At the auspicious hour of 8.22 a.m. on January 6, amidst the chant of
seth pirith, retired Army Commander General Rohan de S. Daluwatte, placed
his signature on a letter to Chandrananda de Silva, Secretary, Ministry
of Defence.
That first communication symbolically marked the commencement of the
Joint Operations Bureau (JOB). As Chairman, Gen. Daluwatte's first act
was to write to the Defence Secretary on an official matter.
That short ceremony at the upper floor in a building at the Army Headquarters
complex was preceded by the lighting of the traditional oil lamp. With
that over, Gen. Daluwatte in a shirt and tie and his associate members
of the JOB – Army Commander, Lt. Gen. Srilal Weerasooriya, Navy Commander,
Rear Admiral Cecil Tissera, Air Force Commander, Air Marshal Jayalath Weerakkoddy
and Inspector General of Police, Lucky Kodithuwakku – came down the stairway
for a multi-religious ceremony. They were all in their uniforms.
Taking part were religious dignitaries from Buddhist, Christian, Hindu
and Muslim faiths. Later, all present joined for a customary meal of kiribath
and accompanying dishes.
Gen. Daluwatte sat down for the first meeting of the JOB attended by
the service chiefs and the IGP. The Police Chief withdrew earlier to attend
another official engagement.
Gen. Daluwatte, in a brief speech to the service chiefs, gave a brief
of his plans and pointed out it was not his intention to interfere in the
running of the respective services. That remained the absolute responsibility
of the commanders, he explained.
But hardly had Gen. Daluwatte's letter reached Defence Secretary, de
Silva, when Army Commander, Lt. Gen. Srilal Weerasooriya, dropped a bombshell.
He moved from the opening ceremony of the JOB for a press conference
at his office at Army Headquarters with selected journalists. There, he
declared, what his Commander-in- Chief, the President, or the Ministry
of Defence should have said.
This is how the Daily News of January 7 reported Lt. Gen. Weerasooriya's
news conference under the headline 'JOB RESPONSIBLE ONLY TO NSC HEADED
BY PRESIDENT'.
"The newly formed Joint Operations Bureau (JOB) headed by former
Army Commander General Rohan de S. Daluwatte, would be responsible only
to the National Security Council (NSC) headed by the President, said Army
Commander, Lieutenant General Srilal Weerasooriya, at a press conference
yesterday.
"He also said that JOB is also authorised to co-ordinate strategic
military plans and operations conducted by the three forces and the Police.
"The Commander further said that JOB is vested with the responsibility
of advising the President on military matters and seeing to the implementation
of directions given by the NSC.
"It, however, differs from the old Joint Operations Command (JOC)
and in that it would not directly get involved in operations", he
said. There is no command responsibilities, it (JOB) does not command,
it only co-ordinates", Lt. Gen. Weerasooriya added.
"JOB which is staffed by officers attached to the three forces
and the Police will have only operational authority and no administrative
authority over the services and the Police, he added.
Gen. Weerasooriya was, of course, confirming what this column exclusively
reported last week that "…. one of the key guidelines on which the
JOB has been required to operate becomes very significant. The Chairman
of the JOB has been made answerable directly to the President and the National
Security Council".
However, the fact that Gen. Weerasooriya, was speaking on an official
policy matter that was the prerogative of the President, who is the Commander-in-Chief
or the Ministry of Defence, caused acute embarrassment in official quarters.
Adding to that was speculation in opposition quarters that the Government
had, formally through the Army Commander, made it clear whom the JOB was
answerable to. Adding currency was the fact that it had been publicised
in a state run newspaper thus giving the declaration an official stamp.
Some of their glee was based on the belief that it had now been officially
made clear that Deputy Defence Minister, Anuruddha Ratwatte, would no longer
be singularly involved in initiating and enforcing strategic plans for
counter terrorist operations.
Though the setting up of the JOB will specifically mean that President
Kumaratunga and the National Security Council will be collectively responsible
for evolving strategic plans, a distinct diversion from the past four and
half years when Minister Ratwatte had directed the campaign, there was
no official brief from the Government for Lt. Gen. Weerasooriya to make
a formal announcement. In fact, until the JOB began its operations formally
on Wednesday morning, no official announcement had been made about its
role.
It was Director of Military Intelligence, Military Spokesman and Director,
Media and Army Headquarters, Brigadier Sunil Tennakoon, who put together
this "limited" press conference. Lt. Gen. Weerasooriya, only
last week warned his senior officers against giving information to the
media, saying only he, his deputy and the military spokesman were authorised
to do so. He warned he would take stern action against those responsible.
And here was Lt.Gen. Weerasooriya speaking on the JOB.
Lt. Gen. Weerasooriya's declaration became the talking point not only
in diplomatic circles but also in the upper echelons of the security forces.
Many were seeing deeper meaning and sharper nuances.
In an apparent damage control exercise, the Operational Headquarters
of the Ministry of Defence, put out a news release on Wednesday afternoon.
