India has cold-shouldered the Hindu Rights Action Force by refusing to meet its leader P. Waytha Moorthy.
Indo-Asian News Service said Waytha Moorthy had to leave India without meeting any minister or official.
“There was no meeting with anybody from the External Affairs Ministry or anybody from the government,” an official source said.
Waytha Moorthy was in India before he headed to Geneva and Washington to drum up support from the international community on his claims that Indians in Malaysia were being ill-treated.
He only met senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader L.K. Advani, who promised to lobby the Indian government to take up the issue.
The report said the Indian government has become more cautious after accusations by Malaysian authorities that Hindraf was linked to Sri Lanka’s Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), a terrorist organisation that is banned in India and other countries.
Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee, when asked by journalists whether the Indian government was planning to take up the issue of the alleged link with LTTE, said on Friday: “A terrorist is a terrorist. He has no religion and his origins do not matter.”
Mukherjee said there were international conventions that governed how the issue of terrorism was tackled, and every government was committed to supporting it.
Mukherjee told the Indian Parliament last week: “We have friendly relations with Malaysia and we are in touch with the Malaysian authorities in the related matter.”
The minister stressed that the people of Indian origin in Malaysia are citizens of that country.
Waytha Moorthy had told the Times of India that the Indian bureaucracy made it difficult to meet the leadership.
He said he was looking for Indian support and India to pressure Malaysia to give them a better deal.
The newspaper said India was not going to give the protesting Malaysians more traction.
“This is clear from the recent actions of the government that they consider the protests to be part of an internal matter of Malaysia, because these were all Malaysian citizens.
“India will not place its relations with Malaysia on the line for them. This is a clear message. So even though there will be expressions of support for the protesters, the government will not be seen to be backing any group that might have sympathies with the LTTE.
“This will complicate its relations, not merely with Malaysia and Sri Lanka, but could prove to be a legal hot potato because LTTE is banned in India,” the newspaper said.
Monday, December 10, 2007
Be tough with Hindraf, newspaper urges Malaysian government
The Malaysian government should invoke the stringent Internal Security Act against a body of ethnic Indian immigrants for spreading "lies" abroad on "ethnic cleansing" against the community and for seeking "global sanctions against their own country", an influential daily newspaper said Saturday.
The "restraint" shown by the government of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had been "flagrantly violated" and it was time to act against the leaders of the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf), The New Straits Times said in a hard-hitting editorial.
It noted that the Hindraf's "unconscionable allegations won the sympathetic ear of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, who conveyed them to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who expressed his concern to the Malaysian government".
The reference was to the visit to India by Hindraf leader M. Vaithya Murthy, who urged India to impose sanctions on Malaysia.
"While in Chennai, Hindraf also met with leaders of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, and in Delhi with L.K. Advani and Jaswant Singh, leaders of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party," it said.
However, while Murthy received a hearing from Karunanidhi and BJP leaders, the Singh government not only kept away, but External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee dismissed any notion of support to Hindraf saying that it was Malaysia's "internal matter".
In a hard-hitting editorial titled "Enough!", the newspaper accused Hindraf leaders of spreading the "vile contagion with which they have already infected India: that their homeland, Malaysia, is committing 'ethnic cleansing' against Indians, who are a community subjected to systematic state repression'."
It was time to act now that Hindraf was carrying its "smear campaign" further to Europe, Britain and the US, the paper said.
It quoted Hindraf leader P. Uthayakumar as having "brazenly declared to a Singapore newspaper that he "can't rule out violence".
"Rising out of this cauldron of lies, distortions and blatant political opportunism, the volatile vapours of speculation go so far as to threaten a militant insurgency," it warned.
The oft-cited "underlying grievances" of the nation's Indians have been recognised, as have those of the Malays, Chinese and other races, and slowly but surely attended to for the past 50 years, the newspaper said.
"But that means nothing at all to Hindraf's prime movers, who now want global sanctions against their own country, even as their campaign drives wedges between Malaysian communities with deeply hurtful racial and religious rhetoric," said the edit.
Advocating a tough line by the government, it said: "No matter how regrettable, these subversives need to be reminded why all Malaysians have to live with the prospect of detention for those few who revel in attempting to destroy the national concord that millions have spent decades trying to build."
Claiming to speak for Indian immigrants who form eight percent of Malaysia's 27 million population, Hindraf has become controversial after a massive rally it held on Nov 25 was declared illegal and forcibly dispersed by the police.
Other organisations, including Malaysian Indian Congress, the main political party that speaks for the Indian community, have distanced themselves from Hindraf's campaign.
The "restraint" shown by the government of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had been "flagrantly violated" and it was time to act against the leaders of the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf), The New Straits Times said in a hard-hitting editorial.
It noted that the Hindraf's "unconscionable allegations won the sympathetic ear of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, who conveyed them to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who expressed his concern to the Malaysian government".
The reference was to the visit to India by Hindraf leader M. Vaithya Murthy, who urged India to impose sanctions on Malaysia.
"While in Chennai, Hindraf also met with leaders of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, and in Delhi with L.K. Advani and Jaswant Singh, leaders of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party," it said.
However, while Murthy received a hearing from Karunanidhi and BJP leaders, the Singh government not only kept away, but External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee dismissed any notion of support to Hindraf saying that it was Malaysia's "internal matter".
In a hard-hitting editorial titled "Enough!", the newspaper accused Hindraf leaders of spreading the "vile contagion with which they have already infected India: that their homeland, Malaysia, is committing 'ethnic cleansing' against Indians, who are a community subjected to systematic state repression'."
It was time to act now that Hindraf was carrying its "smear campaign" further to Europe, Britain and the US, the paper said.
It quoted Hindraf leader P. Uthayakumar as having "brazenly declared to a Singapore newspaper that he "can't rule out violence".
"Rising out of this cauldron of lies, distortions and blatant political opportunism, the volatile vapours of speculation go so far as to threaten a militant insurgency," it warned.
The oft-cited "underlying grievances" of the nation's Indians have been recognised, as have those of the Malays, Chinese and other races, and slowly but surely attended to for the past 50 years, the newspaper said.
"But that means nothing at all to Hindraf's prime movers, who now want global sanctions against their own country, even as their campaign drives wedges between Malaysian communities with deeply hurtful racial and religious rhetoric," said the edit.
Advocating a tough line by the government, it said: "No matter how regrettable, these subversives need to be reminded why all Malaysians have to live with the prospect of detention for those few who revel in attempting to destroy the national concord that millions have spent decades trying to build."
Claiming to speak for Indian immigrants who form eight percent of Malaysia's 27 million population, Hindraf has become controversial after a massive rally it held on Nov 25 was declared illegal and forcibly dispersed by the police.
Other organisations, including Malaysian Indian Congress, the main political party that speaks for the Indian community, have distanced themselves from Hindraf's campaign.
Hindraf faces ban: has 'links with India's RSS, Lanka's LTTE'
The Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf), a Malaysian rights group, has "links" with India's "militant organisation" Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) and Sri Lanka's Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), a Malaysian minister has alleged.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Mohamed Nazri Aziz said "the groups are Sri Lanka's LTTE and the RSS, a militant organisation in India", The Star newspaper said Saturday.
Nazri said this was from statements of Hindraf leaders "who went overseas to garner support that they would meet LTTE leaders".
The supposed links with the LTTE, declared a terrorist group in the US, Britain,India and other countries, could lead to a ban on Hindraf, which spearheaded a massive protest by ethnic Indians last Sunday, a media report said Saturday quoting Attorney General (AG) Abdul Gani Patail.
However, Hindraf leader P. Uthayakumar has denied that his organization has established any contact with the LTTE and has termed the government charge "baseless" and part of a campaign.
Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi Friday asked the country's police chief Musa Hasan to "keep a watch" on Hindraf, a group claiming to represent Indian immigrants, whose 10,000-strong protest rally on Nov 25 was declared illegal.
Badawi said should their action threaten national security, the Internal Security Act (ISA) could be used. He said he was aware of Hindraf canvassing for support and help from terrorist groups and local gangsters.
"I was informed. My instructions to the police is that the group should be monitored. ISA is an option. I will decide when the time is right. If they are deemed (as a threat to national security) we will know what to do."
The police had started their investigation following a report lodged by a member of the public, Patail said outside the Shah Alam High Court here Friday.
"The danger is that this group (LTTE) has been officially declared a terrorist organisation," The New Straits Times newspaper quoted him as saying.
"I think everybody in the world will be worried about such connection," Patail said, adding that he would wait for the police to complete their investigation before deciding on the next course of action.
"Links To Terrorists", The Sun newspaper said in its front-page report Saturday.
Hindraf claims to speak for the Indian community that roughly forms eight percent of Malaysia's 27 million population, that also has a large Chinese component. Its claim is contested by other Indian organizations.
Thirtyone persons, denied bail, are being prosecuted in a court for their participation in the Nov 25 rally.
The prosecution has cited interviews given by Uthayakumar and his brother P. Waytha Murthy, to newspapers in Singapore and India. Murthy is currently in India trying to garner support among political leaders.
Meanwhile, the high court adjourned to Monday a criminal revision application made by the public prosecutor following a discharge given to Uthayakumar, Waytha Moorthy and T. Ganabathirau for allegedly making seditious remarks in public.
Judicial commissioner Hashim said he was allowing the application only on grounds that the counsel representing the three needed more time to prepare its submission.
"I am only allowing the adjournment because one of the counsel had raised an important legal issue of whether a discharge not amounting to an acquittal by a lower court could be reviewed by a high court," Hashim said.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Mohamed Nazri Aziz said "the groups are Sri Lanka's LTTE and the RSS, a militant organisation in India", The Star newspaper said Saturday.
Nazri said this was from statements of Hindraf leaders "who went overseas to garner support that they would meet LTTE leaders".
The supposed links with the LTTE, declared a terrorist group in the US, Britain,India and other countries, could lead to a ban on Hindraf, which spearheaded a massive protest by ethnic Indians last Sunday, a media report said Saturday quoting Attorney General (AG) Abdul Gani Patail.
However, Hindraf leader P. Uthayakumar has denied that his organization has established any contact with the LTTE and has termed the government charge "baseless" and part of a campaign.
Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi Friday asked the country's police chief Musa Hasan to "keep a watch" on Hindraf, a group claiming to represent Indian immigrants, whose 10,000-strong protest rally on Nov 25 was declared illegal.
Badawi said should their action threaten national security, the Internal Security Act (ISA) could be used. He said he was aware of Hindraf canvassing for support and help from terrorist groups and local gangsters.
"I was informed. My instructions to the police is that the group should be monitored. ISA is an option. I will decide when the time is right. If they are deemed (as a threat to national security) we will know what to do."
The police had started their investigation following a report lodged by a member of the public, Patail said outside the Shah Alam High Court here Friday.
"The danger is that this group (LTTE) has been officially declared a terrorist organisation," The New Straits Times newspaper quoted him as saying.
"I think everybody in the world will be worried about such connection," Patail said, adding that he would wait for the police to complete their investigation before deciding on the next course of action.
"Links To Terrorists", The Sun newspaper said in its front-page report Saturday.
Hindraf claims to speak for the Indian community that roughly forms eight percent of Malaysia's 27 million population, that also has a large Chinese component. Its claim is contested by other Indian organizations.
Thirtyone persons, denied bail, are being prosecuted in a court for their participation in the Nov 25 rally.
The prosecution has cited interviews given by Uthayakumar and his brother P. Waytha Murthy, to newspapers in Singapore and India. Murthy is currently in India trying to garner support among political leaders.
Meanwhile, the high court adjourned to Monday a criminal revision application made by the public prosecutor following a discharge given to Uthayakumar, Waytha Moorthy and T. Ganabathirau for allegedly making seditious remarks in public.
Judicial commissioner Hashim said he was allowing the application only on grounds that the counsel representing the three needed more time to prepare its submission.
"I am only allowing the adjournment because one of the counsel had raised an important legal issue of whether a discharge not amounting to an acquittal by a lower court could be reviewed by a high court," Hashim said.
NGOs told to adopt good corporate practices to retain public trust
Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) have been urged to adopt good corporate practices to retain public trust and increase funding.
Billions of rupees flow to NGOs from local and foreign sources and business professionals point out that NGOs are now increasingly held accountable for such money donated in trust.
“You are accountable to your stakeholders and you need to deliver optimum results to your stakeholders, so there is no difference between Non-Profit Organisations (NPOs) and corporates. For this, you need to ingrain some values starting with transparency, accountability, good governance and improved quality of service,” said former Ceylon Chamber of Commerce Chairman Chandra Jayaratne, speaking at the 2007 South Asian Regional Conference for NGOs organised by the Centre for Advancement of Resource Mobilisation (CARM), last week.
Good business
Given the changing operating environment, NGOs were advised to become more professional and follow good business practices.
“Not only are NGOs hampered by economic and social pressures but also by political and other forces. Inflation puts limitations on resources and trained staff are being poached by others. Tax relief to NGOs is limited from next year and certain interpretations of rules and regulations are restricting your movements. There is also harassment of staff. Meanwhile the greater public eye is now on you,” said Jayaratne.
“Nevertheless, you have to be able to raise funds for your work. This is vital. So you need to have good values and communicate them to the public,” said Jayaratne.
Although Sri Lanka has separate accounting standards for NGOs, accounting practices of many, particularly smaller local NGOs, are seen as inadequate. This unprofessional approach to social service, starting with poor book keeping, makes it difficult to counter allegations of dishonest practices.
“The first step is to be transparent. You must adopt the best international auditing standards. In Sri Lanka, we already have separate standards for NGOs. You must be able to provide regular statements of accounts in agreed formats to validate that resources are used for the purposes intended and not misused,” said Jayaratne.
Concepts such as Donor Relations Policies and Service Agreements with donors are suggested to improve accountability. “Be open about your overheads. After all, you need money for your operations. So be open about it. But for that money, you must be accountable. Have a Donor Relations Policy. Every donor giving you money should know what he will get, his rights and what you will get and your obligations. Enter into comprehensive service level agreements with defined outcomes and delivery standards,” said Jayaratne.
To increase transparency NGOs are advised to set up Trusts to manage funds. “Use Trust agreements and employ external Trustees and specialist managers. The Trustee will verify that money is spent for its intended purposes. So there is independent verification of your activities and trustworthiness. Then who will fear to give you money?,” said Jayaratne
Keeping with good business practices NGOs are advised to avoid conflict of interest and, “If there is a conflict of interest, declare it upfront. Then no one can accuse you of anything later,” said Jayaratne.
Given the crowding community service space, NGO are also advised to avoid competing with each other.
“You must have some policy on competition. You must not compete with each other and try to bring each other down. That is not your purpose. You are providing a social service. So you should be able to pool your resources and not get into competition with each other,” said Jayaratne.
Poor national policies
Although NGOs are accused of various irregularities, experts in the field of social services point out that poor standard of operations are not entirely the fault of NGOs. It is mainly due to lack of national policies and inadequate regulatory structures.
Even at this point there is no clear number of how many NGOs operate in the country. The National Secretariat for NGO’s says there are 1,210 “national level” registered NGOs but only around 250 “reporting NGOs.” That is, out of 1,210 registered national NGOs, only around 250 submit annual reports.
The low level of reporting by national NGOs, says the NGO Secretariat could be because many NGOs are no longer active. Although Sri Lanka has NGO registration mechanisms, there is no de-registration mechanism. So once registered, the NGOs remain in the list, even when they are no longer operational.
On top of this confusion, the NGO Secretariat estimates that about 20,000 Community Based Organisations, or small NGOs, are operational throughout the country, registered under Divisional and District Secretaries. In addition, NGOs are also set up under the Companies Act and through Acts of Parliament.
Experts in the social service sector say Sri Lanka needs a national policy on NGOs and better monitoring and regulatory mechanisms.
