Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) Leader MP Rauff Hakeem has raised serious concerns over the government’s Rs. 4.26 billion deal to purchase surveillance drones from Israel, questioning the procurement process and alleging that the aircraft could be used to gather intelligence on behalf of the United States.
Speaking during the parliamentary budget debate, Hakeem questioned why the government was proceeding with the purchase without calling for competitive bids.
“A supplementary estimate of over Rs. 4 billion was brought to Parliament recently to purchase unmanned aerial vehicles. Who are we buying them from? Israel,” Hakeem said.
“Why the sudden urgency? Without calling for tenders, they are proceeding directly with the purchase. Why are we buying these aircraft from Israel?” he questioned.
Hakeem also raised suspicions about possible financial inducements connected to the purchase, although he did not present evidence to substantiate the allegation.
“Who knows how much commission may have been received from the Israeli government?” he questioned.
The SLMC leader went further, alleging that the surveillance drones could be used to monitor Iranian vessels and provide intelligence to the United States.
“These aircraft are being purchased to spy on Iran, monitor the movements of Iranian ships and provide intelligence about them,” Hakeem alleged.
“Are we going to use our Navy and Air Force to spy for the Americans?” he questioned.
He warned the government against involving Sri Lanka’s security forces in activities that could have consequences for the country’s foreign relations.
“Don’t get yourselves into trouble by engaging in such activities. You have already created enough problems,” he said.
Hakeem also drew attention to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, questioning the government’s decision to purchase aircraft from Israel while Palestinians continue to suffer.
“Look at the suffering of the people in Gaza during these heavy rains,” he said.
“Before deciding to purchase these aircraft from Israel without calling for tenders, think about the Palestinians,” Hakeem urged.
He also criticised the government’s broader foreign policy, accusing it of failing to respond adequately to international developments involving Iran and Venezuela.
“Don’t lecture us about your foreign policy,” he told government MPs.
Parliament approved a supplementary estimate of Rs. 4.261 billion on November 5 to establish an unmanned aerial vehicle system for the Sri Lanka Air Force.
Deputy Defence Minister Aruna Jayasekera previously told Parliament that the government intends to acquire four Israeli-made drones through a government-to-government arrangement involving BlueBird Aero Systems.
The Deputy Minister described the purchase as an emergency procurement and said the aircraft would be used for maritime surveillance, monitoring suspicious vessels, locating missing fishermen and assisting with disaster response operations.
The government has maintained that the funds would come from savings within the Air Force’s existing helicopter maintenance allocation and that the purchase would not require additional funding. (Newswire)
