Manil Mendis
Encyclopedia
Commodore
Manil Mendis, psc, SLN
was a Sri Lankan Naval officer. He is the former Director Naval Training and former Commander Southern Naval Area.
Educated at the Royal College Colombo
, he joined the Sri Lanka Navy as an Officer Cadet
in the Executive Branch graduated top of his batch in officer training as a Midshipman
at the Naval & Maritime Academy, after which he was commissioned as a Sub-Lieutenant
. Mendis later graduated from Staff College
.
Reaching the rank of Commodore
, he was appointed to the post of Director Naval Training, and after which he was appointed Commander Southern Naval Area.
He was Commander Southern Naval Area, when the LTTE launched an surprise suicide attack
on on Galle Harbour and the adjacent naval shore establishment SLNS Dakshina the Southern Naval Command HQ on October 18, 2006. It resulted in the death of one sailor and one civilian; 12 sailors, 14 civilians wounded and damage to three naval gun boats. However it caused much humiliation to the government as Galle
was the provincial capital of the Southern Province
, the home province of President
Mahinda Rajapaksa
. Relieved of command, Commodore Mendis was court-martial
ed three months later in January 28, 2007. He was the most senior military officer to be court-martialed since the start of the northern insurgency
in 1981, even though there were several larger military setbacks in the past such as the Bandaranaike Airport attack
, first Battle of Mullaitivu and Second Battle of Elephant Pass
or after as the Raid on Anuradhapura Air Force Base
no commanding officers were court-martialed, even though they resulted in more deaths and economic effects. In February 2007, he was found guilty of two counts. The first count was "failing to take adequate precautions and countermeasures with due care for the protection of the Naval base, ships and craft and personnel at the Galle Harbour from terrorist attacks despite the availability of prior reliable information and repeated instructions from Naval Headquarters, an act prejudicial to good order and naval discipline". The second count - "failing to obtain approval from the Navy Commander prior to leaving SLNS Dakshin despite specific instructions by the Commander for him to proceed and stay at SLNS Dakshin due to a possible terrorist attack on the Galle harbour, an act prejudicial to good order and naval discipline". He was reduced in seniority by ten months and retired shortly with his rank.
Commodore Mendis has been awarded the service medal Sri Lanka Armed Services Long Service Medal
.
Commodore (rank)
Commodore is a military rank used in many navies that is superior to a navy captain, but below a rear admiral. Non-English-speaking nations often use the rank of flotilla admiral or counter admiral as an equivalent .It is often regarded as a one-star rank with a NATO code of OF-6, but is not always...
Manil Mendis, psc, SLN
Sri Lankan Navy
-The Beginning and World War II:In January 1938 the Ceylon Naval Volunteer Force was created with Commander W.G. Beauchamp as Commanding Officer under ordinance No I of 1937. On 31 August 1939 at the out set of World War II, the CNVF was mobilized for war duties...
was a Sri Lankan Naval officer. He is the former Director Naval Training and former Commander Southern Naval Area.
Educated at the Royal College Colombo
Royal College Colombo
The Royal College of Colombo was founded in January 1835 in Colombo. It is considered to be the leading Public School in Sri Lanka...
, he joined the Sri Lanka Navy as an Officer Cadet
Officer Cadet
Officer cadet is a rank held by military and merchant navy cadets during their training to become commissioned officers and merchant navy officers, respectively. The term officer trainee is used interchangeably in some countries...
in the Executive Branch graduated top of his batch in officer training as a Midshipman
Midshipman
A midshipman is an officer cadet, or a commissioned officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Kenya...
at the Naval & Maritime Academy, after which he was commissioned as a Sub-Lieutenant
Sub-Lieutenant
Sub-lieutenant is a military rank. It is normally a junior officer rank.In many navies, a sub-lieutenant is a naval commissioned or subordinate officer, ranking below a lieutenant. In the Royal Navy the rank of sub-lieutenant is equivalent to the rank of lieutenant in the British Army and of...
. Mendis later graduated from Staff College
Staff college
Staff colleges train military officers in the administrative, staff and policy aspects of their profession. It is usual for such training to occur at several levels in a career...
.
