Page 88 - journal_2016_december_uploaded_2022_mar_16

Sri Lanka navy JournaL 76
each year . Considering Sri Lanka’s maritime importance to its economy in terms of
8
tourism and fishing industry, the absence of an effective coastal surveillance system
would result in our waters are open to rampant abuse thus causing grave damages to
aforementioned areas of economic avenues. Hence, it must be reiterated that only a
well established and well-netted coastal surveillance is the only means of preventing
maritime pollution disasters around the waters of Sri Lanka.

3.6 Staging ground for powerful nations

Eventhough, this is purely a hypothetical situation, it could be expected to the worst
case scenario that in the absence of a sound surveillance system over the waters
of Sri Lankan interest, these waters may turn into a lurking grounds for powerful
nations possibly with a strong naval presence. It should be emphasized that even
at present Sri Lanka left exposed and vulnerable of her sovereignty in the waters
around her by submarines of naval superpowers in the region as Sri Lanka Navy
does not possess any underwater capability at least to pose a deterrence. However,
the absence of a sound coastal surveillance system that can cover three dimensional
aspects of maritime environment would transform Sri Lankan waters into staging
grounds where these nations may use their power against Sri Lanka as a means of
governing their will over the interests of Sri Lankan government. This would cause
an unpleasant scenario in the regional political balance and could lead Sri Lanka
being subjugated to surveillance of a different power.

4. Gap free integration of Sensors and Human Factor

For the ease of proposing a gap free coastal surveillance, the broad concept is sub
divided into two different scopes namely; technology and the human factor and information
associated with those two. These two key areas will mainly cover the entire region of coastal
surveillance focusing a gap free intelligence mechanism.

4.1 Human factor and information

Under this, all personnel involved-in and every organization, even the ones
which have the least role in coastal surveillance fall in. The agencies involved in the
role of coastal surveillance are;

a. Army b. Navy c. Air Force d. Police Department
e. Coast Guard f. National Intelligence Service/s

Further, the organization of these agencies comes in three different levels; they are;
a. Command/Strategic level b. Operational level
c. Tactical level

8 Marine defenders, ‘ illegal dumping’,http://www.marinedefenders.com/oilpollutionfacts/illegal.php,(accessed
29 December 2015)