Ministry of Defence (Sri Lanka)
Encyclopedia
The Ministry of Defence, Public Security, Law & Order is the Sri Lankan government ministry responsible for implementation of government defence policy and the headquarters of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces.
The Ministry of Defence states that its principal objectives are the formulation, co-ordination and the execution of policies in relation to the security of the country. With the end of the Cold War the MOD does not foresee any short-term conventional military threat, the main threat to Sri Lanka having been the now-defunct terrorist organization, the LTTE). The Ministry of Defence also manages day to day running of the armed forces, contingency planning and defence procurement.
The National Security Council of Sri Lanka is the executive body of the Sri Lanka
n government that is charged with the maintenance of national security with authority to direct the Sri Lankan military and Police. The Minister of Defence and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence and the Chief of the Defence Staff are permanent members of the National Security Council.
was formed to administer the country's armed forces and formulate defence and foreign policy. The Prime Minister was also the Minister of Defence and External Affairs, and was supported by a Parliamentary Secretary
for Defence and External Affairs who was a member of Parliament.In 1977, J.R Jayawardena
's government adapted two separate ministries, forming the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
were formed. Since then many presidents retained the portfolio of Minister of Defence under him/her self, except for a few brief periods. In 1999 the National Security Council was established removing the direct control the military from the deputy Minister of Defence.
His Excellency Mahinda Rajapakse is the Minister of Defence, Public Security, Law & Order
In pursuance of the above objectives the Ministry of Defence provides policy directives and
guidelines to the Departments functioning under it.
, except for a few brief periods . However a minister oversaw activities of the MoD and the armed forces.
Incomplete
The Ministry of Defence states that its principal objectives are the formulation, co-ordination and the execution of policies in relation to the security of the country. With the end of the Cold War the MOD does not foresee any short-term conventional military threat, the main threat to Sri Lanka having been the now-defunct terrorist organization, the LTTE). The Ministry of Defence also manages day to day running of the armed forces, contingency planning and defence procurement.
The National Security Council of Sri Lanka is the executive body of the Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
n government that is charged with the maintenance of national security with authority to direct the Sri Lankan military and Police. The Minister of Defence and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence and the Chief of the Defence Staff are permanent members of the National Security Council.
History
With Ceylon gaining independence in 1948, the Ministry of External Affairs and DefenceMinistry of External Affairs and Defence
The Ministry of External Affairs and Defence was a ministry of the Government of Ceylon that conducted and managed all of Ceylon's relations with other countries and its military matters from 1947 to 1977.-History:...
was formed to administer the country's armed forces and formulate defence and foreign policy. The Prime Minister was also the Minister of Defence and External Affairs, and was supported by a Parliamentary Secretary
Parliamentary Secretary
A Parliamentary Secretary is a member of a Parliament in the Westminster system who assists a more senior minister with his or her duties.In the parliamentary systems of several Commonwealth countries, such as the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, it is customary for the prime minister to...
for Defence and External Affairs who was a member of Parliament.In 1977, J.R Jayawardena
Junius Richard Jayewardene
Junius Richard Jayewardene , famously abbreviated in Sri Lanka as JR, was the first executive President of Sri Lanka, serving from 1978 till 1989. He was a leader of the nationalist movement in Ceylon who served in a variety of cabinet positions in the decades following independence...
's government adapted two separate ministries, forming the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Sri Lanka)
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is a ministry of the Government of Sri Lanka that conducts and manages Sri Lanka's relations with other countries...
were formed. Since then many presidents retained the portfolio of Minister of Defence under him/her self, except for a few brief periods. In 1999 the National Security Council was established removing the direct control the military from the deputy Minister of Defence.
Senior officials
The President of Sri LankaPresident of Sri Lanka
The President of Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is the elected head of state and the head of government. The President is a dominant political figure in Sri Lanka. The office was created in 1978 but has grown so powerful there have been calls to restrict or even eliminate its power...
His Excellency Mahinda Rajapakse is the Minister of Defence, Public Security, Law & Order
- Permanent SecretaryPermanent SecretaryThe Permanent secretary, in most departments officially titled the permanent under-secretary of state , is the most senior civil servant of a British Government ministry, charged with running the department on a day-to-day basis...
— Lieutenant ColonelLieutenant colonelLieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
(Ret) Gotabhaya RajapaksaGotabhaya RajapaksaLieutenant Colonel Nandasena Gotabaya Rajapaksa, RWP, RSP, psc, GR is a retired officer of the Sri Lanka Army and the current Defence Secretary of Sri Lanka. After serving through the early parts of the country's civil war with Tamil Tiger rebels, he retired from the Army in 1992...