It was signed by Brigadier Tennakoon. This is what it said:
The Joint Operations Bu reau was established on 06 January, 1999, under
the Chairmanship of Gen. Rohan de S. Daluwatte. The Bureau consists of
the Chairman, the three Service Commanders and the IGP. The Directors of
Operations of the three services and their parallels in the Police will
function as associate members of the JOB. This will be staffed by the officers
from all three services and the Police.
"The Chairman will work through the respective service commanders
for the implementation of all matters pertaining to operations. The respective
service commanders will be responsible to achieve the objectives/tasks
spelt out by the JOB.
"The Joint Operations Bureau will be responsible for the following:
a. Prepare strategic plans in consultation with the three Service Commanders
and present to the National Security Council.
b. Co-ordinate the planning of operations based on the directions given
by the NSC. Co-ordinate and control the development of resources. Monitor
the progress of all operations. Co-ordinate civil administration where
necessary after restoring civil administration".
The five points enumerated above at present form the mandate given to
Gen. Daluwatte in a letter Defence Secretary de Silva wrote appointing
him Chairman of the JOB. In terms of this, the JOB as it is presently constituted,
is an advisory body.
The fact that Gen. Daluwatte has been appointed in his capacity as a
retired General and not re-called from the reserve list for service, has
made it clear that his role as Chairman at present is in a civilian capacity.
That for a career military officer who served in uniform until he became
Army Commander and retired from that post. He is, however, now expected
to continue with a military task in civilian attire. A paradoxical situation
when one looks at politicians who can freely wear the uniform of a General
(and even uniforms worn by other service commanders) to "conduct'
a war.
Lt. Gen. Weerasooriya is certainly not known as a "loose canon".
On the contrary, he is considered to be a very proper person both in speech
and conduct. Whatever be the functional responsibilities of the JOB, the
fact is that it is associated with the direction of defence planning at
a level higher than armed forces headquarters.
Hence defining what its role was to be, by the Army Commander, especially
before its functions were even defined by the President or the Ministry
of Defence, if it was to be considered to be a gaffe, out of grain with
the character of Lt. Gen. Weerasooriya.
Hence his press conference declaration was seen as having more meaning
to it than an innocuous announcement. In the context of the past direction
of the war, particularly after "Operation Jaya Sikurui" (Victory
Assured), the statement was regarded by many as being a soft comment on
plans to streamline the politico-military balance in planning.
An aspect that was seen as being tuned more by the need of political
exigencies than by military dictates. Speculation is that the declaration
cushioned the harder impact of any politics in the issue, had it come from
the President or from the Ministry of Defence.
It was viewed as being a shuffle of command and control at the highest
level. And as being a compromise in the politico-military balance in planning
the conduct of the war.
As "Operation Jaya Sikurui" dragged on, the higher direction
of the war came increasingly under question. Even at the senior levels
of the armed forces, the sense of this strategy came under comment.
Though, Minister Ratwatte spared no energy to give political leadership
to that operation, it became evident as time went on, one and half years
of it, that this strategy was not producing any desired results. The toll
on human life, the high rate of the wounded, the cost of equipment casualties
and the expenditure on material resources stood witness to this exorbitant
strategy. The attrition on its progress questioned the wisdom of a single
option strategy. Yet, it was pursued with political doggedness until the
President intervened to rethink.
In evaluating "Operation Jaya Sikurui", amongst the many questions
that arise, is on the efficiency of the command, control and planning.
In that regard, whether military professionalism was subordinated to political
whim and individual aggrandisement is also a matter of relevance.
Clearly, hindsight demanded a centralised command structure both at
the higher level of military command as well as at the theatre level. This
would bring about not only rationalised politico-military planning at the
national level but also ensure the joint application of strategies.
Whether JOB fits into that requirement is questionable. From the looks
of its mandate, JOB seems to be an advisory and co-ordinating body, which
is an adjunct of the National Security Council. Since it has no command
function, its answerability and accountability is to that extent limited.
In evaluating military operations, their planning and execution over
the years of conflict, what has been significantly lacking is that of answerability.
Sure there have been some victories and successful operations for which
there have been many claimants, some even accompanied with political theatrics.
There have also been many debacles for which no one seems to have been
found accountable, at least judging from the fact that some who have been
in command in those situations have gone UP and rather than DOWN.
The enormous expenditure on defence procurements further enhanced the
need for evaluated purchase of task oriented equipment in proportion to
needs. Reports of rampant corruption are prevalent. The affluent life styles
of some in the security forces, serving and retired, lend credence to such
allegations. This aspect too calls for strong command and control structures.
Whether JOB can meet the lacuna of command and control that prevails
without full authority is to be seen. At the moment, it appears to be more
of a superimposed organisation that will have to grope its way to find
a role rather than fit into a deliberated slot in the command structure.
Taraki's Column
Editorial/Opinion Contents
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