“The main problem is, we don’t have a broad based system to cover all NGOs in the country. There is also no national policy. A national policy sets out the government- NGO relationship and sets guidelines. Some countries, like the Philippines and Kenya, have tripartite bodies overlooking NGOs. Then it is not as bureaucratic as in the case of only the government monitoring. The tripartite committees set codes of conduct and codes of ethics for NGOs to operate,” said Jonathan Thambar, deputy chairman of the Centre for Advancement of Resource Mobilisation (CARM), and a former deputy director of Social Services. Outside the actual number of NGOs operating in the country, the total amount of money coming into the NGO sector and what it is used for, is anybody’s guess at this point because again, comprehensive data is not available. This poor tracking of large mounts of money spells trouble, starting with money laundering.
“NGOs, unknowingly to them, can be used for money laundering and there have been some attempts already running into millions of dollars,” said Jayaratne.
Still on the way
A number of committees have already sat their way through the NGO topic and produced many reports and recommendations. The NGO Secretariat says these recommendations will soon be put to use, starting with one central registration point for all NGOs.
“There will be a very clear picture in the future. There will be only one central point for NGOs to register. We are discussing with the Colombo University to develop a database for the sector, funded by the Asia Foundation Institute. All the NGOs will be listed here.
They will also be required to upload action plans and progress reports. Issuing of visa and work permits will also be done online. So there will be very close monitoring of NGO activities,” said the Director of the NGO Secretariat, Douglas Nanayakkara. The database is expected to be operational by March 2008.
Billions of rupees flow to NGOs from local and foreign sources and business professionals point out that NGOs are now increasingly held accountable for such money donated in trust.
“You are accountable to your stakeholders and you need to deliver optimum results to your stakeholders, so there is no difference between Non-Profit Organisations (NPOs) and corporates. For this, you need to ingrain some values starting with transparency, accountability, good governance and improved quality of service,” said former Ceylon Chamber of Commerce Chairman Chandra Jayaratne, speaking at the 2007 South Asian Regional Conference for NGOs organised by the Centre for Advancement of Resource Mobilisation (CARM), last week.
Good business
Given the changing operating environment, NGOs were advised to become more professional and follow good business practices.
“Not only are NGOs hampered by economic and social pressures but also by political and other forces. Inflation puts limitations on resources and trained staff are being poached by others. Tax relief to NGOs is limited from next year and certain interpretations of rules and regulations are restricting your movements. There is also harassment of staff. Meanwhile the greater public eye is now on you,” said Jayaratne.
“Nevertheless, you have to be able to raise funds for your work. This is vital. So you need to have good values and communicate them to the public,” said Jayaratne.
Although Sri Lanka has separate accounting standards for NGOs, accounting practices of many, particularly smaller local NGOs, are seen as inadequate. This unprofessional approach to social service, starting with poor book keeping, makes it difficult to counter allegations of dishonest practices.
“The first step is to be transparent. You must adopt the best international auditing standards. In Sri Lanka, we already have separate standards for NGOs. You must be able to provide regular statements of accounts in agreed formats to validate that resources are used for the purposes intended and not misused,” said Jayaratne.
Concepts such as Donor Relations Policies and Service Agreements with donors are suggested to improve accountability. “Be open about your overheads. After all, you need money for your operations. So be open about it. But for that money, you must be accountable. Have a Donor Relations Policy. Every donor giving you money should know what he will get, his rights and what you will get and your obligations. Enter into comprehensive service level agreements with defined outcomes and delivery standards,” said Jayaratne.
To increase transparency NGOs are advised to set up Trusts to manage funds. “Use Trust agreements and employ external Trustees and specialist managers. The Trustee will verify that money is spent for its intended purposes. So there is independent verification of your activities and trustworthiness. Then who will fear to give you money?,” said Jayaratne
Keeping with good business practices NGOs are advised to avoid conflict of interest and, “If there is a conflict of interest, declare it upfront. Then no one can accuse you of anything later,” said Jayaratne.
Given the crowding community service space, NGO are also advised to avoid competing with each other.
“You must have some policy on competition. You must not compete with each other and try to bring each other down. That is not your purpose. You are providing a social service. So you should be able to pool your resources and not get into competition with each other,” said Jayaratne.
Poor national policies
Although NGOs are accused of various irregularities, experts in the field of social services point out that poor standard of operations are not entirely the fault of NGOs. It is mainly due to lack of national policies and inadequate regulatory structures.
Even at this point there is no clear number of how many NGOs operate in the country. The National Secretariat for NGO’s says there are 1,210 “national level” registered NGOs but only around 250 “reporting NGOs.” That is, out of 1,210 registered national NGOs, only around 250 submit annual reports.
The low level of reporting by national NGOs, says the NGO Secretariat could be because many NGOs are no longer active. Although Sri Lanka has NGO registration mechanisms, there is no de-registration mechanism. So once registered, the NGOs remain in the list, even when they are no longer operational.
On top of this confusion, the NGO Secretariat estimates that about 20,000 Community Based Organisations, or small NGOs, are operational throughout the country, registered under Divisional and District Secretaries. In addition, NGOs are also set up under the Companies Act and through Acts of Parliament.
Experts in the social service sector say Sri Lanka needs a national policy on NGOs and better monitoring and regulatory mechanisms.
