtually negated the purposes for which it was established. If not during war, in peacetime it could have been utilised for more important roles like monitoring the various military aspects of the Ceasefire Agreement, measures arising out of it and in ensuring tri-services and Police co-ordination in this regard. It could have even played a supplementary role in dealing with deserters who have been identified as the main elements responsible for the phenomenal rise in crime and murder which is today the biggest security hazard to the country The personnel and infrastructure for such activity already exists.

Whilst a major re-organisation of the security forces is now pending, identifying successors or confirming those holding top positions in the security forces has also drawn the attention of the defence establishment.

The Ministry of Defence last week recommended an year's extension of service to Vice Admiral Daya Sandagiri, who is due to retire on September 1 this year, upon reaching his retirement age of 55 years. Born on September 1, 1947, Vice Admiral Sandagiri joined the Navy on November 14, 1966 and was commissioned on July 1, 1973. This recommendation still awaits the attention of President Chandrika Kumaratunga, Commander-in-Chief.

Army Commander Lt. Gen. Lionel Balagalle, is due to retire on September 30 this year. No successor has yet been recommended by the Ministry of Defence though Chief of Staff, Maj. Gen. Lohan Gunawardena, is the likely successor.

In the Sri Lanka Air Force, the appointment of a Chief of Staff, is yet to be made. The matter, however, is likely to be delayed. The next in line for this post is Air Commodore Laksen Salgado, currently Director of Operations but his name is said to have figured adversely in the SLAF Court of Inquiry that probed last year's Tiger guerrilla attack on the Katunayake base and the adjoining international airport.

Meanwhile Army Headquarters has announced fresh postings for some senior officers.

Brigadier Sumith Balasuriya, Director Operations at the Joint Operations Headquarters, has been named as officiating General Officer Commanding 23 Division. He succeeds Maj. Gen. Sunil Tennekoon, who is assigned for a course at the National Defence College, Pakistan. Brig. Niranjan Ranasinghe will take over as Director Operations (JOH) in addition to being assigned to the Ministry of Defence to help in the three member Committee on Military Reforms.

Brigadier Mohan Sumanasena has been named Brigadier (General Staff) (Security) at Headquarters of the Logistics Commander. He will cease to be attached to Headquarters of 11 Division. He will be succeeded by Brig. L.M. Tennekoon, who has been posted to the Security Forces Headquarters, Jaffna. Brigadier Asoka Thoradeniya has been appointed Additional Director (Welfare) at Army Headquarters. Brigadier Sanath Karunaratne has been appointed Deputy GOC, Headquarters 22 Division (Weli Oya). Brigadier P. Chandrawansa will function as Deputy GOC of Headquarters 23 Division.

It seems appropriate that many developments in the security establishment are taking place during a truce. Otherwise, it would have created more chaos to an already confused situation where there appears to be very little cohesive command and control from the apex.

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