The Sri Lanka Air Force has been banned from giving any information to the media or the public on any violation of Sri Lanka’s air space detected through radars. The decision had been made following a directive by Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa. The order has been issued following statements made by the Air Force Spokesperson to the media about 10 US aircraft that entered the Sri Lankan airspace on August 2nd.
Defence analysts say that the decision would result in any foreign aircraft receiving the green light to freely enter the Sri Lankan airspace following any secret pact with the government.
The US embassy in Colombo denied that any US aircraft had entered Sri Lankan airspace. Civil Aviation Minister Priyankara Jayaratne told parliament that the US aircraft had not violated Sri Lanka’s airspace.
The government made such an official statement when details about the aircraft entering Sri Lankan airspace were given out by the Sri Lanka Air Force.
The Defence Secretary has ordered the heads of Sri Lanka Air Force not to inform the media of the latest equipment acquired by the force.
