Controversial arms carrier belongs to Sri Lanka Shipping Company Ltd. Cargo included 813 T56, T84s and over 150,000 rounds of ammo

By Shamindra Ferdinando-October 11, 2015

The on-going investigations into a ship, ‘Avant Garde’ taken into custody for carrying weapons on the morning of Oct. 6 off Galle have taken a different turn with the revelation that the vessel, in fact, belongs to Sri Lanka Shipping Company Ltd.

Well informed sources told The Island that the Avant Garde Maritime Services (AGMS) owned by Maj. Nissanka Senadhipathi (retd) had chartered the vessel in 2012 and used it as a floating armoury overseas. Senadhipathi was serving in the elite Commando Regiment at the time of his retirement.

The vessel had been involved in a long running counter-piracy naval operation codenamed Atlanta aimed at protecting seas off the Horn of Africa and in the Western Indian Ocean. Sources said that the vessel also named Avant Garde had been returning to Sri Lanka for the first time since its departure four years back.

In answer to a question, sources said that Senadhipathi had decided to discontinue the charter and therefore the vessel was returning to the Galle harbour.

Sources said that Avant Garde had operated out of Port Sudan.

The navy said that radar positioned in the South had picked up the vessel 14 nautical miles in rainy weather. Fast Attack Craft (FACs) intercepted the vessel and brought it to the Galle harbour.

A senior navy officer told The Island that Avant Garde enterprise could have easily avoided trouble if it had declared the cargo. The official insisted that contrary to various claims the navy had the right to inspect a Sri Lankan flag carrying vessel though situation would have been different if Avant Garde carried some other flag.

The navy recovered 813 automatic weapons and over 150,000 rounds of ammunition. The weapons comprised T-56 assault rifles and T-84s.

Sri Lankan authorities are conducting investigations to find out whether Avant Garde has informed Operation Atlanta and other naval Task Forces engaged in anti-piracy missions of the transfer of weapons to Sri Lanka.

The vessel had been used as a collecting point for weapons used by Sea Marshals deployed in anti-piracy operations.

Former JVP MP Wasantha Samarasinghe of the anti-corruption front alleged that the Avant Garde had received the protection of some influential persons in the Maithripala-Wickremesinghe administration. Appearing on live Sirasa programme anchored by Chandana Sooriyabandara, on Saturday, Samarasinghe lambasted the government for failing to take punitive action against Avant Garde acting with impunity. The JVPer said that in spite of the change of government in January, Senadhipathi was continuing his project with the support of powerful individuals in the current administration.

Retired officers, Colonel Jayavi Fernando of the Special Forces and Maj. Nissanka Rajapakse joined the discussion. Both alleged that Senadhipathi had driven rivals away and taken over the lucrative assignment. All three panelists alleged that the government seemed powerless to move court against Avant Garde in spite of mounting incriminating evidence pertaining to various violations.

Colonel Fernando alleged that though the government had changed, many of those who had served the Rajapaksas remained in key positions and, therefore, justice couldn’t be expected of the new administration as well.

Authoritative sources said that there had been serious administrative lapses on the part of Avant Garde. A Sri Lankan had identified himself as the Captain of the vessel whereas the actual Captain was a Ukrainian, sources said, adding that the navy was in the process of investigating the matter. However, the police had to conduct a thorough investigation into the Avant Garde affair, sources said. The crew and some Sri Lankan Sea Marshals are detained on board the ship.

However, others said that the new government couldn’t pretend that it wasn’t aware of the anti-piracy operation undertaken by Avant Garde. "It wasn’t a secret operation. Sri Lanka benefited from the operation."

Maj. Rajapaksa alleged in Sirasa programme that the Defence Ministry had deprived him of doing business by imposing heavy payments which he couldn’t meet. According to him, certain persons created an environment to ensure that only Avant Garde could operate at the expense of its rivals.