Deep State – Sow a Wind and Reap a Whirlwind

Col. (Retired) Parakrama Dissanayake
Former commanding Officer,
Military Intelligence

“If they did prosper and increase in riches, yet they should not long enjoy them themselves, but be pillaged and spoiled of them” Hosea 8:7

The above is quoted from the Bible and is self-explanatory. Since, the concept of Deep State in Sri Lanka is closely connected, to the Easter Bombing, the Bible verse has been referred to due to its significance.

For the first time in Sri Lanka, Deep State has been discussed publicly, by Sunanda Deshapriya, writing about it in his recent book about the Easter Attack. His book is about the fourth publication on the Easter Sunday attack. I have always had great respect for Sunanda as I had been reading his articles from the nineties.

Although I still have not read this book, skimming through it I think it is well researched. He refers to Deep State as ‘Paaraa Rajya’ in Sinhala. Attorney Kishali Pinto Jayawardena too has written about the danger of Deep State in her articles.

I wrote an article about Deep State immediately after Azad Moulana made a revelation on Channel 4. However I was advised not to, by my friends. I was also aware that a prominent journalist had to leave the country after it was alleged that he helped the Channel 4 research.

Definition and Extent of Deep State

There are many definitions to Deep State, its nature and activity, over a period of time. With research and activity, the term has evolved in many ways and descriptions. However, the concept originated from the Turkish word derin devlet. It was presumed, a secret network of military officers and civilians tried to preserve the secular order based on the ideas of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. Some consider it as a part of the Gladio Organisation to influence Turkey to be part of NATO, during the Cold War.

A more formal definition would be, “an alleged secret network of especially non-elected government officials and sometimes private entities, as in the financial services and defence industries, operating extra legally to influence and enact government policy. The power of Deep State comes from experience, knowledge, relationships, insight, craft, special skills, traditions, and shared values”.

In very simple terms, it is ‘a State within a State’. Or ‘criminal’ or ‘rogue’ elements that have somehow muscled their way into power. Many countries have experienced Deep State in many forms mostly associated with the military, intelligence, influential business community or cartels or influential lobbyists.

In Deep State, the most common shared value being Patriotism or Nationalism, fits the profile of any military intelligence organisation including Sri Lanka. They go to the extent of changing public opinion through paid journalists, and media outlets, influential politicians and others. In today’s context, the Fifth Estate which is also very powerful, in changing public opinion. These Deep State elements, try to be away from public scrutiny through the cover of ‘Betrayal’.

Thus they become unaccountable and opaque. When in operation, the spectre of Deep State threatens to thwart the will of the people and undercut constitutional authority. Any government which promotes Deep State, for short term gain in politics, is either unaware of the concept and its implications or its criminal nature. Any whistle blower is silenced, using enormous resources and tools available to the Deep State element.

In USA. those who were involved in the January 6, 2021 attack on Capitol Hill, believed there was a Deep State conspiracy to prevent Joe Biden from becoming the rightful President of USA. There was rioting, vandalism. looting, assault, shooting, arson and attempted bombings during the attack.

Deep State, through all the world experience clearly indicates a threat to the state, democracy and the people, creates mistrust, suspicion and fear amongst the population and finally could result in the breakup of the state. It always has negative connotations. Deep State controls many countries. Closer home, Pakistan is a clear example of Deep State, associated with ‘Religion and Army’.

The long term, end result of Deep State is the fall of the Constitution and rise of a shadow government. This threatens the very fabric of society more than any act of terrorism. The enemy is always within and cannot be controlled due to many obligations the government has towards this rogue element. It begins with overseas postings and courses to selected individuals and ends up with super luxury life, influence and perks to those who form the elite and most trusted group of the government. This clearly was evident since the previous presidential elections in 2019 and from 2010.

Deep State in Sri Lanka

Deep State is hardly known, discussed or observed in any circle or community in Sri Lanka, including the military. Certainly, not in the public domain. Reasons being public backlash, threat to life and ignorance of the concept.

Deep State activity, in recent years, was first evidenced during 88-89 insurrection. Elements from the military and other law enforcement agencies were tasked with or by themselves decided, to carry out extrajudicial activity. Batalanda and Suriyakanda stand out and were the most infamous. This also happened in many other areas of the south.

During my tenure of service, as the senior intelligence officer, in the North and East, so many desperate mothers, sisters and wives were assisted in some form, to find or trace those missing. Unfortunately not much was possible. There were lists given by ruling party politicians just to ‘Eliminate’ youth whom they considered anti-social elements or subversives. Many youth were eliminated without any trial or judicial proceedings and that’s no secret at all. In some local areas the government was actually the military or the security forces. It was a government within a government, in most local areas.

Sunanda Deshapriya

Going beyond, the next stage was when the when Eelam War 2 broke out in June 1990. That’s actually the time when the White Van culture came about. Intelligence officers along with militants other than the LTTE, from various groups supported the security forces to identify terrorists. Abductions were taking place in the Jaffna peninsula, in white vans. It was, I think, the Uthayan and Eelamurasu newspapers that exposed the existence of white vans. The Uthayan newspaper office was hit by an air raid subsequently in 1990, and it was attacked about six times with the last time being in 2013. Eelamurasu was taken over by the militants.

In 1994, during the local government elections in the East, in March, the intelligence played a major role in help fielding candidates. In fact, a ruling party politician was involved in handing over money to those who stood for elections. Many of those elected were subsequently killed by the LTTE. Ever since, Deep State activity was carried out mostly by elements of intelligence units.

Even Heads of State believed in whatever the Intelligence reported. No questions were asked. That was quite natural, as they had implicit faith and trust in those agencies. Many have been the occasions when the Head of State and the country at large had been deceived by these agencies. The most horrible result of all this was the Easter Bombing in 2019.

The infamous Millenium City episode in 2001 was a text book example of how Deep State activity operated and executed, unprofessional but successful. The military intelligence was able to cover up their misdoings and unprofessional conduct big time. This was revealed even recently, by FM Sarath Foneka on July 21, 2024 during a news interview. The President, the Defence apparatus, the public and the country at large, were led down the garden path, deceived and public opinion manipulated in favour of the wrong doers.

Large amounts of public resources including media was extensively used to cover up an illegal operation. I was one who, suffered most, although I had absolutely no part to play in the drama. It was a turning point in Deep State activity in Sri Lanka. In actual fact, it was from that time onwards, that Deep State started to be treated as a defining tool in the Defence apparatus.

With this, the military intelligence became a game changer in military-political activity at National level. Its rise was phenomenal and unchallenged. Those involved in the manipulation, was smart enough to contribute to the fall of the government. Incidentally, the very same persons who manipulated the government then, brought about its fall 20 years ago.

They were able to comfortably work with the same person whom they ousted as Prime Minister then, later to become the previous President. A monster was created and nurtured for political gain as never before. The same could happen now too. And it’s not going to be a surprise to me at least. Covert attempts will be made use of to drum up the ‘Patriotic’ cause.

How deep is Deep

The affect and impact of Deep State in the Easter Bombing is now clearly evident. How deep is Deep State, is a matter of extreme interest. From what has transpired so far, from all investigations and commission reports, it is evident that there was a clear attempt by the military intelligence and other connected agencies to cover up Zahran and his group activity. There is no doubt about that. The only doubt is, whether they were in fact involved in the planning and execution of the attack.

The cover up activity is so strong that, even the Commander of the Army, a very noteworthy and highly respected professional was deceived by reports on the Vavunativu Killing on November 28, 2018 and the recovery of the arms cache at Lacto Estate, Vanthavillu, on January 27, 2019. Rogue elements have been in the pay roll of military intelligence and the tax payer of the country has paid to maintain a set of murderers.

Although, the Government in office was that of President Sirisena, the military intelligence loyalty has been to the one out of office. So, in other words, the latter was working and being directed by an element which had no responsibility on governance. Among the questions that needs answers are:

•  Whom was the military intelligence working for, with the Zaharan group?
•  Was it the Commander of the Army, a foreign element or a local element?
•  Who authorised the activity with the operations and projects in general and activities of the Zaharan group in particular?
•  Was the military intelligence loyal to the State and the Constitution?
•  Who authorised payment for the Zaharan is group and what threat were they assigned to counter?

Strategically, tactically and operationally, the Directorate of Military Intelligence and all military intelligence personnel work on the directives of the President/Defence Minister who defines who, which, what, how, where and how much the threat is, to the State. The latter, in turn, issues directives on the advise of various defence specialists. It seems most of those protocols have been breached when dealing with the Zaharan group.

There could have been other such instances too. Even the President incumbent at that time seems to have been reluctant to divulge information about what knowledge he had. Instead, it appeared, he was more comfortable to pay rupees one hundred million to the victims. Thus the Easter Bombing was deeper than Deep State and may need a new definition.

On the Easter Bombing

Till the recent announcement of Presidential Elections it seemed much water had flowed under the bridge, following the Bombing. Commission Reports, Select Committee Reports, Investigations and four books written so far and nothing much happened or deliberately put on the back-burner. There is renewed hope for the victims and justice for the country now.

Some areas for consideration amidst the possibility of evidence being tampered and suppressed over a period of five years are:

= Auditing the Secret Service Fund (SS Fund). A large sum of money allocated to the State Intelligence Service and the Military Intelligence for purposes of intelligence. The only person who can audit this fund is the President. The military intelligence SS fund may never have been audited since its origin in 1990. An in depth study of how the fund was utilised over a period of about 10 years and for what purpose, will indicate the true nature of its use or misuse. However, traces of its use could be already tampered with.

= Assessment of Special Equipment inventory. Over a period of time, a large arsenal of special equipment has been purchased for intelligence purposes. Its true nature and use is privy only to a few individuals. A study needs to be done on its legal use and capabilities.

= Scrutiny of Human Resource Index Register. A variety of human sources are utilised as intelligence sources. It is mandatory that a source index is maintained for accountability. It has to be assessed whether it has been maintained along with true and accurate details of human resources including pseudonyms, along with reports submitted, payments made and results obtained. Pseudonyms are conveniently misused as a cover for illegal activity. This register can be cross checked with the SS Fund payment details and as a supporting document. This could be a major source for accountability and transparency to uncover suppressed evidence.

= Conducting of Joint investigations. A police or CID Investigation per se may not suffice. Handpicked personnel from the military too should be included. It is these personnel who will know or assist on the internal workings of the army, like, procedures regarding communications, transport, weapons, rations pay and others. Without this expertise, much can be suppressed or hidden as is normally the case.

= Appointing Special Commissions. It is known that these commissions are only fact finding and sometimes inconclusive with no powers of punishment. The public should be invited to give evidence. The journalists and others who had researched on the incident, may have brought out more findings through their research, than in any formal investigations as their informal source base is much stronger than a formal one. .

Knowledge and acknowledgment of Deep State will be more beneficial to the country rather than being ignorant of it. Other Deep State activity regarding attacks on journalists and killings too could be laid bare through this exposure. It will benefit the future good of the Country and be a genuine eye opener to the Defence establishment. Renewed attempts, as always, to shoot the messenger cannot ruled out though.

“Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel” Samuel Johnson 1709 – 1784

para.stormsat@gmail.com