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The
last nail in the LTTE coffin?
The
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) were restricted by
the military to an area of 185 sq. kms by February 4, and,
by February 10, it was further restricted to an area of 121
sq. kms. To be precise, the Tigers have lost some 64 sq. km.
within six days.
“Do not let the army recover my body. You should destroy
my body.” Said by Prabakaran
This column reliably learns that LTTE chief Prabhakaran met
his leaders Theepan, Sornam, Bhanu, Jeyam, Soosai and Pottu
Amman, individually, between January 19 and 25, in one of
his underground bunkers. The source said that Prabhakaran
was in an utterly desperate mood, while evaluating the ongoing
military operations. He had further told his leaders that
they should exert maximum force and conduct massive counter
attacks against the advancing Sri Lankan armed forces and
regain lost territory.
During that particular meeting in the bunker, some of the
Tiger leaders had pointed out that the LTTE had lost a significant
number of middle level leaders and that, it would be an uphill
task. A disappointed Prabhakaran had then joined the leaders
to plan counterattacks in Mullaitivu. Thereafter, in the presence
of his second tier leaders, he had summoned his close bodyguard
and told him very clearly that, if the Army approaches his
bunker, and, if there is no way out for him, that he will
commit suicide. He had also told his bodyguard and the rest
that, after he commits suicide, his body should be burnt and
destroyed. He had clearly told his close aides, “Do not
let the Army recover my body. You should destroy my body.”
The contents of this top secret meeting were disclosed by
a very reliable source. At this meeting, the LTTE leadership
had taken the decision to make maximum use of its suicide
cadres in the battlefront, as well as use them to stop civilians
from crossing over to Government controlled areas.
During this particular meeting, Prabhakaran was well aware
that there were enough Tamil Nadu politicians who were sympathetic
towards the LTTE. Not only to Tamil Nadu, but the LTTE was
able to send this message to the Tamil diaspora in the USA,
Canada, Europe and Australia too. This message clearly said,
“At the moment, we have arrived at a ‘very crucial
stage’. Only the Tamil diaspora and Tamil professionals
can save us by urging the human rights organisations, INGOs
and the international media.”
The above secret meeting’s contents were disclosed to
foreign intelligence, by one of the LTTE hierarchy and he
had requested from agents to help him leave the country
Meanwhile, a prominent LTTE cadre living in London, had visited
one of the leading TV stations and met its producer and news
editor. Subsequently, later in the evening, he had hosted
them to dinner and given them some old video footage to be
used by the channel.
Final battle
Currently, the momentum of the Sri Lanka Army and the Sri
Lanka Air Force is very high at the battlefront. The LTTE
is utilising the best cadres from its Charles Anthony brigade,
Imran-Pandian brigade, the female brigade, the Black Tigers
and also its Baby brigade for the final battle.
58 Division under Brig. Shavendra Silva and his 581 Brigade
led by Lt. Col. Deshapriya Gunawardane, advanced Southeast,
towards the Puthukudyiruppu Sea Tiger base, where a 45-feet-long
boat was recovered. This column revealed on January 14, of
the existence of such a boat.
On February 2, troops discovered an LTTE armoury stocked with
weapons. On February 8, a suicide bomber on a motorcycle,
attempted to crash the Army’s Forward Defence Line (FDL).
An alert soldier from 9 Gemunu Watch, seeing the approaching
motorcycle, had opened fire. The motorcycle exploded before
it reached the FDL.
On February 10, 574 Brigade under Lt. Col. Senaka Wijaysuriya
destroyed LTTE bunkers North to South and South to East, South
of the open area, West of Puthukudyiruppu. This open area
of 1 km by 300 metres, is the final obstacle- paddy field,
canal, 800 metre track and land mine, the SLA has to overcome
and, at the moment, 574 Brigade troops have entered Puthukudyiruppu.
572 Brigade under Col. Senarath Bandara are to advance along
A-35 road and are scheduled to link with 58 Division troops.
On February 9, 574 Brigade advanced towards the east of Vishvamadu
into open areas. Within this open area, LTTE resistance was
very high, and there was also the danger of Johnnie mines
and booby traps to overcome. 8th Sri Lanka Light Infantry
(SLLI) under Lt. Col. Epsith Dissanayake overcame heavy Tiger
resistance to move towards the A-35 road. They are only 1.3
km from fully capturing the road and are engaged in heavy
clashes with the LTTE. Along the way, troops discovered containers
with MPMG heavy machine gun and 152 artillery ammunition,
which the troops did not touch, as these containers could
be booby trapped and may explode if triggered accidentally.
But the tops of the containers were open and the ammunition
was clearly visible.
58 Division will have an open advantage while advancing in
a North to South direction towards the last area held by the
LTTE, and link up with 57 Division and Task Force 2 and together
advance East to Puthukudyiruppu.
Virtual genocide of the Tamils by the LTTE
On February 10, civilians escaping from the LTTE in Udayarkattu,
were shot at by the LTTE, killing 17 and injuring 69, according
to Vavuniya Hospital authorities.
