Courtesy The Daily Mirror

Samagi Jana Balavegaya MP Harin Fernando said today that proposed Indian funded Maritime Rescue Coordination Center (MRCC) is to be set up inside the Sri Lanka Navy Headquarters will threaten Sri Lanka’s security.

He said at a media briefing that a sub-unit will be set up in Hambantota and seven other units will be positioned across the country.

The Cabinet has approved to establish an MRCC in Sri Lanka with a grant of US$6 million from India.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the government of India and an agreement with Bharath Electronics of India to be signed for the establishment of MRCC.

Bharat Electronics Limited is a state-owned aerospace and defence electronics company in India, which primarily manufactures advanced electronic products for ground and aerospace applications.

Under the agreement, MP Fernando said that India will also provide three Dornier maritime surveillance aircraft to Sri Lanka, while the Sri Lanka Navy is to receive a 4,000 MT floating barge from India.

Sri Lankan sky has been sold to India under the pretext of the security system. We know that our sea and lands had already been given to China, ports were given to India and LNG projects in Sri Lanka to USA. Now they gave Sri Lankan sky also to India for two years,” he charged.

Mr.Fernando said the person who promised to uphold security in the island, has already sold the Sri Lanka Navy to India. 

The SJB parliamentarian said that Sri Lanka has signed three agreements with India including the MRCC. He alleged that Sri Lanka also given access to India to obtain biometrics data of Sri Lankans. (Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya)