(PART 01- TRINCOMALEE HARBOR)
For thousands of years, Sri Lanka has been of great interest in connecting both western and eastern worlds. Because it falls in-between, on a strategic position on the silk route. Throughout the past its crystal clear that Sri Lanka has attracted the Indians, Portuguese, Dutch, and the British in progression. Now a new entity,” the global community”, comes in a different plan eying at us for following key reasons;
(1) Sri Lanka is strategically located combining the western world with the eastern block.
(2) The perfect positioning of Sri Lanka that can be ideally developed as a Global Communication hub.
(3) The Trincomalee Harbor, which was elaborated by the British Admiral Horatio Nelson as “the finest harbor in the world”.
The positioning of the Island;
Sri Lanka has been naturally located in the middle of the Indian ocean. It’s surrounded By India from the North, by the Antarctic from the South, by Australia and the Philippines from the East, and Africa from the West.
Sri Lankan harbors Link the major sea pathways (Silk Route) all around the Island. Thus joining the west with the Eastern world in the Indian Ocean. The Suez Canal through the Red Sea, the Cape of Good Hope, and the Strait of Malacca routes through the oil-rich Gulf enlighten the strategic positioning of the Island.
The Natural setting of the Trincomalee Harbor;
With the natural harbor of Trincomalee, Sri Lanka is located at a major point in the entire region, ensuring significant importance to all superpowers in the world. Which is one of the ”most treasured assets” the Island owns.
The entrance of the harbor is five miles across and four miles wide. The inner harbor, strongly enclosed by huge rocks and small islets which has been naturally positioned as a hidden place, shields about 12 sq miles. The great depth of the inner harbor is a remarkable feature to harbor even huge ships and submarines.
Sinhalese King’s Royal Naval Headquarters;
Centuries ago when powerful Sinhalese Kings have been ruling the Kingdom of the then called “Sinhale”(The British called it Ceylon as they couldn’t pronounce Sinhale’), the security of the sailing Naval ships of the King’s entire Royal Naval fleet has been, ensured inside this harbor. During the monsoon, from October to March this place has been keeping the entire Royal fleet safe.
Imagine such a protected fleet, which was definitely in a position to dominate the entire Bay of Bengal and the Eastern Sea belt.
Thus, it is a known fact by all superpowers around the globe, that any country that would domain this harbor will have a remarkable benefit from a military point of view.
The British controlled the entire Empire in India and beyond during World War II safeguarding their Seventh Naval Fleet safely at this Natural Trincomalee harbor. When the British lost their Singapore naval base in 1942 to the Japanese the importance of the Trincomalee harbor has been felt as irreplaceable.
Ideal as a Global Communication Hub;
Trincomalee harbor is an ideal Global communication center. Communication is the number one key in modern warfare. These Super Powers have well-identified the strategic location of Sri Lanka which ideally matches to locate these state-of-the-art communication centers to control all corners of the Globe.
Louis Mountbatten, the Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces in South East Asia chose Sri Lanka as his Command headquarters in the 18th Century. The attractive climate has been just one reason for him to choose Sri Lanka to locate his headquarters. Sri Lanka ideally suited for the Command communication operation.
Perfect for nuclear submarines;
In this period of nuclear weaponry and nuclear submarine-based missile systems, Trincomalee harbor is of immense importance since it has a great depth naturally in the inner harbor.
This stretches the chance for the submarines to successfully evade radar and sonar discoveries.
Historical foreign interference;
We all remember the astonishing concern the “International Community” showed on Sri Lanka during the 30year old LTTE war. Whenever a peace negotiation was in the process, they immediately came forward to intermediate such processes. And most specifically how they unethically interfered during the final period of the war.
India –
India has been ever since interfering to be informed about the constant changes in Sri Lanka. Since we are strategically important for them as well, for centuries the Indian influence has been revolving around Sri Lanka.
An important aspect of India’s security is, frequently been aware of which international superpower would deal with Sri Lanka in using this harbor. Which they consider as a potential security risk to them.
The associations among Indian and Sri Lankan Governments after the 1980s has been rotating around who will be using the Trincomalee harbor. And the long term ownership of the properties in the harbor.
Europe –
This Harbor has been the key in Diplomatic relations between the Sinhalese kingdom and European invaders in the 18th and 19th centuries. And also Diplomatic bonds of the Ceylon government during the post-war and post-independence era.
Europeans have ever since been drawing plans on how their military and economic plans coincide with the Trincomalee harbor’s existence.
The USA –
In 1951 the USA recognized the position of Sri Lanka. And soon after Sri Lanka gained freedom from Great Britain, they negotiated with the then Ceylon Government over several proposals. And agreed to relay programs of the Voice of America (VOA) over Radio Ceylon. Because Radio Ceylon at that period was a very famous radio channel in the entire Indian subcontinent.
In return, the USA Government had promised and supplied different modern broadcasting equipment from the US.
The Voice Of America used this new facility in Sri Lanka to transmit through entire Asia, including Central Asia. Through this the Americans successfully weaken the hold of the Soviets.
After a few decades, now the US has been successful in substituting Britain as the most dominant power in Asia. Thus, they now require communication and military bases to be located all over the Asian continent.
At present in the 21st Century world powers are changing and the balance has to be re standardized.
China –
China has risen to evolve as a global superpower with a stable economy during the passing few decades. And has been developing fast as the production warehouse of the entire world.
Thus, China is currently seeking for a permanent avenue to the Trincomalee harbor. But eventually, China has managed a great deal with the Sri Lankan Government during the past few years, to have a hold in the Hambantota harbor in the southern tip of Sri Lanka.
The Chinese Government has been spending heavily on developing a string of harbors from Africa to China, which we will explain to you in another article.
Further Information on mutual agreements, MOUs, and joint operations with foreign nations in functioning Sri Lankan harbors will be discussed in Part 02.