Meanwhile, 400 more civilians arrived from LTTE controlled
areas to Mullaitivu District in Puthukkudiyirippu west. LTTE
cadres had attacked the civilians with small arms fire near
Udayarkattu in Puthukkudiyrippu. There were 30 wounded civilians
and Military officials immediately rushed them to the Vavuniya
Hospital. “The LTTE has been warning civilians not to
leave the area and cross into Government controlled areas,”
said a wounded civilian at Vavuniya Hospital. He added that
the LTTE uses civilians to construct bunkers and bury the
dead. He confirmed seeing the LTTE position its artillery
within the ‘No Fire Zone’ to fire at advancing troops.
“Those who do not obey the LTTE are sometimes killed
or severely assaulted with iron bars, and become prisoners
under the LTTE,” he said.
On Sunday (8), a group of civilians escaping from the LTTE,
North of Vishvamadu and Suthanthirapuram, had charged an LTTE
barricade, after assaulting an LTTE ‘police’ cadre
and killing two female terrorists, before escaping into government
controlled territory. Similarly, civilians who were forcibly
armed and sent to the battlefront by the LTTE, had taken on
the few LTTE cadres leading them, beaten and tied them up,
before making their escape to government controlled areas.
This had happened on February 7, sources said.
On February 9, a female suicide bomber had arrived with civilians
seeking protection from the security forces. A female soldier
checking the civilians, had asked her to come forward for
checking, when the suicide bomber had blown herself up.
Earlier, the LTTE used a 13-year-old suicide bomber against
the advancing 55 Division troops in Chalai on February 4.
Observers of LTTE activity have expressed concern over the
likelihood of the LTTE increasing such attacks targeting civilians,
to enact large scale carnage, instilling fear among the people
entrapped in the non-liberated regions in Mullaitivu.
On February 9, over 6500 civilians had arrived at the liberated
areas from Vishvamadu, Dharmapuram and Suthanthirapuram. The
civilians belonged to 1,317 families, while 334 others had
reported as individuals. These civilians had braved small
arms and mortar fire from the LTTE held areas in Mullaittivu,
according to them. Some of the civilians who have still to
make their way to safety, are believed to be stranded in the
thick jungles, after running in total disarray, fearing more
intensified LTTE reprisal attacks, Wanni security sources
said.
Tiger counterattack effectively repulsed
On February 1 morning, the LTTE launched an unsuccessful counterattack
on the 59 Division. LTTE cadres advanced from North, South
and West areas controlled by 593 Brigade. Brigade Commander
Jayantha Gunaratne had received prior information from the
Directorate of Military Intelligence on this LTTE counterattack.
On February 1, there was heavy fighting with LTTE cadres,
with 7GW under Lt. Col. J. Lamahewa, firing their heavy machine
guns and the LTTE retaliating with artillery and mortars from
the ‘No Fire Zone.’ An officer from the area said
that radar indicated that the LTTE’s artillery were positioned
among the civilians in the Government imposed ‘No Fire
Zone’ and they could not return fire for fear of civilian
casualties. Around 1.30 pm soldiers engaged in battle had
requested their respective commanding officers for vehicles,
to send more than 300 LTTE bodies. Throughout the day soldiers
battled with heavy resistance from the LTTE. The Tigers, at
one instance, fired gas canisters towards the soldiers, but
troops were ready for such an eventuality. On the same night,
the LTTE rammed two explosive-laden vehicles into the Army’s
FDLs. On February 2 morning, the Army Chief instructed GOC
57 Division to proceed to Mullaitivu to command the battle.
By that time, the LTTE was firing 81mm mortars towards the
helipad where Maj. Gen. Jagath Dias was to land. But the pilot
managed to land the helicopter safely. By this time, 53 Division
was in Mankulam as a reserve, along with the Special Forces.
The LTTE’s counterattacks were being commanded by Sea
Tiger Leader Soosai, with Tiger top-rungers, Bhanu, Sornam
and Jeyam assisting him. The aim of the LTTE counterattack
was to overrun Mullaitivu and hoist the Eelam flag there again
on February 4, as a mark of defiance. But the Tiger attempt
was effectively repulsed by the Army. At the moment, 59 Division,
along with Task Force 3 and Task Force 4, is marching South
to North towards Puthukudyiruppu.
Why is the LTTE defending Puthukkudiyiruppu at any cost?
Vishvamadu and Puthukkudiyruppu, in the Mullaitivu district,
are where the LTTE has its training bases and hideouts. Puthukkudiyiruppu
is where the LTTE’s Jonnie mines are manufactured, along
with claymore bombs and suicide jackets. With sophisticated
machinery, the Tigers have been turning out many more military
related hardware and explosives which were stored in underground
concrete bunkers. There are many LTTE leaders’ underground
bunkers with tunnels, located in Puthukkudiyruppu. This was
the reason for the LTTE to use it as a hardcore fighting force
such as the Charles Anthony brigade, Imran-Pandian Brigade,
Women’s brigade, Black Tigers and the Baby Brigade to
defend Puthukkudiyrippu.
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