Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa warns that foreign nations have requested military access to Sri Lankan ports, urging the government to immediately clarify its stance as the Middle East conflict threatens to militarize the Indian Ocean region and disrupt global shipping routes.
Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has stated that information has been received regarding requests from certain foreign countries to use Sri Lankan ports for their military needs amid the escalating war in the Middle East. Making a special statement on the conflict’s impact, he emphasized that the government must immediately inform the nation about the course of action it intends to take.
Attention was also drawn to the threat posed by Yemen’s Houthi rebels to close the Bab al Mandab Strait, a major sea route connecting the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea. Blocking this strait, through which more than 25,000 ships pass annually, could force vessels to take alternative routes, directly affecting Sri Lanka’s port operations.
Premadasa noted that the Indian Ocean region is at risk of becoming militarized due to the current crisis. He called on the government to clarify its position on the possibility of foreign nations using Sri Lankan ports for military purposes. Warning of potential economic fallout, he pointed out that import costs could rise and export profits could decline.
“Due to the increase in war risk premiums, the prices of essential goods may increase, creating cost push inflation in the country,” he said. Premadasa further requested that the government immediately make a statement to Parliament and the nation on how Sri Lanka is preparing to face this critical global situation.