“The main problem is, we don’t have a broad based system to cover all NGOs in the country. There is also no national policy. A national policy sets out the government- NGO relationship and sets guidelines. Some countries, like the Philippines and Kenya, have tripartite bodies overlooking NGOs. Then it is not as bureaucratic as in the case of only the government monitoring. The tripartite committees set codes of conduct and codes of ethics for NGOs to operate,” said Jonathan Thambar, deputy chairman of the Centre for Advancement of Resource Mobilisation (CARM), and a former deputy director of Social Services. Outside the actual number of NGOs operating in the country, the total amount of money coming into the NGO sector and what it is used for, is anybody’s guess at this point because again, comprehensive data is not available. This poor tracking of large mounts of money spells trouble, starting with money laundering.
“NGOs, unknowingly to them, can be used for money laundering and there have been some attempts already running into millions of dollars,” said Jayaratne.
Still on the way
A number of committees have already sat their way through the NGO topic and produced many reports and recommendations. The NGO Secretariat says these recommendations will soon be put to use, starting with one central registration point for all NGOs.
“There will be a very clear picture in the future. There will be only one central point for NGOs to register. We are discussing with the Colombo University to develop a database for the sector, funded by the Asia Foundation Institute. All the NGOs will be listed here.
They will also be required to upload action plans and progress reports. Issuing of visa and work permits will also be done online. So there will be very close monitoring of NGO activities,” said the Director of the NGO Secretariat, Douglas Nanayakkara. The database is expected to be operational by March 2008.
Kebethigollewa - Bombs on the battered track
Tigers repeat their cowardly act; authorities beef up security
Abimanapura, Kebithigollewa: S. Podinona’s husband died in the Anuradhapura hospital in the morning. After attending to formalities in the hospital, she rushed to the main bus stand in the city centre to catch the last bus to Janakapura via Kebethigollewa. The time was 5.45 p.m. As she approached the bus stand, she could see the bus leaving.
The poor woman acted fast. She got into a three-wheeler and overtook the bus. Satisfied she had managed to catch the bus, she reminisced about the days she had spent with her husband and planned the funeral arrangements as the bus moved along.
Thick jungles on both sides of the road and the darkness outside did not evoke any eerie feeling among the 70-odd passengers or driver J. Ratnaweera, a veteran on this 123 km long route. They hoped to reach Janakapura by 9 p.m.
Tea before terror
At 7.25 p.m., the bus stopped at Kebethigollewa. Some 20 passengers got off the bus while others had a cup of tea from the wayside boutique. After the short tea break, the bus resumed the journey unaware of the danger that lay ahead. Thirty minutes later, two big blasts hit the bus, killing and wounding passengers. The wounded were screaming both in pain and in fear. Before they could realize that they had become the latest victims of heartless terror, there was gunfire. LTTE gunmen sprayed bullets at the bus, which had come to a halt, before they fled the scene. The final toll stood at 16 killed and 23 injured.
Podinona survived with injuries to relate the horror. “The bus was hit by two blasts. I heard sounds of gunfire following the explosions. I managed to get out of the bus, creep into a culvert and remain there. I heard people screaming and crying for help,” said Podinona who is receiving treatment at the Anuradhapura hospital.
Premalal Sumanathillaka, another wounded passenger, said he knew it was a bomb attack and saw people crying in pain and some profusely bleeding. He said he managed to creep under a seat and stayed there till soldiers arrived at the scene. Among the dead were two soldiers who were returning to their camp at Welioya after their leave.
Travelling with them was 18-year-old soldier Sugath Bandara who got into the bus at Kebethigollewa. He was seriously wounded in the leg and transferred to Colombo National Hosptal. This young soldier said he saw some ten to 15 LTTE cadres firing at the bus following the explosions. He said he dragged himself to the jungle and remained there till soldiers arrived at the scene.
Homeguards not to be seen
An angry Bandara asked why there was no immediate assistance from the homeguards who were at scores of bunkers that dotted the boundaries of Kebethigollewa. Among those who were killed was provincial journalist, W. Gunasinghe, 62 who had highlighted the security problems the Kebethigollewa village and its residents were facing after a deadly bus explosion in June last year.
Some 64 passengers died in that blast after which hundreds of villagers fled Kebethigollewa and remained in schools and temples in safe areas as refugees for months. They returned to their vulnerably situated village south of rebel-infested Vavuniya, only after the government took several measures to ensure the security of the village. But despite these security measures, which included a series of bunkers manned by homeguards, most villagers lived in fear.
Confirming their worst fears, the Tigers struck on Wednesday. Investigations have revealed that the guerrillas had infiltrated through a gap between two guard posts. Each of these guard posts was manned by three homeguards. The Tigers had planted the claymore mines facing the road. One hit the bus while the impact of the second mine was largely directed towards the ground where now remains a crater.
New measures
In the aftermath of the second bus attack in as many years in the same village, the authorities are to adopt fresh measures to beef up security of the village.
Among these measures are:
* Using armour plates for civilian buses to minimise harm if they are hit by roadside bombs.
* Increasing the number of bunkers on the main road.
* Recruiting more homeguards
* Suspending all night buses from Kebithigollewa to Janakapura.
* Allowing vehicular movements in the morning only after the route is cleared.
(www.sundaytimes.lk)
Keith Vaz in trouble after attending pro-LTTE event
NRI Labour MP Keith Vaz has been criticised by the Sri Lankan High Commission for attending an event here in which LTTE chief Velupillai Prabhakaran, through a televised address, called for supporting their demand for a separate Tamil state.
