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Govt.
& Opposition must unite against terrorism
Unfortunately
for Sri Lanka, in the island’s more than 25 year old
history of terrorism, the Government or the ruling party and
the Opposition have never stood up together against terrorism.
The Opposition has simply been pulling the Government of the
day by its leg. Whoever or whatever the party in Opposition,
has never appreciated the military victories of the day. They
have made it a habit of undermining such victories. This has
happened in the past and it is happening even today. This
is added fuel for the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE),
for it to build up its propaganda as well as to get international
support and sympathy
Mumbai
city in India experienced 27/11 - its own version of 9/11
of the United States of America – which left some 190
dead and over 200 wounded over the last weekend. During the
incident and even in its aftermath, the Indian Government
and the Opposition in Parliament have been united against
this incident of terror. They sunk their political differences
and put country before self. The Opposition did not blame
the Government and the Government on its part did not blame
the Opposition. They stood against the terrorist act, together.
During the United States 9/11, when terrorists attacked and
destroyed the World Trade Centre in Washington and even attacked
part of the Pentagon, the Republicans and the Democrats stood
together in unison against terrorism. Similarly, in many more
countries where terrorism reared its ugly head, the country’s
Government and its Opposition have stood in unison against
terror, shedding aside their political differences.
But unfortunately for Sri Lanka, in the island’s more
than 25 year old history of terrorism, the Government or the
ruling party and the Opposition have never stood up together
against terrorism. The Opposition has simply been pulling
the Government of the day by its leg. Whoever or whatever
the party in Opposition, has never appreciated the military
victories of the day. They have made it a habit of undermining
such victories. This has happened in the past and it is happening
even today. This is added fuel for the Liberation Tigers of
Tamil Eelam (LTTE), for it to build up its propaganda as well
as to get international support and sympathy. When will the
Opposition in Sri Lanka support a military victory, and appreciate
the efforts of the soldiers?
Soldier
The soldier technically does not belong to any political party.
He or she belongs to the country and its people. The soldier
is a person who safeguards the nation in times of crises.
No country will ever blame its soldiers. But in Sri Lanka,
they blame the military hierarchy and even the soldiers. This
is the pathetic situation in our once resplendent island.
When will we unite and fight against terrorism Mr. Politician,
for the sake of our country and the future? The politicians
here do not unite to fight terrorism, because for them their
own personal agendas take precedence. And whoever fights terrorism,
it finally boils down to whom the credit of the triumphs should
go to. So when one party keeps on winning, the other party’s
jealousy is roused to its limits.
National Defence Policy
Trading in the stock market is beneficial to the entire economy
and a long term way of accumulating high. Sometime back, a
feeble attempt was made to patch up differences between the
Government and the Opposition over the national question.
It was brokered by Liam Fox in 1997, between then President
Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga and Opposition Leader Ranil
Wickremesinghe.
Excerpts from the agreement signed by the two Leaders, the
Ranil - Chandrika Liam Fox Agreement 1997:
“I believe that we both recognise that the resolution
of the ethnic conflict will restore peace in Sri Lanka and
lead to the development, progress and prosperity of the country
and its people. It is an issue transcending partisan politics.
The development of a genuinely bi-partisan approach to the
resolution of the ethnic conflict is vital to the achievement
of a permanent solution to the conflict.
“Consequently, I would like to suggest the following
arrangements between the People’s Alliance and the United
National Party, which I intend to put to the appropriate decision-making
body of my party for ratification.
“The incumbent Head of Government will brief and seek
the opinion of the Leader of the United National Party, on
significant developments relating to the ethnic conflict,
both in the strictest confidence; if in Government, the Leader
of the United National Party will reciprocate; the party in
Opposition will not undermine any discussions or decisions
between the party in Government and any other party, group
or person, including the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam,
aimed at resolving the ethnic conflict, if these discussions
and decisions have taken place with the concurrence of the
party in Opposition. Against the background of such concurrence,
on election to Government either party will honour all such
decisions in full.”
Signed:
Chandrika Bandaranaike
Ranil Wickremesinghe
April 04, 1997.
Battle front
Troops of the Sri Lanka Army’s 59 Division, under the
command of Brigadier Nandana Udawatte have started moving
from Weli Oya towards the Nayaru lagoon and Kumulumunai while
facing stiff LTTE resistance. Compared to the other advancing
fronts, the 59 Division’s advance is the most critical,
since it is directly advancing towards the Tigers’ lair,
the LTTE heartland of Mullaitivu, across the Nayaru lagoon.