, RWP, RSPRSP-Music:* RSP , a Japanese hip-hop and R&B group* Rubber Soul Project, a Serbian rock music band-Computers and technology:* Remote Serial Port, an extension to the Telnet protocol* Reality signal processor, a component of the Nintendo 64...
, psc, GR - Chief of the Defence StaffChief of the Defence Staff (Sri Lanka)The Chief of the Defence Staff is the highest ranking military officer in the Sri Lankan Armed Forces. The Chairman outranks all respective heads of each service branch but does not have operational command authority over them or their service branches, however overseas inter service corporations...
— Air Chief MarshalAir Chief MarshalAir chief marshal is a senior 4-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
Roshan GoonatilakeRoshan GoonatilakeAir Chief Marshal Roshan Goonetilleke, RWP & BAR, VSV, USP, ndc, psc, SLAF was the Commander of the Air Force and is the Chief of the Defence Staff of Sri Lanka. Air Chief Marshal Goonetilleke has served in the Sri Lankan Air Force for more than 33 years...
, RWP & BARRana Wickrama PadakkamaThe Rana Wickrama Padakkama medal and bar are presented to Sri Lankan military officers and other ranks as a reward for individual or allied acts of heroism in facing the enemy and performed of their own accord.-How medal awarded:It is ordained that the decoration shall be granted to all ranks of...
, VSVVishista Seva VibhushanayaThe Vishista Seva Vibhushanaya medal and bar are presented to Sri Lankan senior military officers of three services, given that their loyal service is of not less than 25 years and possess a perfectly flawless record of moral and military conduct, will be appropriate for the award...
, USPUttama Seva PadakkamaThe Uttama Seva Padakkama is presented to all ranks of the Regular Forces of the Sri Lankan military for valuable service and dedication to duty with the outstanding ability, merit and excellent conduct, given that they count not less than 15 years continuous and uninterrupted service and possess...
, ndcNDCNDC or ndc may refer to:*IATA code for Nanded Airport, India* ndc, "name daemon control program" in some Unix-based BIND name-server environments* N.D.C., a 2002 single by Australian band Jebediah* National Defence Commission of North Korea...
, psc, SLAF is the Commander of the Air ForceCommander of the Air Force (Sri Lanka)The Commander of the Air Force is the professional head of the Sri Lanka Air Force. The current Commander of the Air Force is Air Marshal Harsha Abeywickrama since 2011...
Objectives
- Maintenance of internal security and defence of Sri Lanka.
- Implementation and maintenance of the Prevention of terrorism Act No. 48 of 1979 as amended by the Act No. 10 of 1982.
- Maintenance of the Commonwealth War Memorials and the War Graves, on behalf of the Commonwealth War Graves CommissionCommonwealth War Graves CommissionThe Commonwealth War Graves Commission is an intergovernmental organisation of six independent member states whose principal function is to mark, record and maintain the graves, and places of commemoration, of Commonwealth of Nations military service members who died in the two World Wars...
. - Supervision and maintenance of the establishment matters of the three services and the Kotalawala Defence Academy.
- Supervision and maintenance of the establishment matters of the National Cadets Corps.
In pursuance of the above objectives the Ministry of Defence provides policy directives and
guidelines to the Departments functioning under it.
Key Functions
- Maintenance of the defence in Sri Lanka.
- Administration of the Directorate of Foreign Intelligence & the Directorate of Internal Intelligence.
- Maintenance of General Sir John Kotelawala Defence UniversityGeneral Sir John Kotelawala Defence UniversityGeneral Sir John Kotelawala Defence University located at Kandawala, Ratmalana, Colombo, is a joint services academy where cadets of the three wings Sri Lanka Army, Sri Lanka Navy and Sri Lanka Air Force are trained before they go for their pre-commission training to their academies...
. - Administration of the Sri Lanka Institute of Strategic Studies.
- Administration of the Language Training Institute at Kotmale.
- Administration of the National Cadet CorpsNational Cadet Corps (Sri Lanka)The National Cadet Corps is the Sri Lankan military cadet corps and is a Ministry of Defence sponsored youth organisation in the Sri Lanka. Formally the Ceylon Cadet Corps It is open to high school students on voluntary basis and has a history of more than 126 years as of 2007. The officers are...
. - Administration of the Department of Civil DefenceDepartment of Civil Defence (Sri Lanka)The Sri Lanka Civil Security Force, officially the Department of Civil Security is a paramilitary force which is tasked as an auxiliary to the Sri Lanka Police....