Vaz, the chairman of the Commons Home Affairs Select Committee, addressed the annual Tamil rally in East London after a televised address by Prabhakaran, the commander of the LTTE, a terrorist organisation banned by the British Government.
The rally was organised by UK-based Sri Lankan Tamils on the birthday of the LTTE leader.
The presence of Vaz, MP from Indian-dominated Leicester East, and a fellow Labour MP, Joan Ryan, drew an angry response from the Sri Lankan High Commission which released a statement claiming that the event was a "clear violation of the UK terrorism laws".
The police, who recorded the gathering, said they were "assessing material from the event" to ascertain if there is any evidence of criminal offences being committed.
The High Commission also accused 51-year-old Vaz of being "partisan to a proscribed terrorist group" and claimed that the event was organised by a front organisation of the LTTE.
Vaz, the chairman of the Commons Home Affairs Select Committee, addressed the annual Tamil rally in East London after a televised address by Prabhakaran, the commander of the LTTE, a terrorist organisation banned by the British Government.
The rally was organised by UK-based Sri Lankan Tamils on the birthday of the LTTE leader.
The presence of Vaz, MP from Indian-dominated Leicester East, and a fellow Labour MP, Joan Ryan, drew an angry response from the Sri Lankan High Commission which released a statement claiming that the event was a "clear violation of the UK terrorism laws".
The police, who recorded the gathering, said they were "assessing material from the event" to ascertain if there is any evidence of criminal offences being committed.
The High Commission also accused 51-year-old Vaz of being "partisan to a proscribed terrorist group" and claimed that the event was organised by a front organisation of the LTTE.
Row over UK's Labour Party MPs support to LTTE
A row has broken out over the attendance of three of Britain's governing Labour Party MPs, including the high-profile Goan-origin Keith Vaz and Ealing Southall's new representative Virendra Sharma, at a several-thousand-strong expatriate Tamil event to pay their respects to those who died in the "Tamil liberation struggle".
The Sri Lankan High Commission here has protested at Vaz's attendance, describing it as an act that shows he is "partisan to a proscribed terrorist group". Vaz currently chairs the influential parliamentary Home Affairs Select Committee, which has oversight of Britain's counter-terrorism laws. The LTTE, referred to by the Sri Lankan authorities, is proscribed in Britain. Under the UK Terrorism Act, the Tigers are banned from raising funds, holding property or operating in any form and it is an offence to glorify their activities, or incite others to support them.
The Sri Lankan High Commission claimed the event was organised by apologists for terrorists, and more particularly, by "a front organisation of a terrorist group for fundraising and propaganda purposes".
But according to Tamilnet, which describes itself as "a news and feature service that focuses on providing reliable and accurate information on issues concerning the Tamil people in Sri Lanka", the "over 25,000 expatriate Tamils in Britain...gathered to mark 'Tamil Remembrance Day' to pay their respects to those who had died in the Tamil liberation struggle. The event (was) organised by Tamil National Remembrance Foundation, an association of families of Tamils who had fallen in the Tamil struggle".
Tamilnet said the annual event, which saw its largest attendance ever, was particularly relevant in the context of the "resumed conflict in Sri Lanka".
The gathering row over the attendance of high-profile British Asian MPs came after it became clear LTTE leader V Prabhakaran's so-called 'Heroes Day' address was broadcast live on large screens across the south-east London venue, with Vaz, Sharma and another Labour MP Joan Ryan in the audience.
The Sri Lankan authorities are understood to object to the MPs' presence at an event used by Prabhakaran to call for "the entire Tamil-speaking world to rise up for the liberation of Tamil Eelam" and praise the LTTE's use of suicide bombers with the words: "The immeasurable dedication and sacrifice of our heroes is delivering a message to the Sinhala nation."
But Vaz, who jointly chairs the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Tamils with Liberal Democarat MP Simon Hughes, who sent a message to the rally, insisted he was "not really interested in (the contents of Mr Prabhakaran's speech). I was there to deliver a message from the all-party group, which is what I do. I was there to deliver a message from my constituents. I have many Tamil people in my constituency."
He and his party colleague Ryan said they had been unaware Prabhakaran was due to speak, a defence described as ludicrous by observers who said the LTTE hierarchy's rallying calls are standard procedure for a rally such as this. At every previous 'Heroes Day' commemorated in the UK, Prabhakaran's speech has been televised to rapt audiences.
The Sri Lankan High Commission here has protested at Vaz's attendance, describing it as an act that shows he is "partisan to a proscribed terrorist group". Vaz currently chairs the influential parliamentary Home Affairs Select Committee, which has oversight of Britain's counter-terrorism laws. The LTTE, referred to by the Sri Lankan authorities, is proscribed in Britain. Under the UK Terrorism Act, the Tigers are banned from raising funds, holding property or operating in any form and it is an offence to glorify their activities, or incite others to support them.
The Sri Lankan High Commission claimed the event was organised by apologists for terrorists, and more particularly, by "a front organisation of a terrorist group for fundraising and propaganda purposes".
But according to Tamilnet, which describes itself as "a news and feature service that focuses on providing reliable and accurate information on issues concerning the Tamil people in Sri Lanka", the "over 25,000 expatriate Tamils in Britain...gathered to mark 'Tamil Remembrance Day' to pay their respects to those who had died in the Tamil liberation struggle. The event (was) organised by Tamil National Remembrance Foundation, an association of families of Tamils who had fallen in the Tamil struggle".
