The happiness that came from the defeat of the terrorists is far evaporating in SL. There is a bitter battle being waged about personal security for VIPs with claims and counter claims between the Government and the former CDS. It has led to a FR case against the state.
Introduction
While there is a perfunctory nod to risk assessment most of it is about numbers (persons and vehicles) and possibly about egos and not real threats. The threat that existed pre 19 May 2009 has ended but from the way this security campaign has been joined it appears that hell hounds are after most of them. The people are compelled to read and listen and be shocked by claim and counter claim. Only the vultures seem to have profited.
Security - Diyatalawa Garrison 1971
Colonel John Russell the over 6 foot burly observant British Defence Attaché when visiting Diyatalawa (DLA) in 1971, sometime after the JVP insurgency, inquired as to the strength of armed guards in the Garrison. There were five (5) but the officer answering the question upgraded it to 6 better to impress the Colonel who told his audience that the British army had just 6 armed guards for the whole of Britain less Northern Ireland. These 6, all SAS, manned a radio relay station located in the Scottish hills connecting Westminster (House of British Parliament) with Stormont (the Northern Ireland Parliament). This was during the time of the ‘Cold War’ when nuclear war was a possibility in a country that had VPs (Vulnerable Points) like Nuclear Missile Launching sites, RAF and US Strategic Bomber Bases, a VVIP like the British Queen and a fast developing IRA terrorist threat.
British VIP security
The Queen
There are 4 sentries on duty at any one time from a guard consisting of 3 officers and 40 soldiers mainly from the Queen’s Guards at the entrance to each gate at the 2 palaces in London. (The Ceylon forces Coronation contingent also did guard duty there in 1953)
Prime Minister
In 1991 the IRA fired a mortar from a van parked in Whitehall at no 10 Downing Street, the British Prime Minister’s official residence, while he was having a meeting. The bomb landed in the big garden which is behind the 60 bed room building. There was only one police officer who stood at the entrance to No 10 and another behind the entrance door before this incident. There after entry to the street was blocked on both sides by a metal barrier behind which heavily armed policemen did duty and the entrance door of oak was strengthened with 6 sheets of steel.
Major security breaches in SL
In 1988 the SLAF guard room at Katunayake was taken over by a JVP infiltration group without firing a shot. In 2000 the LTTE devastated the same base again blowing up many SLAF aircraft. In 1993 Pooneryn with over 1000 soldiers was partially over run at night and in 1996 Mullativu with an equal strength was sadly wiped out. These and other debacles (Mankulam, Killinochchi) showed that it was not numbers alone that mattered. Morale, espirit d’corps, training and officer diligence amongst others was obviously lacking. There was also a bomb attack by the JVP inside Parliament
VIP Security
The idea of security by military chiefs post 1983 was more the number of troops, the better the security for VIPs both in offices and in residences. Guard rooms could not hold the additional numbers. Modern technology was introduced much later to enhance security together with improved physical barriers. Fortunately although there was an aborted air attack on SLAF HQ in 2009, there never were any attacks on the residences of the incumbent VIPs.
Roads were blocked for hours inconveniencing the public and retarding business in various parts of the city while escort vehicles either bullied or slaughtered other users of the roads. Having set oppressive standards for the VIPs, some of the providers then arrogated the same powers and privileges to themselves. This percolated mindlessly right down to Lieutenant Colonels and even retired senior officers. They would travel in official transport and wear their uniforms in public, to hospital, super markets and sporting events, escorted by body guards also in uniform. It took many years to learn that making themselves obvious targets in public was both silly and dangerous even if it gave them recognition. It also appeared from the way that official transport with at least one military escort was used, that every child of an officer whether a base ‘wallah’ or battlefield action man was a terrorist target. Traveling incognito was anathema to them. Having excessive ‘guards’ was considered a prized privilege.
