Newly appointed Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and the Navy Commander Vice Admiral Daya Sandagiri yesterday admitted that ‘the Trincomalee naval base was under threats from the LTTE. However, he said the security forces were prepared to face any eventuality.
He said the Indian naval Chief of staff Admiral Arum Prakash after visiting the Tricomalee Naval Base had also expressed concern about the build of the LTTE camps in the East.
He said that the LTTE presence was very much there and confirmed the reports that LTTE camps were mushrooming in the area. The Security Forces had reported the matter to the Norwegian-led SLMM, which confirmed that the LTTE was building camps. The SLMM, he said, had promised to look into the matter.
If the Sri Lanka Navy had been properly equipped and provided with the required manpower, it would have countered the LTTE threat much more effectively and nipped the problem of war in the bud without letting it drag on for two decades, said Vice Admiral Sandagiri
He was addressing the media after assuming duties as CDS at the Joint Operations Command head quarters.
He said, "The Navy is not in a position to establish its own air wing. We have been exploring the possibility for the last three and a half years but it is too costly a financial burden for a country saddled with a protracted war. However, we will continue to do joint surveillance with the assistance of the Air force".
Asked if the LTTE activities posed a serious threat to the navy, he said although there had been violations of the Cease-Fire Agreement (CFA) by the LTTE, they posed no major threat as such.
In response to a query as to what steps the CDS would take to halt the illegal activities committed by the LTTE in the eastern seas, he said "We have always taken the necessary steps to curb such activities and we will continue to do so."
Sandagiri said he did not advocate a total military solution to the problem, which, he said, had to have a political settlement in the end.
He said the Indian naval Chief of staff Admiral Arum Prakash, who was on a official visit here, had stressed that there should be more co-operation between the two countries and interaction between their two Navies, and promised to provide every assistance needed to strengthen the Sri Lanka Navy.
(http://www.island.lk/2004/09/16/news1.html)
