In a scathing attack on the current administration, former lawmaker and leader of the Pivithuru Hela Urumaya, Attorney-at-Law Udaya Gammanpila, has alleged that Sri Lanka’s intelligence agencies are being politically manipulated and weakened under the Dissanayake-led government. Addressing a media conference at the Pivithuru Hela Urumaya party headquarters on March 3rd, Gammanpila warned that the country’s national security is at risk due to the reckless politicization of intelligence operations.
Intelligence Agencies in Crisis
Gammanpila emphasized that intelligence agencies serve as the “eyes and ears” of a nation, and their weakening would render the country blind and deaf. Drawing parallels to past failures, he reminded that Sri Lanka had failed to anticipate the Easter Sunday attacks in 2019 due to the dismantling of intelligence agencies in 2015.
“Today, our intelligence sector is being weakened more than ever in history. Not only that, but it is also being manipulated for political gain,” he charged. He pointed out that in the absence of a robust intelligence network, Sri Lanka risks facing yet another security catastrophe that could take years to rectify.
Shocking Political Appointments and Unprecedented Transfers
Gammanpila exposed what he termed a blatant political interference in intelligence operations. He revealed that a junior officer, Colonel Neville Attanayake, who has faced five disciplinary charges, has been controversially appointed as Director of Intelligence. To facilitate this appointment, the government has systematically removed 13 senior officers from key intelligence positions.
He listed a series of shocking transfers that have effectively dismantled the intelligence corps:
- Brigadier Chandika Mahathanthila, former Director of Military Intelligence, was sidelined without any responsibilities.
- Brigadier Prabodha Siriwardena, one of the country’s most highly trained intelligence experts, was disgracefully reassigned to the military band.
- Brigadier Shiran Amit was sent to rehabilitation, while other experienced officers were relegated to unrelated roles in disaster management and headquarters duties.
- Seven senior colonels, including Senaka Muthukumarana, Kelum Maddumage, Mohamed Anser, Sagara Costa, and Jayantha Shelton, were deployed to peripheral military institutions, leaving the intelligence sector severely depleted.
To add insult to injury, Gammanpila revealed that an officer with no intelligence background, Major General Deeptha Ariyasena from the Mechanical Engineer Corps, has been placed in charge of national intelligence—a move that he described as “historically disgraceful.”
Grave National Security Implications
Gammanpila issued a dire warning to the government, stating that the systematic dismantling of intelligence agencies would have catastrophic consequences. He noted that intelligence work is a high-risk operation, where informants risk their lives daily. The sudden removal of trained officers disrupts crucial intelligence networks, making it harder to track and prevent security threats.
“Intelligence transitions should be handled like a relay race, where outgoing officers work alongside incoming officers to ensure continuity. However, this government has recklessly abandoned that process, leaving the country dangerously vulnerable,” he warned.
Gammanpila did not mince words in his concluding remarks. He accused the government of playing with fire by undermining national intelligence for political gains. He cautioned that if the administration continues to cripple the intelligence sector, Sri Lanka could face another devastating security crisis.
“This is not a political game—this is about the safety of the nation. If we do not act now, we will be forced to spend another ten years searching for a ‘mastermind’ after another disaster strikes.”