Civilian security
Citizens including soldiers’ families facing the periodic suicide and land mine attacks in villages and towns had however to fend for themselves for nearly 30 years. They were resigned to bearing these burdens, however invidious, as long as the LTTE threat existed. There is no threat now as the LTTE has been wiped out. However the security forces could as in 1971 keep up the cry of wolf for as long as they want to continue to enjoy prominence and privileges. Citizen security was of low import to the state. It became second nature to them to be self reliant, having neighbourhood watches in the villages, physically checking people on buses and trains and in some cases using metal and bomb detectors in work places. Villages in the conflict zone were thoroughly exposed. At best they would have only lightly armed home guards protecting them. Until recently the citizens had as a result to pay a very high and terrible price for the lack of personal security. Fortunately due to the heroic armed forces, the police and the resuscitated home guards, the LTTE are no more. It does not however mean that SL can lower its guard but it does mean that fewer human resources are required and operating costs can be reduced accordingly as the threat has been reduced to a comparatively negligible if not very low level.
The enemy within
There were many killings by the LTTE with road side bombs and suicide bombers that took a heavy toll of troops, their commanders and tens of thousands of civilians. Some of the high profile failures of VIP security were due to the enemy within. The suicide bombing of President Premadasa by his trusted servant at a May Day parade, despite having treacherously ordered 3 Generals to gift the LTTE with weapons and arms did not stop them from blowing him up. Another President who was willing to get into a 10 year power and land share agreement with the LTTE was rewarded with a gift of a suicide bomber and saved by the body armour of her vehicle which fortunately stood between her and her ‘gift’. There were the killings of Vice Admiral Clancy Fernando by a suicide bomber and of Deputy Minister Ranjan Wijeratne with a road side bomb in Colombo and that of Maj Gen Janaka Perera (retired) by suicide bomber in Anuradhapura.
Finally there was the attempt on the Army Commander Lt Gen Sarath Fonseka inside Army HQ which must rank as the biggest breach of security ever. The ‘organizer ‘was his own cook for many years who obviously had not been properly if ever vetted, even negatively. In fact there is no proper positive vetting in the army of either officers or men which led to some officers and soldiers betraying the country undetected for a long time. Thus it will be seen that it is not the size or skill of the security contingent that matters but identifying the enemy within to begin with.
The Defence Secretary and Minister Devananda were next in order to face suicide blasts but happily and luckily they survived. Against suicide bombers most measures will only be successful for a time but against the enemy within all measures will be of very little if any use. Security begins at 2 ends. One is farthest from the target and should be taken as far out as possible and not at the door step how ever many guards there are, while the other is within and has to be detected swiftly. Of the two, the second is the bigger evil, especially now that the LTTE is no more.
Strength of Armed Forces –A comparison
Obviously SL does not need a big standing army now but it must have sufficient forces to deal with a repeat of terrorism by local extremists. Its standing armed forces are at a very impressive 266,700, with reserves and para militaries it numbers 344,100. In comparison Israel has 176,500 regulars (however all its able bodied citizens without exception are conscripted to serve the forces in times of war); Canada has 66,949, Ghana 7,000, Bangladesh 252,000, Malaysia 110,000, UK 208,000, and France 259,000. China has 2.2 million, India and Russia 1.4 million and the USA 1.4 million. Thus it is starkly clear that SL, now that the LTTE has been wiped out, has little reason to continue to have the luxury of an outsize defence force if it is going to fast track economic development. However its present strength can be used until the run out dates of individual contracts which can be as short as 5 years for infra structure development such as clearing land, road and bridge building for which its engineer regiments are eminently suited.
Comparative VIP security costs
Former President Musharaf is given protection/asylum in the UK and it costs the UK government 25,000 sterling pounds a day. (Pakistani Rupees 20 lakhs a day). Former President George Bush having retired to Dallas is entitled to a pension of US$ 196,000 plus traveling and medical budgets, security and staff. He had a tactical officer (police) also on duty but as this man cost US$300,000, the Dallas Police Chief made that post redundant. By law Bush will have no security after 10 years of retirement. There was no protest by him. There shouldn’t be any protests in SL when similar action is taken. Has it escaped the powers that be that personal security cannot be open ended for anyone, even for a former head of state? Do the costs not cause worry and need revision?