Reaching the rank of Commodore
Commodore (rank)
Commodore is a military rank used in many navies that is superior to a navy captain, but below a rear admiral. Non-English-speaking nations often use the rank of flotilla admiral or counter admiral as an equivalent .It is often regarded as a one-star rank with a NATO code of OF-6, but is not always...
, he was appointed to the post of Director Naval Training, and after which he was appointed Commander Southern Naval Area.
He was Commander Southern Naval Area, when the LTTE launched an surprise suicide attack
Attack on Galle Harbour
Attack on Galle Harbour was a suicide attack carried out by fifteen Sea Tigers of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam on the commercial Galle harbour and Sri Lanka Navy base SLNS Dakshina in the tourist town of Galle in southern Sri Lanka....
on on Galle Harbour and the adjacent naval shore establishment SLNS Dakshina the Southern Naval Command HQ on October 18, 2006. It resulted in the death of one sailor and one civilian; 12 sailors, 14 civilians wounded and damage to three naval gun boats. However it caused much humiliation to the government as Galle
Galle
Galle is a city situated on the southwestern tip of Sri Lanka, 119 km from Colombo. Galle is the capital city of Southern Province of Sri Lanka and it lies in Galle District....
was the provincial capital of the Southern Province
Southern Province, Sri Lanka
The Southern Province of Sri Lanka is a small geographic area consisting of the districts of Galle, Matara and Hambantota. The region is economically backward compared to the Western province, where the capital Sri Jayawardenapura-Kotte is situated...
, the home province of President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
Mahinda Rajapaksa
Mahinda Rajapaksa
Percy Mahendra "Mahinda" Rajapaksa ; ; born November 18, 1945) is the 6th and current President of Sri Lanka and Commander in Chief of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces. A lawyer by profession, Rajapaksa was first elected to the Parliament of Sri Lanka in 1970, and served as prime minister from April 6,...
. Relieved of command, Commodore Mendis was court-martial
Court-martial
A court-martial is a military court. A court-martial is empowered to determine the guilt of members of the armed forces subject to military law, and, if the defendant is found guilty, to decide upon punishment.Most militaries maintain a court-martial system to try cases in which a breach of...
ed three months later in January 28, 2007. He was the most senior military officer to be court-martialed since the start of the northern insurgency
Sri Lankan civil war
The Sri Lankan Civil War was a conflict fought on the island of Sri Lanka. Beginning on July 23, 1983, there was an on-and-off insurgency against the government by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam , a separatist militant organization which fought to create an independent Tamil state named Tamil...
in 1981, even though there were several larger military setbacks in the past such as the Bandaranaike Airport attack
Bandaranaike Airport attack
The Bandaranaike Airport attack was an assault by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam on Bandaranaike International Airport, on July 24, 2001...
, first Battle of Mullaitivu and Second Battle of Elephant Pass
Second Battle of Elephant Pass
The Second Battle of Elephant Pass , was a battle fought in April 2000 for the control of the Sri Lankan military base in Elephant Pass, Jaffna....
or after as the Raid on Anuradhapura Air Force Base
Raid on Anuradhapura Air Force Base
The Raid on Anuradhapura Air Force Base, code-named Operation Ellaalan, was a successful commando raid conducted on SLAF Anuradhapura an Air Force Base in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam...
no commanding officers were court-martialed, even though they resulted in more deaths and economic effects. In February 2007, he was found guilty of two counts. The first count was "failing to take adequate precautions and countermeasures with due care for the protection of the Naval base, ships and craft and personnel at the Galle Harbour from terrorist attacks despite the availability of prior reliable information and repeated instructions from Naval Headquarters, an act prejudicial to good order and naval discipline". The second count - "failing to obtain approval from the Navy Commander prior to leaving SLNS Dakshin despite specific instructions by the Commander for him to proceed and stay at SLNS Dakshin due to a possible terrorist attack on the Galle harbour, an act prejudicial to good order and naval discipline". He was reduced in seniority by ten months and retired shortly with his rank.
Commodore Mendis has been awarded the service medal Sri Lanka Armed Services Long Service Medal
Sri Lanka Armed Services Long Service Medal
The Sri Lanka Armed Services Long Service Medal shall be granted to All regular officers and other ranks of the Sri Lanka Army, Sri Lanka Navy and Sri Lanka Air Force, who complete 12 years continuous service and whose character and conduct have been irreproachable and who are recommended by their...
.