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Border and maritime security of Sri Lanka vulnerable
27 Jun, 2020
Sri Lanka?s border and maritime security remained vulnerable in 2019, the US State Department?s Country Reports on Terrorism 2019 said.
The report said the Sri Lankan Government is working with the UN, along with Japan, to enhance border management systems at Colombo?s international airport.
The Sri Lankan Government also expanded its partnership with the United States to secure its maritime border.
The US Coast Guard, under the Department of State?s EXBS (Export Control and Related Border Security) program, continued to train Sri Lankan Coast Guard and Navy personnel on maritime law enforcement and security operation, and the Government of Sri Lanka continued to cooperate with US Customs and Border Protection and the Department of Energy through the container security initiative, ?Megaports Initiative.?
The US Department of Defense continues regular engagements with the Sri Lankan Navy Special Boat Squadron and Fast Attack Flotilla to enhance maritime security through the expansion of vessel board, search, and seizure capabilities.
The US report also said that the LTTE?s financial network of support continued after the group?s military defeat in 2009. The LTTE has employed charities as fronts to collect and divert funds for its activities.
There have been no known attacks in Sri Lanka attributed to the LTTE since 2009, but 13 LTTE supporters, several of whom had allegedly planned attacks against U.S. and Israeli diplomatic facilities in India, were arrested in Malaysia in 2014.? Additional members were arrested in Malaysia and India in 2015, one of whom was accused of exhorting other Sri Lankans to fund and revive the LTTE. (Colombo Gazette)
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