India spent Rs. 1000 crore on National security guards, government guards and police after the terrorist attack on the Parliament in Delhi. However the terrorist attack on Bombay in 2008 did little justice to the expenditure involved.
Security of the citizens
In what appears to be a raging tussle about security for some, the country may have forgotten how the ordinary citizen had to cope daily for nearly 30 years with LTTE terrorism which caused the country 100,000 dead of all communities including nearly 30,000 armed forces personnel and the JVP terror which caused 60,000 deaths, all Sinhalese. Fortunately both terror groups were wiped out. The citizens need a break now. Yet there are over 1,500 murders, 2,000 cases of manslaughter on the roads, nearly 2,000 rapes and 1500 grievous hurt cases and 1200 abductions annually. Of these just 328 plaints were made with regard to murder (of which only 60 were found guilty), 238 for rape and 181 for abduction and 611 for grievous hurt. There were also nearly 4,000 suicides and nearly 2 million road traffic accidents. These figures do not include deaths in work places due to lack of safety measures.
Does this place citizen security and safety ahead of much else including VIP security or will the life of ordinary citizens continue to be so very worthless?
What are the measures that will be taken to reduce these hugely distressing figures of violence against the citizens or is that not an issue for the big talkers at Diyawanna?
What is the proportion of policemen and their assets slated to protect the people compared to those protecting the powerful?
What technology will be used?
Or will the same methods that have already been found wanting continue regardless?
One IGP promised that CCTVs will be installed in Colombo and having said that he is as silent as a dormouse now as the CCTVs never showed up. Is personal security only for the VIPs, in service or retired?
Is all human life not worth the same or is it selective?
Are the lives of the ordinary people dispensable as they were during the war?
Are they then volunteers for certain death like soldiers on a fighting patrol?
Security for the fighting troops
We should at this time humbly and with heartfelt gratitude remember the heroism of our frontline troops who closed with the enemy, led by the young officers and company commanders and won many battles against terrible odds. The only security for the troops in battle were their regimental comrades. Many laid down their lives for their comrades, gallantly, especially those who were in the leading waves of the repeated assaults on enemy bund cum ditch defences and other strong points, exposed to withering enemy fire at close quarters. Their only choice was to go in with bayonet and bullet to kill or be killed.
Many died, were wounded or became disabled by mines but their comrades kept on relentlessly until the final battle and victory. Their bravery under fire more than anything else be it multi barrel rocket launcher or heavy medium, field gun or armoured vehicle supporting gun fire, air force or navy bombing, turned the tide. There were more Hasalaka heroes even though the embedded media crews missed their stories almost in toto, being too far behind the action.
The Commanding Generals and Brigadiers and the battalion commanders inspired them by making contact with them somehow in the thick of battle and congratulated them personally. There were many ‘Lions’ in those deadly battles, some unsung and unheard. They were the great, true and real heroes who hopefully will be recognized in time by the Army Commander and the nation.
Priority for citizens’ security
There is no terrorist threat now. When there was a threat, the people endured the deaths and the injuries to loved ones and damages to their homes and livelihoods in order that terrorism could be defeated. Is there now an intolerable and shocking mismatch?
The rich and the powerful may sleep in unbroken and restful peace as before but what of the ‘common’ and ‘ordinary’ people. Is it kiri and kakiri again?
Do the people have to continue to live their lives at the mercy of killers and robbers in their homes and at and on the journey to their work places every day of their lives?
It is high time that what has deteriorated into what appears to be a paranoid battle ends so the real threat that affects the citizens is given priority. The state must ensure that the while country’s security come first, the security of its citizens comes next and that of its leaders last, always. That will be true democracy that the majority yearns for.
Asian Tribune -
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