Sri Lanka Navy’s contribution in the humanitarian operation:

Sri Lanka Navy: The golden fence around the country

With a proud history that spans over 59 years Sri Lanka Navy is aptly known as the “Golden fence around the country”.

Having eradicated the 30-year long brutal terrorism off the soil of Sri Lanka by battling it out on the high seas with an unsurpassed commitment to the protection of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Motherland, the Mother Lanka’s silent force of the blue ocean, Sri Lanka Navy is continuing its dedicated service for the nation.

Force at the sea

The brave and courageous sailors of Sri Lanka Navy was able to infuse new blood into the battlefield by destroying huge ships carrying weapons and ammunition for terrorists, marking a turning point at the humanitarian operation.

Sri Lanka Navy based at Command Headquarters at the Trincomalee Harbour fulfilled tremendous task playing a significant role in the Eastern warfront by maintaining sea route for essential food supply to innocent civilians trapped in the Northern peninsula, while avoiding the LTTE suicide attacks and keeping a strong barrier to totally disconnect the North and East LTTE supplies.

The brave sailors of the Sri Lanka Navy scarified their lives in their support to clear the route for advancing troops of the Army by embarking through marshy sea areas and giving the Naval gunfire support from the costal line while providing continuous sea transport for injured soldiers and civilians.

The Naval troops of the Vanni warfront consisted of officers and sailors who served in Eastern, Northern and North Central Naval commands during the humanitarian operation. The contribution of the Naval troops towards the victory of the Vanni warfront was very specific as they seized the LTTE supply routes they held using the land of the coastal line and Eastern and Western sea areas bordering the Vanni land area while protecting the advancing Army troops from LTTE attacks launched from sea.

They established four strong Naval defence barriers to avoid the escape of LTTE cadres through sea and trapped them into the land.

It is remarkable the way Naval troops rescued thousands of civilians who fled the LTTE custody amidst Sea tiger attacks and facilitated them with food and medicine using sea routes while launching heavy counter attacks on Sea Tigers to weaken their suicide threats.

Role in humanitarian operation

Well trained and well armed Naval troops diligently took part in the war at the Northern front, protecting the lives of innocent civilians in Northern islands.

They coordinated the unloading of essential food items at the four new jetties constructed at the Kankesanturai Harbour by the Navy with their expert Naval technology and veteran manpower and distributing those without delay.

Transport facilities by Navalcraft for military and police personnel worked at the Northern peninsula and food supply for them, blocking the sea supply routes of the LTTE, safeguarding the advancing Army troops along the land from possible attacks by the LTTE via sea and lagoon areas are the prominent tasks carried out by Naval troops.

The committed service rendered by professionally competent Naval personnel belonging to varied fields operated from Naval land bases in providing technical repairs and maintenance of all ships and vessels for continuous operational capability. Facilitation of essential goods, equipment, other services, medical and intelligence support was specific in achieving victory over terrorism.

Courtesy: Navy media