Q. You are Major Nissanka Senadhipathi. You get quite a media publicity these days.

A. Yes, I am very sad about it. Some people who do not know the immense social service done by me personally and also through my company have been making false statements to newspapers.

Q. We will directly get to the topic. Was the news about you initially published because of the floating armoury in Galle?

A. I think the society has come to know the real story now. However, some people made it controversial without knowing the real situation. We have been conducting this operation with full accountability and legality. That is known by the previous government as well as the incumbent government. Similarly, the whole country knows the respect, recognition and the economic benefits that the country has gained because of the venture. We provide services to more than 200 international private maritime security companies through this venture. None of us can do anything incorrectly or in a manner that might create a doubt because our country would be embarrassed in the eyes of those foreign countries.

Q. How did you venture in to this field?

A. According to world history, “Avant Garde” means going forward, searching for new avenues. As a retired officer of the elite Commando Regiment, the vision of my life is “nothing is impossible”. Accordingly, I probed the business world, security field and in the internet. I found “maritime security duties” from those efforts.

Q. Is this field new to Sri Lanka?

A. Yes. The threat of Somali sea pirates became a serious international problem. The threat posed by them to international shipping was very serious. Finding a solution to it was a great challenge. Confronting a big mafia is not easy. By that time a dangerous nexus was created between sea pirates and some terrorist organizations. They were demanding about US$ 20 million to release a high jacked ship. That was a serious problem. I realised that in order to find a solution I had to acquire knowledge about relevant laws and naval activities in international seas. I did not meet a person knowledgeable in them. I pursued further. I have to thankfully remember a former employee of Avant Garde; Mr. Thilina Wewegama in this respect. Having acquired the required knowledge, I thought to apprise the UN about our capability and willingness to contribute to overcome the threat posed by sea pirates.

Q. So how did you start it?

A. I was in Dubai then. I came to Sri Lanka and with the assistance of a few naval officers I submitted a project proposal titled “Contribution of Sri Lanka to overcome the threat posed by sea piracy to international shipping”. I referred it to Secretary General of UN, Ban Ki Moon.

Q. You received a special endorsement from the former Defence Secretary, Gotabhaya Rajapakse?

A. No, really not. True story is not that. It was not a small commitment. The first venture we started was to provide security to fishing trawlers. In order to do it, a detailed study had to be done for about one and a half years from beginning of 2010. I did that by myself. The security personnel in these fishing trawlers had to spend a minimum of eight months in fishing trawlers operating about 3,000 nautical miles away from Sri Lanka. This was a unique and unknown experience and challenge. Accordingly, I prepared a special project report covering operating procedures, weapon usage instructions, problems and limitations of food and water, challenges in transferring injured personnel, first aid, welfare of families of war hero security guards, mental state of security guards, keeping their moral high, keeping communications open through satellite phones and fax messages, and sustaining many offices in overseas countries for proper administration of the operation. We have sent more than 300 e-mails to foreign fishing trawler operators. So, the real answer to your question is, we had about 40 discussions with this project report in hand. However, the response from Ministry of Defence was not encouraging. Rakna Arakshaka Lanka Ltd., was reluctant to accept our proposal. However, after repeated explanation about it, the Ministry of Defence finally approved it as a pilot project on an experimental basis. That was end of 2011. I thought that paved the way for me to provide respectable and productive employment to the war-heroes who have been generally forgotten and discarded.

Q. What were the challenges when deploying for these international duties?

A. Good question. There was no need to train war-heroes on weapon usage. However they had to be educated on implications of maritime laws and use of minimum force. By that, this great opportunity that was initially beneficial to retired naval personnel could be extended to retired personnel of Army, Air Force and Police also. Training in English language was also provided. Now our people are on equal par with any foreign security personnel. There are more than 150 retired officers of the tri-services working in my company to control and supervise this operation.

Q. What is the opinion of international organizations about this venture?

A. All international organizations involved in maritime affairs are absolutely impressed about the work of my company. There are many such reports. There are more than 200 private maritime security companies with and around us because of our efficiency and effectiveness. They are aware about the disciplined and efficient manner with which we render our services. With such a service, some irregularities which had happened previously could be eliminated. Of course, some elements are not happy about it. A few days ago one Ian Urbina working in the head office of New York Time Newspaper of USA sent an e-mail. According to it, the New York Times wanted to publish a detailed report about our operations, and the exceptional manner with which the operation of our floating armouries are conducted, hence wanted to come and meet me. Now you will realise the image we have created internationally.

Q. How does the country benefit from this?

A. If you are asking about economic benefits I have to say immense. However, there is a great social service beyond that. We defeated the LTTE terrorism. That was not by accident. That became a reality because of the immense sacrifice of our war heroes who were not scared of death, like Maddhuma Bandara. These war heroes who made it possible are from villages all over the country. Every living person at this moment should be eternally indebted to these war heroes, but how long do we remember about lives and limbs sacrificed in this effort. It is only five years since the end of war. Our war heroes have even now been classified as brigands, highway robbers and those who rape women.

Q. Do you say that they are classified like that even when innocent?

A. I do. What did the war heroes who finished the war get? Is their pay or pension adequate to live? Are their problems solved by only medals for bravery? In those circumstances it is possible to go astray. That is reality. We should not look at the outcome, but the root cause. I thought these brave war heroes are entitled for a more respectable living. I thought it is my duty by my country. That is how I created Avant Garde. Today there are thousands of war heroes serving in my company. They are paid handsomely to have a reasonable living. I started this venture for war heroes, for their lives. I am proud that I have done duty by my country. That alone is enough.

(Discussion by Prasanna Sanjeewa Tennekoon)