Promotion of common strategies and procedures:

Confronting maritime challenges

By registering a particular ship in a country, that country should be held responsible and be answerable to all its actions and not be able to conveniently evade from the responsibility.

[Defensive steps against terrorist / pirates ]

* Equipping all ships with Day / Night Vision Electro Optical Devices.

*Equipping all ships with satellite phones

* Introduction of a ship satellite tracking system.

* A weapon which fire darts transmitting a high volt shock and immobilizes a suspect temporarily.

*A non-lethal electrifying fence surrounding the whole ship using a high volt pulse to deter boarding attempts.

Counter measures

To make some headway on this issue there is a lot to do at national and international level. Counter measures in many countries are not yet sufficient. Neither are national anti-piracy laws implemented, nor the laws are adequate to deter piracy. Therefore improving the states law and regulations, increasing the efficiency of law enforcement authorities, ratifying conventions and international cooperation shall remain the pillar to fight against piracy.

Extending assistance and guidance to the country where piracy is generated may also be among the options considered.

Other aspect of aiding all illegal activities is found one compulsory and common item, ‘weapons’. From where they come and how they come is worth a closer look and attention.

Addressing maritime challenges

The relationship between gunrunning and terrorist organizations is well known. It is extremely difficult to control one without controlling the other. Gunrunning by sea is by far the safest means for transferring arms and ammunition around the world.

I proudly say Sri Lanka Navy was capable in detecting and was able to destroy many ships of the terrorist thousands of NM away from our shores. It was confirmed that some of these ships were virtually floating warehouses full of war like material readily available for employment in any illegal activity that may be.

Whilst regional cooperation between navies and Coast Guards must take centre stage in the emerging order it is our duty as navies of the region to ‘channelize’ efforts towards addressing maritime challenges. Previous efforts to combat these problems have been mostly bilateral and there is a near total absence of effective multilateral approach to combat maritime threats. But it is encouraging to note that many organizations and regional navies have been active in hosting seminars and discussions but most states have yet to incorporate their suggestions in their national policies and put them to practice.

Further establishment of command centres or integrated centres comprising regional navies and Coast Guards is also another option and need be formed at important ports near strategic choke points to enable rapid and coordinated response to smuggling, piracy, humanitarian disasters and illegal immigration. The centres may also provide a venue for intelligence sharing. Regional navies should also develop marine technology and joint strategy to ensure the safety of harbours and also one’s shore line which is much neglected in the aspect of surveillance or security.

Absence of definitions

It is time for legal luminaries and other advocate on law of the sea to revisit/ restudy on all legal issues for any amendments and inclusion to suit the present theatre and may be the future. It is believed that limitations or absence of definitions have posed difficulties when finally executing search arrest and prosecution. Unfortunately the IMO and the UNO is silent in this regard.

We need to revise the legal framework in addressing all aspects of safety and security of maritime navigation paying particular attention to ships flying flags of convenience, registration of rogue ships and the rights of war ships. The restructuring of laws should be undertaken in a way that naval ships have enhanced authority to board and check ships far out at sea which may be with the concurrence of the respective country to which the ship belongs and mitigate with a suspected vessel in an effective manner.

It is well known that with the implementation of the ISPS Code, scrutiny of ships is much more from what it was when entering and leaving harbours, but what lies in between out in the ocean is undetectable. Terrorist could carry out a mid sea transfer of any lethal cargo or to the extent of transferring a WMD amongst its containers and if such vessel enter a port could cause much destruction of unimaginable degree. This is why a mechanism should be introduced for naval ships to pursue, challenge ,encounter and check suspected merchant vessels in international waters until a final conclusion is made to ascertain whether the ship is innocent or not.

Peace sans terror

One of the success stories in the eradication of terrorism from our country amongst many others was the support and collective action taken. Including our neighbour India, there were many countries who helped and cooperated with us to achieve peace that we enjoy today sans terror. Sri Lanka is ever grateful for the support received in numerous ways.

All nations should ensure that organizational, financial or logistical support of any type should not originate from respective shores and subsequently propagate in any form of a threat of terror or freedom fighting to other neighbouring countries. With or without the knowledge of respective authorities your own shores or seas may be used for terror activity which at the first instance should be nipped in the bud and never be tolerated.

Enhance surveillance and have better intelligence and monitoring, which would undoubtedly give the edge to get to the next point of search, detect and ultimately arrest, prosecute and disrupt enemy consignments. In this aspect, sharing of intelligence specific to threat is very important.

Shoreline of any country should be secured and ensure there is no point of entry that can be exploited due to lack of surveillance or coastal protection. We in the Sri Lanka Navy have learnt this the hard way and today coastal dominance is a main tasking of SLN.

The need to adopt methods for sharing of experience and coordinating operations that have a common aim is also important and pave way for many successors. This could be done at bilateral or multilateral operational level meetings or any other forum appropriate.

Appropriate forums

Another aspect is to control and monitor one’s own fishing fleet. As fishing boats of any type may be spread in many parts of countries coastal areas, a proper and methodical system should be adopted, for monitoring their activities. A close rapport should be maintained with them to obtain information when they are out at sea. The possibility of such craft being used for illegal activity can be avoided by adopting stringent security measures such as checks when leaving / entering fisheries harbours, anchorages or even checks when out at sea.

The survival of the global population is dependent on maritime trade. The SLOC today is critically vulnerable to terrorist and piracy attacks threatening the critical life line. Preparation for maritime terrorism or crimes cannot be done totally in hiding and needs transnational support to link activity on land and sea. Use of one’s soil, infrastructure and institutions to perpetrate and propagate terrorism or any other crime in another country must be stopped immediately.

In fulfilling counter action, strengthening naval forces in numbers and capability for superior surveillance and offensive action is mandatory. Coordination of sea, air and land counter activities through joint integrated network of monitoring / and actionable intelligence sharing is essential. Protection of choke points, harbours and ports from suspected high-risk vessels need special attention.

Managing a database of regional merchant traffic by a multilateral regional / sector authority is what is needed today. International cooperation against terrorism is almost impossible as long as some sovereign States sponsor, train, finance, equip and offer sanctuaries to terrorist groups.

Remaining focused

The real effective drive against such units would be possible only if there is will and determination to adopt the strategy to hit the bull’s eye. One should sincerely remain focused, not be deterred by obstacles or pressure as every problem has a solution and if there is a will there is a way.

The human related aspects of men behind these valuable maritime assets deployed for counter action matter most for a final delivery and outcome, hence they must be highly motivated, adequately equipped and professionally trained for an asymmetrical scenario.

All what have been proposed and recommended would be of no use if we together are not genuine in our mentality and commitment to put all what we discuss in to practice. Today defeated terrorist are attempting raise their ugly head to defeat democracy exploiting foreign soil and in some instances of liberal and double standard approach.

Therefore systems and organizations that at times tolerate and support such terror groups and sympathizers to flourish in their own den against another country or a group for undeclared gains must cease.

A periodical operational level meeting of IONS countries should be constituted in the IONS Charter to ensure that what we preach today is put to practice on ground. This will invariably highlight direct communication facilities. If not, our effort will be of no use to the maritime security.

The sea may bring together like minded countries that in turn may influence the regions strategic perceptions. Indeed to quote the old saying ‘The sea unites while the land divides’.