08th November 2019 00:00:00 Hours
Sri Lanka Army, now recognized globally as a UN troop contributing country (TCC) will have one more feather in its cap since a Combat Convoy Company II of the Sri Lanka Army for another UN Peace Keeping Mission is set to leave for Mali, a landlocked West African country, marred by ethnic tensions.
In conformity with traditions, the formal military parade of the Combat Convoy Company II in the United Nations Multi-Dimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali, got underway on 06.11.2019 at the Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment’s parade ground in Boyagane, headed by Lieutenant General L H S C Silva WWV RWP RSP VSV USP ndc psc, Commander of the Army.
The Mali contingent formally accorded their salute to the day’s Chief Guest, Lieutenant General Shavendra Silva, Commander of the Army in accordance with military traditions. The day’s Chief Guest reviewed the parade in the company of the Major General Rohana Ketakumbura, Colonel of the Regiment of the Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment and Lieutenant Colonel Srinath Gallage, Officer Commanding of the Combat Convoy Company II, before the salute was taken.
This Combat Convoy Company II of the Sri Lanka Army, comprised of 13 Regiments of the Army is to be commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Srinath Gallage with Major Manoj Vithanage as his Second-in-Command.
Members of the Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment (VIR), the majority in the contingent as well as members of the Sri Lanka Armoured Corps (SLAC), Sri Lanka Engineers (SLE), Sri Lanka Signal Corps (SLSC), Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment (SLSR), Mechanized Infantry Regiment (MIR), Corps of Engineer Services (CES), Sri Lanka Army Service Corps (SLASC), Sri Lanka Army Medical Corps (SLAMC), Sri Lanka Army Ordnance Corps (SLAOC), Sri Lanka Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (SLEME), Sri Lanka Corps of Military Police (SLCMP), together with members of the Sri Lanka Army General Service Corps (SLAGSC), are made up of this Combat Convoy Company II, comprised of 223 Other Rankers and 20 Officers.
Major General Major General Nirmal Dharmaratne, Commandant of the Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force, several Principal Staff Officers and Senior Officers were present during this parade at Boyagane.
The United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) was established by the Security Council Resolution 2100 of 25 April 2013 to support political processes in that country and carry out a number of security-related tasks. The Mission was assigned the responsibility to support the transitional authorities of Mali in the stabilization of the country and implementation of the transitional roadmap.