(formerly the Home Guard Service)
Departments that come under the Ministry of Defence
- Sri Lanka Army
- Sri Lanka Navy
- Sri Lanka Air Force
- Sri Lanka Police
- State Intelligence Service
- General Sir John Kotelawala Defence UniversityGeneral Sir John Kotelawala Defence UniversityGeneral Sir John Kotelawala Defence University located at Kandawala, Ratmalana, Colombo, is a joint services academy where cadets of the three wings Sri Lanka Army, Sri Lanka Navy and Sri Lanka Air Force are trained before they go for their pre-commission training to their academies...
- Defence Services Command and Staff CollegeDefence Services Command and Staff CollegeThe Defence Services Command and Staff College is situated at Batalanda, Makola 12 Kilometers away from Colombo and its aim to develop the professional knowledge and understanding of experienced officers of the Sri Lanka Army, Sri Lanka Navy & the Sri Lanka Air Force to prepare them for the ranks...
- National Cadet CorpsNational Cadet Corps (Sri Lanka)The National Cadet Corps is the Sri Lankan military cadet corps and is a Ministry of Defence sponsored youth organisation in the Sri Lanka. Formally the Ceylon Cadet Corps It is open to high school students on voluntary basis and has a history of more than 126 years as of 2007. The officers are...
- Department of Immigration & Emigration
- Department of Registration of Persons
- Department of Civil DefenceDepartment of Civil Defence (Sri Lanka)The Sri Lanka Civil Security Force, officially the Department of Civil Security is a paramilitary force which is tasked as an auxiliary to the Sri Lanka Police....
(formerly the Home Guard Service) - The National Dangerous Drugs Control Board
- Ranaviru Seva Authority (Veteran's Welfare Authority)
Ministers attached to the Ministry of Defence
Since the establishment of the MoD in 1978 the portfolio of Minister of Defence was held by the President of Sri LankaPresident of Sri Lanka
The President of Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is the elected head of state and the head of government. The President is a dominant political figure in Sri Lanka. The office was created in 1978 but has grown so powerful there have been calls to restrict or even eliminate its power...
, except for a few brief periods . However a minister oversaw activities of the MoD and the armed forces.
Incomplete
- Mrvyn Kularatne - Deputy Minister of defence
- T.B. Werapitiya (former DIG) - Minister of Internal Security
- Lalith AthulathmudaliLalith AthulathmudaliLalith William Samarasekera Athulathmudali , PC was a Sri Lankan politician of the United National Party and former Cabinet Minister of Trade, National Security, Agriculture, Education and deputy minister of defence.-Early life and teaching career:Born to a family of Lawyers, his...
- Minister of National Security - GeneralGeneralA general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Ranjan WijeratneRanjan WijeratneGeneral Ranjan Wijeratne was the former Sri Lankan Cabinet Minister of foreign affairs, Minister of State for defense and Minister of plantation industries from 1989 to 1991 in President Ranasinghe Premadasa's cabinet.-Early life:Born to Walpola Mudalige George Hercules Wijeratne and Rosalind...
- Minister of State for defence - D.B WijetungaDingiri Banda WijetungaDingiri Banda Wijetunga was the President of Sri Lanka from May 1, 1993 to November 12, 1994, Prime Minister of Sri Lanka from March 3, 1989 to May 7, 1993 and the Governor of North Western province, Sri Lanka from 1988 to 1989.-Early life:...
- Minister of State for defence - GeneralGeneralA general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Anuruddha RatwatteAnuruddha RatwatteGeneral Anuruddha Leuke Ratwatte was a Sri Lankan politician and Cabinet Minister. He had also served as the Acting Diyawadana Nilame of the Temple of the Tooth Kandy and was educated at Trinity College, Kandy. He was a cousin of the Sirimavo Bandaranaike...
- Deputy Minister of defence - Ratnasiri WickremanayakeRatnasiri WickremanayakeRatnasiri Wickremanayake MP is a Sri Lankan politician who was Prime Minister of Sri Lanka from 2000 to 2001 and again from 2005 to 2010. He is currently a National List member of the Parliament of Sri Lanka....
- Deputy Minister of defence - Thilak Marapana - Minister of defence
Permanent Secretaries
Incomplete- ColonelColonelColonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
C. A. Dharmapala, EDEfficiency DecorationThe Efficiency Decoration is a defunct medal of Britain and the Commonwealth awarded for long service in the Territorial Army of the UK, the Indian Volunteer Forces and Colonial Auxiliary Forces....
, CLICLI-Computing:* Command-line interface, sending commands to a computer by text typed into a command-line interpreter .* Call Level Interface, an SQL database management API... - GeneralGeneralA general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
DeshamanyaDeshamanyaDeshamanya is the second highest Sri Lankan national honour awarded by the Government of Sri Lanka as a civil honour.It is conventionally used as a title or prefix to the awardee's name....