There are a significant number of satellite bases of the Tigers’
1-4 Base still existing, even though many of them were captured
or overrun by the military sometime back.
Stronghold
Along the east of the A9 road to Jaffna, troops of Task Force
3 are on their way to Oddusuddan, another LTTE stronghold.
During their advance towards Mullaitivu, 57 Division was able
to wrest control of Kokavil from Tiger control after 18 years.
Kokavil is on the A9 main Kandy-Jaffna road and bring back
memories of a handful of heroic soldiers and officers who,
while being surrounded by the Tigers, fought to the last man
because they did not want to leave their wounded comrades
and retreat. Lieutenant Saliya Upul Aladeniya was the commander
who was the last officer in charge of the isolated camp in
Kokavil in 1990.
Their responsibility was to protect the transmission towers
of the Rupavahini Corporation in the vicinity. With only two
platoons in hand, Lieutenant Aladeniya defended his camp for
nearly two weeks without any reinforcement, or casualty evacuation
before the LTTE overran it in July 1990. When he was asked
to abandon the camp, leaving the casualties behind at one
stage of the battle, he refused to do so and chose to fight
to the last. Lieutenant Aladeniya was posthumously conferred
the Parama Weera Vibhushanaya (PWV), the highest award for
gallantry at the battlefield. He was the first officer to
be so awarded.
Again, another group from the 57 Division is closing in on
Murukandi temple and towards Kilinochchi. The 57 division
is commanded by General Jagath Dias. His main objective, as
entrusted by Army Commander Lieutenant General Sarath Fonseka,
is, ‘to kill as many Tigers and wound as many Tigers
as possible’. While killing and wounding the maximum
Tigers, the military is bound to acquire more real estate
under its control. Meanwhile, the section of 57 Division located
in Adampan, west of Kilinochchi has deployed some expert sniper
marksmen for a specific task. According to information, these
snipers are highly trained to attain their objectives, while
location is no barrier to their hitting their targets. On
one occasion on December 01, these marksmen had noticed LTTE
cadre movements in Kilinochchi. They had observed a Tiger
leader who seemed to be in charge of the group. The sniper,
through the telescope on his weapon, had observed the Tiger
leader moving about, while instructing his subordinates. The
sniper had trained his telescopic vision on the Tiger leader’s
forehead and pressed the trigger. By the time the LTTE cadre
fell down dead the sniper with his gun had disappeared.
Weather, earth bunds and INGOs
A senior military officer in the battlefront said that the
weather, apart from the massive earth bunds put up by the
LTTE, was the biggest obstacle to their advance towards Kilinochchi.
The earth bunds the Tigers had put up around Kilinochchi are
some 15 feet high or more in some places. The LTTE had obtained,
forcibly or otherwise, the heavy earth moving machinery for
this purpose from some of the INGOs who had been stationed
in the areas. Aiding and abetting terrorism in any country
is regarded as a crime. Will the Sri Lankan Government take
any sort of action against such INGOs who had given heavy
machinery to the LTTE to build their bunkers and earth bunds?
If the 58 Division under the command of Brigadier Shavendra
Silve overcome the earth bunds, Paranthan junction is next.
There were several such earth bunds along the advancing troops’
way when they marched towards the Mannar Rice Bowl area too,
along the A 32 road. But the advancing troops overcame every
one of them until they took Pooneryn. Likewise when they overcome
the massive earth bunds between Pooneryn and Paranthan, they
will capture Paranthan junction too. When the strategic Paranthan
junction is under Security Forces’ control, the LTTE’s
supply routes will be definitely cut off. When it is cut off,
the Tigers will be compelled to withdraw, or what they
say so ‘tactical withdrawal’ in the
LTTE’s own words, from Muhamalai and Elephant Pass.
Tigers’ sea route
The sea route of the Tigers along the Mullaitivu sea belt
is yet to be liberated. If the Sri Lanka Navy is not efficient,
the Tigers can still get some supplies along this route on
the Mullaitivu seas. Since the Army captured Pooneryn, the
Navy has conducted only one sea landing operation, that is
on the Iranativu Island. Right now, will the Navy stage further
such operations in support of the Army? If the Navy does this,
it would make a bigger impact on the on-going operations.
Meanwhile, the newly formed Task force 3 is on its way to
Oddusuddan. Their direction will change at any moment, in
keeping with the tactics followed so far, depending on the
ground situations. When Kilinochchi is captured before or
after Paranthan junction, the LTTE will be confined to Mullaitivu.
