Sri Lanka Civil Security Force
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Civil Security Force | |
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සිවිල් අාරක්ෂක බලකාය இலங்கை சிவில் பாதுகாப்பு | |
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Active | January 1, 1986 - Present |
Country | Sri Lanka |
Type | Militia |
Role | Civil Defence |
Size | 39, 800 |
Part of | Ministry of Defence |
Garrison/HQ | Colombo |
Motto(s) | Protect the Country with Self-Sacrifice |
Engagements | Sri Lankan Civil War |
Website | csd |
Commanders | |
Director General | Major General Nandana Senadeera WWV RWP RSP VSV USP ndu |
The Sri Lanka Civil Security Force (Sinhala: සිවිල් අාරක්ෂක බලකාය Sivil ārakshaka balakāya; Tamil: இலங்கை சிவில் பாதுகாப்பு) (also known as the Civil Defence Force) is a paramilitary militia tasked to serve as an auxiliary to the Sri Lanka Police. Originally the National Home Guard Service, it is directed by the Civil Security Department. The current Director General of the Civil Security Department is Major General Nandana Senadeera WWV RWP RSP VSV USP ndu.
The activities relating to the Home Guard Service were established under the Mobilization of Supplementary Force Act No. 40 of 1985, bringing local Home Guard militias under the command of the local police.[1] Service in the Civil Security Force is voluntary, with personnel being deployed in their home towns and villages, originally to protect the local population from attacks by the LTTE. With the establishment of Civil Security Department, the Home Guards were re-designated as the Civil Security Force and came under the purview of the Ministry of Defence.
The CSF is not to be confused with the Sri Lanka National Guard, which is a volunteer reserve regiment of the Sri Lanka Army.
Functions[]
The original role of the CDF was the protection of "threatened villages" also known as "border villages" that were adjacent to LTTE held areas most of which are in Puttlam, Anuradhapura, Vavuniya, Trincomalee, Polonnaruwa, Ampara and Monaragala Districts. However the role later expanded to protecting important sites and supply routes.[2]
The main roles of the CDF are,
- To serve as auxiliary to the police and aid in the maintenance of internal security,
- To serve in static defensive duties such as manning checkpoints, guarding low priority buildings or installations, guarding villages, etc.,
- To function as an emergency force intended for special tasks directly or indirectly connected with the defense of the country, and
- To help the community in any kind of emergency, such as a natural disaster.
Other, more special duties include:
- Providing security to centers of economic importance,
- Protecting supply routes.
History and establishment[]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/73/Sri_Lanka_Military_0092.jpg/300px-Sri_Lanka_Military_0092.jpg)
The start of the Sri Lankan civil war saw attacks by the LTTE on "border villages" (villages bordering the edges of the frontlines), causing considerable civilian casualties. Villagers began organising themselves into Home Guards, wherein local volunteers were initially armed with shotguns by the government, to help defend low priority rural areas that could not be held or protected by the armed forces without compromising the frontlines. The National Home Guard Service was thus established in 1986 by then Minister of National Security Lalith Athulathmudali with a strength of about 5000 personnel, armed with 12 gauge shotguns and brown uniforms. No allowances were paid initially, but some rations were issued through co-operative outlets. Subsequent to the takeover by the Police, the volunteers were paid a daily allowance and provided training at Kumbuka camp, Horana.[2]
In 1988 guardswomen were allowed to volunteer, and 1993 saw the first issue of automatic rifles to the Home Guard. However they were not very well organised, trained, or motivated resulting in many villages being massacred by LTTE raids. Further during the 2002 ‘'Ceasefire Agreement" their importance was reduced and were given non-security duties.[2]
In April 2006 due the resumption of the conflict and LTTE raids the then Secretary of Defence, Gotabaya Rajapaksa reformed the organisation renaming it into the Civil Defence Force, followed by the establishment of the Department of Civil Security on 1 January 2007 (through gazette notification No. 1462/20 of 13 September 2006) to oversee it. The first Director General of the Civil Defence Force was Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekara.[2]
Functions of the Civil Security Department were established to be:[1]
- Taking actions as a supplementary force for aiding and assisting the armed forces and police service, depending on the prevailing security status in the country,
- Taking action to safeguard villages, properties, and cities where terrorist threats are present,
- Assisting the police and armed forces to maintain law and order,
- Engaging in security duties on instances of national events and any other important occasions,
- Assisting with disaster mitigation and relief efforts,
- Assisting with social welfare activities,
- Carrying out any special duties specified by the President, line ministries or the government, and
- Operation of a Civil Security Department Headquarters.
The numbers employed increased to 41,500 from just 19,200 and a month-long military training regime under Army and Navy Instructors was introduced. Further, two types of uniforms (similar to military uniforms) were issued to guardsmen. Those in the most vulnerable places were even equipped with night vision equipment. Since then, members of the force have been deployed outside their home villages to maintain public security, including within the capital Colombo. By May 2009 near the end of the war 80% of the Main Supply Routes and 75% of the Forward Defence Lines were guarded by the CDF as well as major religious places such as Sri Maha Bodhiya and Dalada Maligawa as well as crucial economic targets. [2]
Sarath Weerasekara with the approval of the Defence Secretary formed a special elite unit called ‘Nandimithra' named after one of the Ten Giant Warriors. The elite unit consisted of four-man groups from almost all vulnerable villages that were special commando training for ten weeks including ambushes, night fighting, un-armed combat including Angampora.[2][3] They waited in pathways leading to villages and ambushed LTTE forces that attempted to target villagers and their success deterred terrorist attacks. Unlike the rest of CDF whose duty was to hold off the enemy protecting civilians until reinforcement arrive Nandimithra units launched limited offensives just outside the threatened villages.[2]
In the post-war period, CSD personnel are involved in community service projects, including agriculture, social welfare development, animal husbandry, and construction projects.
Ranks[]
Current ranks
Former ranks
Training[]
Training is provided in two stages: basic training is provided by the Sri Lankan Army at various army training centres, usually for 2–4 weeks, while periodical training is carried out by mobile training units in the areas where units are deployed.[citation needed]
Equipment[]
- Type 56-2 assault rifle
- FN FAL
- Heckler & Koch G3
- Glock 17
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Mobilization And Supplementary Forces Act (No. 40 of 1985)". commonlii.org. Commonwealth Legal Information Institute. Retrieved 3 November 2017.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g "BUSINESS TODAY -SHIELDING THE INNOCENT - REAR ADMIRAL SARATH WEERASEKARA". www.businesstoday.lk. Retrieved 2020-12-03.
- ^ "Spectrum | Sundayobserver.lk - Sri Lanka". archives.sundayobserver.lk. Retrieved 2020-12-04.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g "ප්රාථමික අර්ධ ශිල්පීය සේවා ගණය (PL-02-2006A) සඳහා උසස්කිරීම් පරිපාටිය" (PDF). csd.lk. Civil Security Department of Sri Lanka. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
External links[]
- Sri Lanka Civil Security Force
- Paramilitary organisations based in Sri Lanka
- Government departments of Sri Lanka
- Military units and formations of Sri Lanka
- Military units and formations established in 1986