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Liberation
‘Rice Bowl’!
Ruwan
Weerakoon reporting from Mannar
On June 29, the Sri Lanka Army’s 58th Division liberated
what is known as the ‘Mannar Rice Bowl’ which had
been in the LTTE grip for 20 years.
Brigadier Shavindra de Silva said at 7:30 p.m. last evening,
the 58th Brigade from Pallemadhu links with the 57th Brigade
from Periyamadhu.
The total land area of the rice bowl is 120 sq.km.
Giant’s Tank and around 153 small tanks situated in this
area provide water to the paddy fields in their vicinity.Nearly
20 years ago, Sri Lanka’s biggest paddy crop was harvested
from this rice bowl, but all these fertile paddy fields had
been covered with LTTE bunkers, landmines, sandbagged trenches
and defence lines. Troops are in the process of clearing bunkers,
landmines and filling trenches
Brigadier Shavindra de Silva 58th Division Commander, who
commanded the operation to liberate the rice bowl area had
this to say:
‘The battle to liberate the rice bowl was not a cakewalk
as we had to implement an effective strategy and adopt suitable
tactics, continually monitoring enemy movements.
‘The rice bowl area is an open land consisting of paddy
fields and small tanks. In other words, it is terrain where
a soldier has to confront the enemy in the open.
‘When the enemy fires on the soldiers there is very little
cover for them because the ground is open, but our soldiers
were able to overcome this disadvantage.
‘My troops began to advance towards enemy territory on
September 27 last year when we launched an offensive with
commandos. One brigade advanced from west of Giant’s
Tank, the second from Uyilankulam and the third along the
A32 Mannar- Pooneryn Road.
‘We implemented a strategy and adopted tactics to draw
the enemy towards us and thereafter we were well placed to
eliminate them. Our main intention was to kill and wound the
maximum number of LTTE cadres. When the Tigers ran short of
manpower they sent children to the battlefront. We were able
to capture one female cadre who was forcibly recruited by
the LTTE.
‘When the rainy season started in October our soldiers
faced difficulties because the entire area was flooded with
places knee-high and waist-high in water.
‘The Tigers had constructed a series of trenches in front
of the LTTE forward defence line.
‘Four feet from the trench line there were ditches five
feet deep and four feet wide.
During the October to January rainy season, the trenches and
ditches were full of water but our soldiers never considered
these an obstacle. We implemented effective strategy to over
run the above trenches.
On June 27, 2008 we gained full control over 13 square kilometres
in the Andankulam area.
The next day we made another major break-through capturing
the LTTE’s stronghold in Parappakkadanthan, 4 km. north
of Giant’s Tank.
‘This location was used by the LTTE as a firing range
for training purposes.
We advanced further and inflicted decisive blows on the LTTE
during multi-pronged attacks launched at fortified defence
lines in the general area of Pappamoddai, with my troops confirming
21 Tigers killed in the confrontations. There was heavy fighting
at Pappamoddai and in the Neduvarampu general area.
Pappamoddai is located 12 km south of Vidalaitivu - an LTTE
strategic location 8 km north of Mannar - on the Mannar-Pooneryn
road.
On June 26 our soldiers had captured the area between Chalampan
and Marattikannadi.
This
is the supply route leading to the Mannar-Pooneryn road. As
a result, we cut off the LTTE supply route. This is a tremendous
achievement for the Army.
In this entire battle, we were able to kill 2058 LTTE cadres
including their area leaders and Vidusha Brigade women cadres,
these figures were confirmed by LTTE transmission and ground
troops. The Army handed over 123 LTTE dead bodies to ICRC.
The
LTTE deployed sniper gunmen, laid bobby traps and fixed IEDs
to prevent the advancing troops as well as fired 122,130 and152
mm. artillery towards our troops, but Army artillery and the
Air Force effectively countered LTTE fire power.’
Brigadier Shavindra Silva said his Division, with the assistance
of the Artillery Regiment, Armoured Corps and Air Force MI
24 helicopter gunships and fighter jets was able to completely
capture the ‘Rice Bowl’ region within eight months
bringing under control so many agriculturally fertile villages
- Manthai, Mathottam, Adampan, Pallekkuli, Kurukkandankulam,
Velankulam, Vaddakkandal, Alankulam, Andankulam, Maratikandal,
Alkaddiveli, Parappakandal, Parappukadanthan, Tenvediyan,
Minukkulam, Vilayankulam, Parappamoddai and Odduppallam. Our
troops have captured Adampan and Parappakandal which is a
significant breakthrough for the captured rice bowl.
There are only 3 km more to Vidalaitivu, a main Sea Tiger
base of the LTTE.
Vidalaitivu is strategically important for the LTTE because
the Tigers smuggle fuel, arms and other requirements from
South India to Vidalaitivu. Troops are heading towards Vidalaitivu
to cut off the South Indian smugglers’ route.
The 58th Division was formed in September 2007 by Army Commander
Lt. General Sarath Fonseka. The 58th Division acts purely
as an Offensive Division.
The 58th Division consists of four Brigades of Army Commandos
and the 581,582 and 583 Brigades.
Forces have recovered 16,948 anti-personnel mines and 96 tank
landmines.
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