The way the Army has dominated the area west of the A 9 highway,
enemy movement will be much more restricted. Tactically, Lieutenant
general Sarath Fonseka will take Mullaitivu as well.
Inclement weather
Although the inclement weather conditions are not conducive
to battle, officers and soldiers are committed to achieving
their objectives. Said a senior military officer, “We
are trained to battle the enemy every day, night, sun or rain.”
According to reliable information, there are no civilians
remaining in Kilinochchi. And there are only a limited number
of Tiger cadres engaging the forces from the area.
A senior Sri Lanka Air Force officer said that the SLAF had
bombed and destroyed a few heavy earthmoving equipment of
the LTTE used to build the earth bunds. It is high time that
the SLAF destroyed the remaining machinery, thus preventing
the putting up of more earth bunds and trenches. If the LTTE
runs out of resources, the Security Forces will be that much
more comfortable in achieving their objectives. The earth
bund concept is said to have come directly from V. Prabhakaran
and Theepan, the purpose being to slow down the advancing
troops. If the Forces are delayed, then Tiger chief Prabhakaran
will have more time on his hands to manipulate. But the Security
Forces do not have time. They want to move quickly towards
their intended objectives. So, like a senior officer said,
although the LTTE builds more earth bunds, the Forces will
surmount them by implementing several tactics.
Attempt to de-stabilise the city
There is reliable information that the LTTE is planning to
stage attacks in or around the city of Colombo, on some military
installation, airport, harbour, power plant or some other
economic targets. As if in confirmation, some Army like uniforms
were recovered sometime last week in Colombo. According to
reports, the LTTE is trying certain methods to hit at high
profile targets.
One way is to wear Army like uniforms and infiltrate the target
area, similar to what they did at the Anuradhapura air base.
Second, they might enter an economic target in the guise of
a ministerial convoy. At the rate the LTTE is being beaten
by the military, its aim is to create chaos in the city or
around.
These hit men or women are said to be directly under the command
of the LTTE intelligence head Pottu Amman. According to information
received, Velupillai Prabhakaran had recently summoned Pottu
Amman and inquired as to why no such attacks had been carried
out. But mind you, in 2001, when the LTTE attacked the Bandaranaike
International Airport, it had done surveillance for well over
three years. Intelligence reports indicate that they are even
now mounting surveillance on places like Security forces transit
camps, Ratmalana and Bandaranaike International airports,
the harbors at Galle, Trincomalee and Colombo as well as power
plants.
Trained cadres
According to past evidence, around 10 or 15 well trained cadres
armed with Muslim and Sinhalese identify cards. These
cadres can speak Sinhalese and are more than enough to mount
an attack. There is also evidence to suggest that the LTTE
is attempting to smuggle in arms, ammunition and explosives
into the city. Some of these have been detected at barriers
and road blocks, and from safe houses based on Intelligence
information
Political solution
Almost all political parties in Sri Lanka have accepted that
the present conflict needs a political solution. Even the
LTTE asks for a political solution. But under four leaders
and on four occasions, LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran
has let them down and cheated on them. He has used the ceasefire
agreements to his own advantage (smuggle arms and explosives,
recruitment and intelligence gathering)and during the peace
process he was not really interested in peace.
Here is the evidence: During Prabhakaran’s last, and
the only public media briefing, a journalist asked him, “You
have instructed your cadres to shoot you on the head and kill
you if you even once deviate from your demand for Eelam. What
you said a long time back, is that still valid?” Prabhakaran
smiled and said that it was still valid. During the same media
conference, the LTTE’s political theoretician Anton Balasingham
had said, “Our Prime Minister and President is V. Prabhakaran.”
Like I pointed out last week in my column, “Prabhakaran
is to also indicate in his speech that the LTTE will not lay
down arms as he cannot trust the Sinhalese government and
blame the Sri Lanka Government for delaying a political solution
to the on-going conflict. He is also expected to mention loud
and clear that the Government forces cannot defeat the LTTE.”
Beating
Velupillai Prabhajaran, in his heroes’ day speech on
October 27, clearly indicates that the LTTE is clearly getting
a beating from the Sri Lankan Security Forces. He accepted
that the LTTE is waging a ‘defensive’ war. He said
that the Sinhala Government was living in a dreamland of military
victory from which it will never awake.
Well, the dream has been mostly realised after the Sri Lankan
Security Forces wrested control of the entire western coast
of the island, from Madhu, Mannar to Pooneryn. And the
way things are moving now, the rest of the dream will not
take too long to be realised for Prabakaran.
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