D. S. AttygalleD. S. AttygalleGeneral Deshamanya Don Sepala Attygalle, LVO, ADC, idc, psc, SLAC was a Sri Lankan military leader, civil servant and diplomat...
, LVO, SLACSri Lanka Armoured CorpsThe Sri Lanka Armoured Corps is currently a collection of six regular regiments and a volunteer regiment. It has an independent Armoured Brigade and provides the armour capability of the Sri Lankan Army, with vehicles such as the T-55, T-55AM2, and Type 69 main battle tanks, the BMP infantry... - General S. Cyril Ranatunge, VSVVSVVSV can refer to:*Vesicular stomatitis virus, a virus in the family Rhabdoviridae*Vishista Seva Vibhushanaya, a military decoration of Sri Lanka*VSV EC, an Austrian ice hockey team*Very Slender Vessel, a type of high speed boat...
, SLACSri Lanka Armoured CorpsThe Sri Lanka Armoured Corps is currently a collection of six regular regiments and a volunteer regiment. It has an independent Armoured Brigade and provides the armour capability of the Sri Lankan Army, with vehicles such as the T-55, T-55AM2, and Type 69 main battle tanks, the BMP infantry... - Lieutenant GeneralLieutenant GeneralLieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
Hamilton Wanasinghe, VSVVishista Seva VibhushanayaThe Vishista Seva Vibhushanaya medal and bar are presented to Sri Lankan senior military officers of three services, given that their loyal service is of not less than 25 years and possess a perfectly flawless record of moral and military conduct, will be appropriate for the award...
, SLASri Lanka ArtilleryThe Sri Lanka Artillery is a corps of the Sri Lanka Army. It is made up of 7 regular regiments and 2 volunteer regiments. The SLA is headquartered at Panagoda Cantonment, Panagoda.-History:... - Chandananda de Silva, SLASSri Lanka Administrative ServiceThe Sri Lanka Administrative Service is the key administrative service of the Government of Sri Lanka, with civil servants working for both in the Central Government as well as in the provincial councils. It was formed as the Ceylon Administrative Service in 1963 as the successor to the Ceylon...
- Austin Fernando, SLASSri Lanka Administrative ServiceThe Sri Lanka Administrative Service is the key administrative service of the Government of Sri Lanka, with civil servants working for both in the Central Government as well as in the provincial councils. It was formed as the Ceylon Administrative Service in 1963 as the successor to the Ceylon...
- Cyril HerathCyril HerathDeshamanya L.G.D. Cyril L. Herath is a former Sri Lankan Inspector-General of Police and Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Defence.Educated at St John's College Nugegoda and at the prestigious Royal College Colombo and graduated from the University of Ceylon, Peradeniya with a B.A. in...
(former IGPInspector General of Police (Sri Lanka)The Inspector General of Police is the professional head of the Sri Lanka Police. He is the most senior police officer in Sri Lanka and oversees all police personnel throughout the country. The IGP reports to the minister of defense, when the Police Service is under the Ministry of Defence as it...
) - Major GeneralMajor GeneralMajor general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
Asoka Jayewardene - Lieutenant ColonelLieutenant colonelLieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
Gotabhaya RajapaksaGotabhaya RajapaksaLieutenant Colonel Nandasena Gotabaya Rajapaksa, RWP, RSP, psc, GR is a retired officer of the Sri Lanka Army and the current Defence Secretary of Sri Lanka. After serving through the early parts of the country's civil war with Tamil Tiger rebels, he retired from the Army in 1992...
See also
- Ministry of External Affairs and DefenceMinistry of External Affairs and DefenceThe Ministry of External Affairs and Defence was a ministry of the Government of Ceylon that conducted and managed all of Ceylon's relations with other countries and its military matters from 1947 to 1977.-History:...
- Sri Lanka Army
- Sri Lanka Navy
- Sri Lanka Air Force
- Sri Lanka Police
- General Sir John Kotelawala Defence Academy
- Department of Civil Defence (Sri Lanka)Department of Civil Defence (Sri Lanka)The Sri Lanka Civil Security Force, officially the Department of Civil Security is a paramilitary force which is tasked as an auxiliary to the Sri Lanka Police....
- National Cadet CorpsNational Cadet Corps (Sri Lanka)The National Cadet Corps is the Sri Lankan military cadet corps and is a Ministry of Defence sponsored youth organisation in the Sri Lanka. Formally the Ceylon Cadet Corps It is open to high school students on voluntary basis and has a history of more than 126 years as of 2007. The officers are...