Tamilnet said the annual event, which saw its largest attendance ever, was particularly relevant in the context of the "resumed conflict in Sri Lanka".
The gathering row over the attendance of high-profile British Asian MPs came after it became clear LTTE leader V Prabhakaran's so-called 'Heroes Day' address was broadcast live on large screens across the south-east London venue, with Vaz, Sharma and another Labour MP Joan Ryan in the audience.
The Sri Lankan authorities are understood to object to the MPs' presence at an event used by Prabhakaran to call for "the entire Tamil-speaking world to rise up for the liberation of Tamil Eelam" and praise the LTTE's use of suicide bombers with the words: "The immeasurable dedication and sacrifice of our heroes is delivering a message to the Sinhala nation."
But Vaz, who jointly chairs the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Tamils with Liberal Democarat MP Simon Hughes, who sent a message to the rally, insisted he was "not really interested in (the contents of Mr Prabhakaran's speech). I was there to deliver a message from the all-party group, which is what I do. I was there to deliver a message from my constituents. I have many Tamil people in my constituency."
He and his party colleague Ryan said they had been unaware Prabhakaran was due to speak, a defence described as ludicrous by observers who said the LTTE hierarchy's rallying calls are standard procedure for a rally such as this. At every previous 'Heroes Day' commemorated in the UK, Prabhakaran's speech has been televised to rapt audiences.
Checkpoints checkmated
Security forces adopt new strategy in wake of Supreme Court ruling
Permanent security checkpoints in and around Colombo have been abandoned and security forces manning them have shifted their positions in keeping with a Supreme Court ruling last week. The Supreme Court in a fundamental rights case judgment ruled that the permanent security checkpoints were illegal. Petitioner, V. I. S. Rodrigo, had said he was harassed and unlawfully detained on trumped-up charges by police officers manning a permanent check post at Kirullapone in Colombo.
Subsequent to the judgment, troops manning permanent checkpoints, some of which were highly fortified, abandoned them and resorted to sudden checks. In Colombo and suburbs, security forces were seen carrying out checks as usual a few metres away from the now-abandoned checkpoints.
Military Spokesperson Udaya Nanayakara told The Sunday Times that the new system had its pros and cons."The advantage is it enables us to change positions on the road. There is unpredictability and an element of surprise when we shift places. “But the disadvantage is that troops will not be protected by sandbags in case of an attack," Brigadier Nanayakkara said.
As a result of last week’s court ruling, the Defence Ministry’s move to equip key checkpoints in the city with CCTV cameras has come to a halt, The Sunday Times learns. Questions are now being asked whether the government will cancel the tender for the supply of CCTV cameras.
Chief Justice Sarath N.Silva with Justices (Ms) Shiranee Thilakawardena and Jagath Balapatabendi agreeing observed that guidelines specified in the documents to officers of checkpoints could not possibly serve any purpose from the perspective of national security.
Permanent security checkpoints in and around Colombo have been abandoned and security forces manning them have shifted their positions in keeping with a Supreme Court ruling last week. The Supreme Court in a fundamental rights case judgment ruled that the permanent security checkpoints were illegal. Petitioner, V. I. S. Rodrigo, had said he was harassed and unlawfully detained on trumped-up charges by police officers manning a permanent check post at Kirullapone in Colombo.
Subsequent to the judgment, troops manning permanent checkpoints, some of which were highly fortified, abandoned them and resorted to sudden checks. In Colombo and suburbs, security forces were seen carrying out checks as usual a few metres away from the now-abandoned checkpoints.
Military Spokesperson Udaya Nanayakara told The Sunday Times that the new system had its pros and cons."The advantage is it enables us to change positions on the road. There is unpredictability and an element of surprise when we shift places. “But the disadvantage is that troops will not be protected by sandbags in case of an attack," Brigadier Nanayakkara said.
As a result of last week’s court ruling, the Defence Ministry’s move to equip key checkpoints in the city with CCTV cameras has come to a halt, The Sunday Times learns. Questions are now being asked whether the government will cancel the tender for the supply of CCTV cameras.
Chief Justice Sarath N.Silva with Justices (Ms) Shiranee Thilakawardena and Jagath Balapatabendi agreeing observed that guidelines specified in the documents to officers of checkpoints could not possibly serve any purpose from the perspective of national security.
Are Tamils also not citizens of Sri Lanka?
In the year 1998, Joubert Gnanamuttu an engineer by profession (a slightly built, soft spoken and self effacing gentleman who had lived for more than twenty nine years in Colombo and who spoke with a slight stammer), was travelling in the bus to Borella when it was stopped at an Army check-point at Stanley Wijesundera Mawatha. Asked to show his identity, he produced his national identity card and a driving licence as well as a student identity card issued to him by the Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies.
Despite this proof of identification, he was asked to show a 'police registration form' to which request, Gnanamuttu replied that he did not have one and was not aware that the law required him to possess one. This sufficed for him to be rudely abused and detained while the rest of the passengers were allowed to proceed on their way. Gnamuttu was then taken to the Cinnamon Gardens police station where all his belongings, including his money, were taken from him and thence to the Bambalapitiya police station to be photographed. In a bizarre scenario thereafter, Gnanamuttu had been 'misplaced' by the police officer escorting the party of detainees, resulting in this mild mannered man having to, (since all his money and identification documents were at the Cinnamon Gardens Police Station), walk back by himself all the way from Bambalapitiya to the Cinnamon Gardens Police Station, whereupon he was greeted with consternation by the police officers and immediately detained. He was then produced before the Magistrate's Court, Hulftsdorp on a "B" Report which stated that he was suspected of "terrorist activities."
