Sri Lanka Army
The Sri Lanka Army is the oldest and largest of the Sri LankaArmed
Forces and is responsible for land-based
military and humanitarian operations. Established as the
Ceylon Army in 1949, it was renamed when Sri Lanka became a republic in 1972. As of the year 2000,
the Army had approximately 150,000 regular and reserve personnel and 18,000 National
Guardsmen[1][2] and
comprises 13 operational divisions, one air-mobile brigade, one commando brigade, one special forces brigade, one independent armored
brigade, three mechanized infantry brigades and over 40 infantry brigades.[3]. From the
1980s to 2009 the army was engaged in the Sri Lankan civil
war.The professional head of the Sri Lanka Army is the Commander of the Army,
currently Lieutenant GeneralJagath
Jayasuriya[4]. The Commander-in-Chief of the Sri Lankan
Military is the President of the country, who heads the
National Security
Council through the Ministry of Defense, which is
the highest level of military command charged with formulating, executing
defence policy and procurements for the armed forces.[5].
However operations of the Sri Lanka Army are coordinated by the Joint Operations
Command, with other two armed forces.Contents [hide]1History1.1Ancient and pre-colonial times1.2Colonial era1.2.1Portuguese and Dutch rule
(1505-1796 AD)1.2.2British rule (1798-1948 AD)1.3Post-independence1.41970–Presen1.4.1Peacekeeping1.4.1.1Peacekeeping Sex
Scandal2Current deployment2.1Domestic2.2Foreign3Organization Structure3.1Administrative3.1.1Regiments &
Corps3.2Operational Command3.2.1Combat
formations4Trainin4.1Training
establishments5Personnel5.1Parama Weera Vibhushanaya recipients5.2Notable fallen
members5.3Women in the Sri Lanka Army5.4Complaints over survivors’
benefits6Equipment6.1Armour6.2Artillery6.3Infantry
weapons7See also8Further reading9References10External
links
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[edit]History[edit]Ancient and
pre-colonial times
The first military engagements in Sri Lankan history were marked by the
advent of King Vijaya, a Bengal prince who landed along with his followers on the
beaches of northwestern Sri Lanka around 543 BC. Prince Vijaya and his followers occupied the
lands of the native Veddah people. Repeated incursions by South Indians,
particularly the Cholas,
into Sri Lankan territory occurred throughout the next few centuries and led to
the engagement of the rival forces in battle.[6]
In one famous encounter, Sinhalese King Dutugemunu (200 BC) raised an army of eleven thousand inhabitants in
his battle against the Chola invader King Elara, whom he eventually defeated. King
Dutugemunu's organizational skills, bravery and chivalry are famous and his
battles have gone down in history as outstanding offensive operations.[7]Other Sri Lankan rulers whose military achievements
stand out include King Gajabâhu (113 AD), who sailed to India to bring back his captured soldiers, and King
Dhatusena (433 AD) who is credited with
repulsing numerous Indian invasions and for organizing a naval build-up to deter
seaborne attacks. He also had the foresight to cover his defenses with artillery. Vijayabâhu I (1001 AD) was another
warrior king who dislodged Indian invaders and united the country. Parakramabahu the Great (1153 AD) was an outstanding monarch of the Polonnaruwa period of Sri Lankan
history, and his accomplishments as a military leader and a great administrator
are noteworthy. His reign included a military expedition to Burma (Myanmar) in retaliation for indignities inflicted
on his envoys and Burmese interference in the elephant trade. This marked the
first overseas expedition in Sri Lankan military history. It is also reported
that Parakramabahu's fame was such that his assistance was sought by South
Indian rulers who were involved in internecine struggles. Another strong ruler
in the pre-colonial era was Parâkramabâhu VI, who defeated Indian invaders,
united the island and ruled it from capital Sri Jayawardhanapura, Kotte.[7] Although the
known epigraphical records do not indicate that
the Sri Lankan rulers had a full-time standing army at their disposal, there is
evidence supported by legend, designation, name, place and tradition that prove
there were 'stand-by' equestrian, elephant, and infantry divisions to ensure royal authority at all
times. Militias
were raised as the necessity arose, and the soldiers returned to their pursuits,
mainly for farming, after their spell of military duty.[7][edit]Colonial era
Parts of Sri Lanka came under the control of three colonial European powers, namely the Portuguese in the 16th century, the Dutch in the 17th century and the
British in the 18th
century. Yet, until the entire island was ceded to the British in 1815, regional
kingdoms maintained most of their independent defense forces and were able to
successfully repulse repeated thrusts by the European armies. However the
British, unlike their counterparts, were not primarily restricted to maritime
power, and thus had the capability to bring the entire island under their
control and to integrate locals into the British defense forces.[7][edit]Portuguese and Dutch rule (1505-1796 AD)
In the beginning of the 16th century, modern Europe first came in contact
with Sri Lanka, which was then referred to as Ceylon. In 1505 a Portuguese fleet, while operating in
the Indian seas against Arab traders, was blown off course and landed at Galle, on the southern coast of the
island.[8] In 1517
the Portuguese re-appeared, and with the consent of the Sinhalese King
established a trading post in Colombo.
