Navy ensures no rebirth of LTTE

Rafik JALALDEEN

The Navy will not allow any room for the re-emergence of terrorism in the country by preventing all external illegal actions taking place in local waters.

Navy Commander Vice Admiral Thisara Samarasinghe said the Naval troops in sea and land contributed to eradicate terrorism in the country. It is the duty of the Navy to protect the country from all illegal action taking place in the local waters. The terrorists used the sea route to bring arms and weapons.

“We will not allow any room for the re-emerge of the LTTE in the country.

The Navy will contribute its part to ensure the country’s peace,” he added.

He asserted that the Navy has more responsibility in the aftermath of war.

“The sea limit has been expanded and many other illegal activities are taking place in the territorial waters.

The Naval troops have the responsibility of monitoring and patrolling to protect the sea limit”, he added. A special team is conducting scientific research in the North of the Kalpitiya sea to figure out the possibility of oil exploration.

Navy Commander Samarasinghe said human smuggling is one of the main problems faced by the country. “We have reliable Intelligence information that some LTTE sympathizers and supporters living overseas are paying people money to leave the country on the context of refugees in order to show the world that Sri Lanka is not a safe place to live.

Among the arrested people were some LTTE cadres. Navy patrols have been deployed to surveillance such movements,” he added.

There are foreign ships including those of neighbouring countries such as Pakistan, India which are navigating in the local waters.

The Navy has to play its role according to maritime principles to facilitate and safeguard those ships in the local waters.

He reiterated that Indo-Lanka martime relations are in an excellent shape. Both countries have mutual understanding and good relationship in term of exchanging information. The Navy Commander noted that Indian fishermen were entering Sri Lankan waters illegally crossing the Palk Straits since there is a small gap between sea borders of both countries.

The Indian Navy and Coast Guard too are alerted. It is a situation where we need to manage and prevent them landing in our shores,” he remarked.