Deputy Commander of Joint Agency Task Force Operation Sovereign Borders of Australia, Commander Mark Whitechurch said that the Australia Border Force has not intercepted any boats from Sri Lanka with illegal migrants on board over the past year on Monday.
“Over the past year we have not observed any boats from Sri Lanka attempting to reach Australia”, he said. Commander Whitechurch was speaking at a press conference to mark the launch of joint maritime operation ‘Disi Rela’ from Dickowita to Chilaw on Monday evening.
The Sri Lanka Coast Guard Department and the Australian Border Force launched this week-long operation involving sharing information and community engagement raising community awareness on people’s smuggling, human trafficking, and other maritime crimes.
Commander Mark Whitechurch said this joint operation will underscore the strong partnership between the two countries in combating human trafficking and people’s smuggling.
“We focus on community engagement, raising awareness, strategic communication, and intelligence”, he said. Commander Whitechurch said that the operation ‘Disi Rela’ aims to protect the maritime environment. He added that People’s smuggling and trafficking are complex issues that require intricate solutions.
He added that Australia has valued relations with Sri Lanka for over seven decades and the bilateral engagement covers many areas.
“Now our operations are proving effective. We are not only saving lives and livelihoods but also dismantling the people’s smuggling networks”, he said. The community can report any suspicious or illegal maritime activities that occur anonymously through a dedicated hotline, 041 7501400, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Director General of Operations of the Sri Lanka Navy Rear Admiral Nishantha Peris said that this operation is launched on an initiative of the Australian Border Force to enhance maritime security capabilities and it symbolises the commitment of the two nations to strengthening maritime security.
He added that the Sri Lanka Navy and the Sri Lanka Coast Guard Department were able to enhance capabilities in combating maritime crimes through collaboration with the Australian Border Force.
He added that since the middle of last year, our partnership has effectively achieved a significant milestone by completely eliminating the possibility of human smugglers reaching Australia.
Sri Lanka Coast Guard DG Rear Admiral Pujitha Vithana said this operation will help elevate the awareness of the public on the maritime security threats.
“It is everyone’s responsibility to keep a watchful eye over our maritime environment regent”, he said.
He believed that Sri Lankans at all levels have a responsibility to secure the country’s maritime environments from all sorts of threats.
Australian High Commissioner Paul Stephen, Commander Mark Whitechurch, and Rear Admiral Pujitha Vithana inspected the Hitec equipment used for surveillance in the Sri Lankan maritime zone on board the Samuraksha vessel at Colombo Port. Later they boarded the Sri Lanka Coast Guard vessel Samaraksha and toured around the Colombo Port.
Chaminda Perera