• SL studying Bangladeshi model to draft peacekeeping policy
• SLA earned $ 297 m from UN peacekeeping missions, SLAF over $ 100 m
• Two Sri Lankan Blue Helmets KIA, 53 injured in the line of duty thus far
• SL officially notifies UN of disciplinary action on Haiti allegation 

Sri Lanka’s biggest contribution to United Nations (UN) peacekeeping, the ongoing mission in war-torn, politically-unstable Mali, remains under a cloud as the UN General Assembly moves to unanimously approve the complete withdrawal of UN Peacekeeping Forces within six months.  

Despite the uncertainty about the UN mission to Mali, Sri Lanka dispatched a new contingent to Mali last week to replace the 240-strong Combat Convoy Company (CCC) which was scheduled to rotate out of theatre this month. 

The mission to Mali, which saw the first Lankan Combat Convoy Company assigned to the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) in 2017, has been serving in what the international press has termed ‘the most dangerous peacekeeping mission’ for the last seven years. Two Sri Lankan peacekeepers were killed in action in Mali, with a further 29 injured to date.

When contacted, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) told The Sunday Morning that it was aware of the changes in Mali and planned to review Sri Lanka’s deployment if the role of MINUSMA changed from peacekeeping to peace enforcement.

“If we lose the Mali peacekeeping mission we will communicate to the United Nations requesting a different assignment, as we have invested to sustain the ongoing one. Also, we will review our commitment to MINUSMA if its role changes from peacekeeping to peace enforcement,” MOD Director of Media Col. Nalin Herath said.  

Sri Lanka’s contribution to UN peacekeeping missions increased significantly following the end of the internal conflict in 2009, with a demand for experienced troops for such missions, particularly in war-torn Africa. 

However, allegations of war crimes and human rights abuses stemming from the civil conflict in Sri Lanka, unresolved disciplinary issues related to peacekeeping, lack of suitable equipment, fleet sustainment, and a lack of coherent policy on peacekeeping contribution have, over the years, been a bottleneck for Sri Lanka to expand its UN role.

Future of Blue Helmets

When contacted about the Government’s policy on peacekeeping, State Minister of Defence Premitha Bandara Tennakoon told The Sunday Morning that the Government was keen on expanding Sri Lanka’s peacekeeping endgames and was studying how Bangladesh – a key player in supporting UN missions – was deploying armed forces for UN missions.

“We are studying the Bangladeshi model and how several other countries plan and execute their contributions to the UN peacekeeping missions. Once a study is completed, we will formulate a plan with stakeholder consultation about how Sri Lanka will engage in peacekeeping in the future,” Tennakoon said.

According to him, Sri Lanka has also sought the assistance of the US and others to secure more peacekeeping opportunities. “We have requested from the US, particularly during our discussions with US Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs (SCA) Deputy Assistant Secretary Afreen Akhter, about finding new peacekeeping assignments. We have sought assistance from others as well. We have also sought assistance to source some of the equipment needed for such missions,” the State Minister explained.

Tennakoon added that with the ongoing ‘Defence 2030’ review and the planned ‘right-sizing’ of the armed forces, the Government was considering expanding its UN role. 

It is learnt that the armed forces were also keen to expand the peacekeeping contribution as it offered valuable opportunities to work and learn within a multinational environment, improve professionalism, and provide those who were deployed a better financial remuneration.

When asked about several missed opportunities to deploy Sri Lankan peacekeepers for new missions and sustain others over the last two years, Tennakoon said that financial constraints and equipment shortages had prevented Sri Lanka from capitalising on some of the opportunities which had been available.

Ongoing missions

At present, Sri Lanka has deployed troops and airmen for four missions in Africa. These include a medical hospital in South Sudan, the CCC in Mali, a force protection company in Lebanon, and an aviation (helicopter) detachment in the Central African Republic [see graphic]. The army peacekeeping missions to Lebanon and Mali have won commendations from the UN.

The air force mission to the Central African Republic, which included the deployment of three SLAF Mi-17Sh helicopters and 110 personnel, has also won a commendation for its actions.

One of the key issues is maintaining the vehicle and aircraft fleet which are essential to sustain UN missions. The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) has been trying to procure spare parts and replace armoured vehicles to sustain missions in Lebanon and Mali. The vehicle fleet in Mali has been especially challenging to maintain due to heavy use in austere conditions.

It is learnt that the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) was also finding it difficult to sustain peacekeeping missions due to difficulties in maintaining the Russian-built Mi-17 helicopter fleet, which has been impacted by budget cuts and supply chain issues due to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. Several attempts over the last few years to overhaul a number of helicopters, at times using a Russian credit line which lay unused, had been blocked by the Treasury.  

Allegations of abuse – Haiti

Allegations of child sexual abuse and rape by Sri Lankan peacekeepers who were deployed to Haiti have long gone unacknowledged by successive governments. In 2007, the UN repatriated nearly 108 Sri Lankan peacekeepers from Haiti on disciplinary grounds.   

“Out of a total of 950 members of the Sri Lankan battalion (SriBat), 108 will be repatriated tomorrow, 3 November, with the cooperation of Sri Lankan authorities and following the receipt of a preliminary report by the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS),” the UN said at the time, stating that the allegations included sexual exploitation, abuse, and abuse of best practices in peacekeeping.

The Sri Lankan defence establishment has over the years resisted acknowledging and officially stating what accountability actions had been taken regarding the allegations.

However, a senior Foreign Ministry source told The Sunday Morning that Sri Lanka recently officially notified the United Nations about the disciplinary action taken against a number of officers and other ranks who were part of the mission to Haiti, following an investigation into the allegations against them. It is reliably learnt that several officers have been unceremoniously discharged from service due to the disciplinary action.  

Peacekeeping as foreign remittance

According to the Sri Lanka Army, the total accumulated income from peacekeeping missions is approximately $ 297 million. The annual income from the SLA peacekeeping missions in Lebanon, South Sudan, and Mali was given as approximately $ 14.2 million.

Meanwhile, the Sri Lanka Air Force told The Sunday Morning that the total income from its peacekeeping missions as of 2023 was approximately $ 115 million. The income for the years 2021, 2022, and till 1 June 2023 is approximately $ 23 million.

Cost in lives and blood

Over the years, eight Sri Lankan peacekeepers have been killed in the line of duty.

The most recent losses of peacekeepers were in January 2019 of Captain Dinesh Jayawickrama of the Sri Lanka Light Infantry and Corporal S.S. Wijekumara of the Mechanised Infantry Regiment who were killed when a Remote Controlled Improvised Explosive Device (RCIED) detonated underneath the armoured personnel carrier they were travelling in.

The suitability of the armoured vehicles, especially their survivability to the threats in Mali, and the equipment used by Sri Lankan peacekeepers has long been criticised. Sri Lanka continues to deploy Soviet era and 1990s-designed Chinese armoured vehicles which have remained in service for decades and are considered obsolete by some countries for their peacekeeping missions.

According to the Ministry of Defence, six peacekeepers have lost their lives during the Haiti mission.

A total of 53 Sri Lankan Blue Helmets have been injured during UN missions, some seriously. Twenty-nine were injured during the Mali mission which is ongoing, while 22 were injured during the Haiti mission. The missions in Lebanon and the previous mission in Congo have seen three injuries.