Manil Mendis

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 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-martialed 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.