Mullikulam Naval Area Headquarters:

Booster to country’s first line of defence

By Ranil WIJAYAPALA

Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Navy Commander Vice Admiral Thisara Samarasinghe

Sri Lanka which had just emerged from the debris of the conflict after eradicating the menace of three decades of terrorism should have a proper security plan to prevent terrorism raising its head again.

There is no doubt the remnants of the LTTE in foreign countries are making fresh efforts to resort to terrorism again in Sri Lanka by smuggling arms and ammunition to the country.

Therefore, it is vital for Sri Lanka defence authorities to make its territorial waters unaccessible to terror activities.

The LTTE had smuggled heavy weapons and ammunition by sea after purchasing them from many locations across the world. That more than 10 LTTE ships destroyed by the Sri Lanka Navy in the deep seas, bears testimony to this.

It is easy to understand, how they had exploited our territorial waters to achieve their terror ends by strengthening their fire power to that of the Sri Lanka Army as we are still unearthing arms and ammunition stocks in different locations in Wanni.

Therefore, keeping the sea around this tiny island free from smugglers and terror activities has become one of the top priorities of the Sri Lankan defence forces in the current post-conflict environment.

The Sri Lanka Navy is making its best efforts to strengthen country’s first line of defence by setting up new camps to strengthen their presence in the shore.

The shifting of the North Western Naval area headquarters from Puttalam to strategically important Mullikulum area was a part of the Sri Lanka Navy’s plan to have better monitored sea area in the country.

The new North Western Naval Area Headquarters was declared open by the Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa along with Navy Commander Vice Admiral Thisara Samarasinghe recently.

“Keeping a very good control over the sea around the country is vital to create a better security situation to avoid re-emergence of terrorism in Sri Lanka”, Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa said after opening the new North Western Area Command headquarters in Mullikulum.

“He said that the Sri Lanka Navy has been vested with a huge responsibility in safeguarding the territorial waters of the country to ensure a better security because of the possibility of LTTE raising its head again in smuggling weapons by sea.

The Defence Secretary further noted that opening and relocation of Navy camps will support the endeavour of safeguarding the sea without allowing terror activities to take place using the sea and the coastal belt.

“The establishment of the new North Western Naval Area Headquarters, in Mullikulum, is a step towards enhancing the country’s first line of defence”, the Defence Secretary said.

According to Navy Spokesman, Captain Athula Senerath, the North Western Naval Area Headquarters was first established in December 2008 to control the sea area from Udappuwa in Puttalam to Arippu in South of Mannar towards the India-Sri Lanka Maritime Boundary Line.

“This new Naval Area Headquarters was established in December 2008 after taking a part of the Western Naval Area which expanded from Thalaimannar to Hikkaduwa in the Western coast and had its headquarters in Puttalam”, Captain Athula Senerath added.

Earlier Sri Lanka Navy had only five Naval Area Headquarters: Northern Area Headquarters to control from North of Talaimannar in the North Western coast to Chalai in the North Eastern coast, Eastern Naval area from Chalai to Sangamankanda, Southern Naval Area from Sangamankanda to Hikkaduwa, Western Naval Area from Hikkaduwa to Mannar and the North Central Naval Area.

With the liberation of North Western coast, the North Central Naval Area was expanded upto Thalaimannar.

The shifting of the North-Western Naval Headquarters from Puttalam to Mullikulam enables the North Western Naval Command to safeguard the waters and land under its purview more effectively by conducting prompt and sustainable Naval operations at sea, lagoons and on land in accordance with the national policies, he added.

Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa after unveiling the plaque. Chief of Defence Staff and Air Force Commander Air Marshal Roshan Goonetilleke, Army Commander Lt. Gen. Jagath Jayasuriya and the Navy Commander Vice Admiral Thisara Samarasinghe

According to Captain Senerath the North Western Naval Area consists of SLNS Theraputta in Silawathura, SLNS Barana in Mullikuluma, SLNS Vijaya in Kalpitiya and SLNS Thambapanni in Puttalam. Rear Admiral Ruwan Dias functions as the Commander, North Western Naval Area.

Prior to liberation of the North Western coast, the area was used for terror and other illegal activities such as arms smuggling of the LTTE.

“As the coastal area is leading to the Wilpattu jungle the LTTE could make use of it for their terrorist activities”, Captain Senerath added.

According to the Defence Authorities it was the most convenient route for the Tiger cadres to transport explosives, suicide kits and suicide cadres to the South through the Wilpattu jungle as they could easily access the areas in the Western province.

“Even today the area is vulnerable to many illegal activities such as smuggling and other major rackets. Therefore, the presence of the Sri Lanka Navy in the area will be a boon to curb all illegal activities in the area”, Captain Senerath added.

The presence of the Naval troops in Wilpattu area also helps people to make use of the Puttalam - Mannar road going through Wilpattu to reach Mannar. “The Sri Lanka Navy is restoring the road which was abandoned due to terror activities”, he added.

The functions of the North Western Naval Command include the exercise of the Naval command and control from the general area, Udappuwa to Arippu, denial of the use of sea and land routes to the enemy in its general area.

The Naval troops will also assist the development of the fisheries activities in the area providing protection for the fishermen.Preventing illicit immigration and emigration, and smuggling, providing assistance to local authorities to prevent drug trafficking, poaching, deforestation and sand mining will also form part of their responsibilities.

The Navy will also assist the authorities to maintain the road network from Eluwankulama to Arippu, Kondachchikuda to Mahavilachchiya and Silavathura to Araviaru, helping displaced civilians to resettle in liberated areas and providing support to Government agencies for reconciliation and rehabilitation projects.

“But our main aim is to keep the entire sea area around the country free of illegal and terror activities as stipulated by Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa and to avoid re-emergence of terrorism in the country”, Captain Senerath added.

He said that the Sri Lanka Navy is planning to establish new Navy camps along the coastal belt from Jaffna to Mullaitivu to Alampil in Trincomalee South to Batticaloa to Sangamankanda and Yala area.