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Second Editorial: Avant Garde:

Twisting the Facts

It is well recorded that Somalian pirates too employed tens


of thousands of people. Somalian pirates constructed schools, shared the profits with
their friends. And they also organised the carnivals, alms giving and other forms of
attractive propaganda. That does mean piracy is ethical or legal?
SECOND EDITORIAL
Oh, what a tangled web we weave
When first we practise to deceive! ~ Canto VI, XVII
(November 17, 2015, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) An interesting twist on the real
facts have started floating around on the recent decision of the President followed by
the investigative reports by the relevant authority on the Avant Garde Maritime Service
(AGMS), the private entity which had the monopoly on maritime security since 2012.
The news reports are not only lamenting that the head of the company, Nissanka
Senadhipathi, who was reported to be in poor health just two days ago, has signed
letters suspending the services of its 3,400 employees but also that the company is
facing an investigation which has caused placed the credibility of the country in doubt.

Meanwhile, a group called Decent Lanka 2015 has come up with series of issues to
highlight the dangers of businesses being run by the military. The statement makes for
interesting reading and narrates the number of projects run by the forces, all of which
started during the previous government of Mahinda Rajapaksa. The statement further,
attempted to linkup the President Sirisenas decision followed by investigation on
AGMS and its past dealings. According to their argument, the country will be in
eminent danger if the military takes over the most profitable business which employed
thousands and earned billions to the national revenue.
Now the facts are being twisted, but in a very sophisticated manner. The general
public who has nothing to do with maritime security or maritime business can be easily
deceived and deluded. This could earn sympathy for the AGMS and its guardians.
However, it might also lead to persecution.
There is no doubt that, allowing the forces to run a business is indeed not only
indecent but also it can easily damage the reputation of the country. As the argument
goes, the Military Inc. of Pakistan which is not accountable to the country is a clear-cut
example in the region. It was an eminent threat that the Sri Lankan military would lead
towards that direction when the previous government was in the power. It was the time
that this AGMS started obtained the monopoly with the blessings of the government.
If someone argued that the present government is moving towards the Pakistani
Syndrome it is not only laughable but it has intention to distort the facts on the AGMS.
Dr. Ayesha Siddiqa, who has given an exclusive interview ( part 01 | part 02 | part 03 )
to this newspaper five years ago about her landmark investigative account on Military

Inc., has raised the basic notion on which Sri Lanka has faded away by protecting the
basics norms of democracy by defeating Rajapaksa. The question in Pakistan has
dealt not only with geo-political aspects but ideology of the particular territory and the
people.
In the case of AGMS, Sri Lanka Navy could have easily comprise and allowing them to
continue the business which started by damaging the reputation of the country. It was
early 2011, that the highly placed source close to then the ruling party leaked to the
United Nation Security Council by exposing the missing weapons in Galle, later
discovered somewhere in Poland. Can Senadhipathi please tell us about the source?
It was the time that the responsible personality of the AGMS was trying hard to drag
the business, while bribing certain segments of the government, including the senior
serving officers of the Sri Lanka Navy.
We do not know how many briefcases full of cash landed on the table of the person
who approved the monopoly. But, those who have a little knowledge about the history
can recall the first presentation made by Nissanaka Senadhipathi in the Navy
Headquarters and how senior officers including former Navy commander were at his
beck and call.
Nonetheless, the country will not have the opportunity to find the truth behind the
drama if the officials lie down on the job, overcome down by crocodile tears. However,
that corrupted era is being slowing overcome.
True, AGMS has employed thousands of Sri Lankan. That does mean the government
should cover-up the wrongdoing? Does it mean that AGMS can ignore the payments
they agreed to make? Does it mean that there was no criminal act regarding the
weapons in the second ship (MV Avant Grade) in which serial numbers were erased or
changed? Does it mean that AGMS can point the finger at the Navy for ignoring their
years long wrong doings?
It is well recorded that Somalian pirates too employed tens of thousands of people.
Somalian pirates constructed schools, shared the profits with their friends. And they
also organised the carnivals, alms giving and other forms of attractive propaganda.
That does mean piracy is ethical or legal?
Why was the Navy accused of being incapable of carrying out the task of maritime
protection and why did the Ministry of Defence accept it? How did Additional Secretary
Police and MLO decide on issues directly relevant to national Security and
International Maritime Security? Who carried wrong tales about Sri Lanka to the
United Nations Security Council? Why did the Sri Lankan Government do nothing
about it? Who authorised weapon licences to AGMS? How many were authorised?
Then how could AGMS use over three thousand weapons? Who were in the payroll of
AGMS? Why? What were their contributions? The list goes on and on and on.
True, as the so called spokesman of the AGMS said, Sri Lanka losing credibility. But
that is not because of the investigation but the ultimate harvest of monopoly played by
AGMS headed by a trickster. The distorted facts may take care of the present, but it

has no future. In other words, as Aristotle placed, the least initial deviation from the
truth is multiplied later a thousandfold.
Posted by Thavam

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