Having initiated contact with Sri Lanka as traders, the Portuguese soon made
themselves political masters of the western seaboard. Numerous forts were soon
established, and features of European civilization were
introduced.[7]
The Portuguese are credited with the introduction of European-style fortresses to Sri
Lanka during this era. Although some locals already possessed military training
and fighting experience, there is no evidence that the Portuguese employed local
inhabitants into their own forces. Thus the Portuguese were forced to restrict
their presence in the island due to their small numbers and their efforts were
more focussed toward projecting maritime power.[7]
In 1602 Dutch explorers
first landed in Sri Lanka, which was then under Portuguese control. By 1658 they
had completely ousted the Portuguese from the coastal regions of the island.
Much like the Portuguese, they did
not employ locals in their military, and preferred to live in isolation,
pursuing their interests in trade and commerce. Like the Portuguese, they
defended their forts
with their own forces, but unlike the Portuguese, Dutch forces employed Swiss and Malaymercenaries. The Dutch Forts in Jaffna, Galle, Matara, Batticaloa and Trincomalee were sturdily built and are considered
a tribute to their military engineering skills. Also, like the Portuguese, the
Dutch focussed on maritime power and although they had the capability to develop
and use local forces, they chose to isolate themselves from the local
population.[7][edit]British rule
(1798-1948 AD)
The British Empire
then ousted the Dutch from the
coastal areas of the country, and sought to conquer the independent Kandyan Kingdom. In
the face of repeated British assaults, the Kandyans were forced into a degree of
guerrilla
warfare and fared well against their superior British adversaries.[7]
Initially the British stationed their forces, which included naval vessels,
artillery troops and infantry, to defend of the island nation from other foreign
powers, using the natural harbor of Trincomalee as their headquarters in Sri
Lanka. In 1796, the Swiss and Malay mercenaries who were previously in the
service of the Dutch were transferred to the British East India Company. While
the Swiss De
Meuron's Regiment was eventually disbanded in Canada in 1822, the Malays,
who initially formed a Malay
Corps, were converted into the 1st
Ceylon Regiment in 1802 and placed under a British commanding officer. In
the same year, the British became the first foreign power to raise a Sinhalese unit, which
was named the 2nd
Ceylon Regiment, also known as the Sepoy
Corps.[7]
In 1803 the 3rd
Ceylon Regiment was created with Moluccans and recruits from Penang. All these regiments fought alongside British
troops in the Kandyan wars
which began in 1803. Throughout the following years, more Sinhalese and Malays
were recruited to these regiments, and in 1814 the 4th Regiment was raised,
which was comprised entirely of African troops. It was later renamed as the Ceylon Rifle
Regiment. Eventually, the Kandyan Kingdom was ceded to the British in 1815,
and with that they gained control over the whole island. Resistance to
British occupation cropped up almost instantly. During the first half-century of
occupation, the British faced a number of uprisings, and were forced to maintain
a sizable army in order to guarantee their control over the island. After the Matale Rebellion lead
by Puran Appu in 1848, in
which a number of Sinhalese recruits defected to the side of the rebels, the
recruitment of Sinhalese to the British forces was temporarily halted.[7]
Ceylon Light Infantry Volunteers
The second phase in the employment of non-British personnel commenced in 1861
after the enactment of an ordinance designed to authorize the creation of a
Volunteer Corps in the island. It was designated the Ceylon Light
Infantry Volunteers (CLIV). This move compensated for the disbandment of the
Ceylon Rifle Regiment in 1874. The Ceylon Light Infantry Volunteers was
originally administered as a single unit. However, over the years various
sections of the volunteers grew large enough to become independent from their
parent unit. The different units that emerged from the Volunteer Force were
the
- Ceylon Artillery Volunteers
- Ceylon Mounted Infantry (CMI)
- Ceylon Volunteer Medical Corps
- Cadet Battalion Ceylon Light Infantry
- Ceylon Engineers
- Ceylon Supply & Transport Corps
- Ceylon Planters Rifle Corps (CPRC).[7]
- 1971 JVP Insurrection (1971–1972)
- Eelam War I (1976–1987)
- JVP Uprising (1987–1990)
- Eelam War II (1990–1995)
- Eelam War III
(1995–2002)
- Operation Riviresa
- Operation Jayasikurui
- Operation Rivibala
- Operation Ranagosa
- Operation Rivikirana
- Operation Kinihira I, II, III/IV, V/VI, VII, VIII ,IX
- Eelam War IV (2006–2009)