A further shock then awaited him in the form of a lawyer who had informed Gnanamuttu that his identity card was in his possession and therefore that he had to appear for him for which fees would need to be paid. Gnanamuttu had refused stating that he had no money whereupon the lawyer had turned hostile. Gnanamuttu was then brought before the magistrate, allowed to sign a personal bond and asked to appear in court on a later date a week hence on which subsequent date, he was discharged.
Kafkan scenario
This Kafkan scenario was not conceived as a figment of my imagination but instead is an incident that was brought before the Supreme Court shortly thereafter, fully probed into and decided in favour of this unfortunate man who had undergone public humiliation and personal trauma, all due to the fact that he was Tamil, coupled with perhaps the fact that he stammered when he spoke. In 1999, the Supreme Court, examining this incident, declared a violation of the right to be free from unlawful arrest and detention declaring, in the judgment of Shiranee A. Bandaranayake J (with the then Chief Justice G.P.S. de Silva and Wijetunge J agreeing) that 'If the purpose at the security check-point was to ascertain the identity of the person travelling in that bus, these documents in my view, were more than sufficient."
Eight years later, the impact of this judgment appears to have been minimal. Ironically, V.I.S. Rodrigo, the petitioner in whose favour the Court decided this week and who had undergone a similar harrowing experience, this time at the Polhengoda checkpoint and at the hands of a female sub-inspector, had also been arrested and detained because (in the words of the respondent police officer as disclosed to court) "he had stammered and appeared to be excited." One is constrained to question whether there is, therefore some highly confidential and secretive directive or departmental order nestling in the desks of the police stations that define stammering as a justifiable ground on which arrests may be made? Perhaps this is a moot question that the Inspector General of Police may be called upon by the public to answer.
In this week's judgment, Chief Justice Sarath Nanda Silva (with Shiranee Tillekewardene and Balapatabendi JJ agreeing) passed severe strictures on the arrest and later detention of V.I.S. Rodrigo by the Officer in Charge of the Traffic Branch of the Kirulapona police station purportedly on the suspicion that his driving licence was forged. The Court referred to a 'vicious scheme' of the police as well as the 'abuse of power, rampant dishonesty and corruption and also misuse of the process of law that take place at 'check points' that have sprouted up."
In the Gnanamuttu case, the Registrar of the Supreme Court was directed to send a copy of the judgment to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) for appropriate action but to all intents and purposes, nothing was done. In the judgment relating to the complaint brought by V.I.S. Rodrigo, the non-implementation of previous orders by Court, particularly regarding another recent instance where a person who was transporting furniture for personal use was wrongfully arrested, detained and tortured because he refused to give a bribe that was demanded, was specifically adverted to. It is in the context of this non -implementation that the Court, this week, issued directions in terms of Article 126(4) of the Constitution ordering the dismantling of permanent 'checkpoints' and proper regulation of the total prohibition of parking vehicles on principal roads. Further, IGP and Secretary, Defence was directed to ensure that minimum inconvenience be caused to the public as a result of movements of politicians on these roads.
Highhanded, insensitive and discriminatory action
It is unfortunate that judicial intervention is required in order to drive home the thinking that while interests of national security may be paramount, ordinary citizens of any ethnicity cannot be harassed and threatened by law enforcement officers who besmirch the good name of the entire service in so doing.
This rule applies not only to behaviour on the roads but also to all other procedures that are being put into place in the name of national security. What befell V.I.S. Rodrigo, (which is surely a plight common to many other roadusers), demonstrates that arbitrary police abuse is not limited to members of one particular ethnicity alone. But there is no doubt that it is citizens of this ethnicity who bear the very brunt of such attacks. The manner in which the mass arrests of Tamils took place early this week, ostensibly as a security measure is another instance of highhanded, insensitive and overtly discriminatory action. Each and every action of this nature only alienates the ordinary Tamil community, many of whom do not support the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.
In many instances, none of these measures have a rational justification besides possessing racist undertones. Why, for example, are civilians in Jaffna required to have a special identification card issued by the Army in which moreover, it is required to be stated as to what the political opinion of the applicant is? Where is the rational justification between this requirement and national security? Why should passengers, when traveling on the bus be separated by ethnicity and one lot of passengers detained without proper checking of their identification but solely because they are Tamil? Such occurrences make me ashamed to say that I am Sri Lankan and that I live in a country where such incidents are commonplace. These are issues that we should be putting to the Government of Sri Lanka sans any particular political persuasion and as citizens of Sri Lanka, not as Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims and others.
Despite this proof of identification, he was asked to show a 'police registration form' to which request, Gnanamuttu replied that he did not have one and was not aware that the law required him to possess one. This sufficed for him to be rudely abused and detained while the rest of the passengers were allowed to proceed on their way. Gnamuttu was then taken to the Cinnamon Gardens police station where all his belongings, including his money, were taken from him and thence to the Bambalapitiya police station to be photographed. In a bizarre scenario thereafter, Gnanamuttu had been 'misplaced' by the police officer escorting the party of detainees, resulting in this mild mannered man having to, (since all his money and identification documents were at the Cinnamon Gardens Police Station), walk back by himself all the way from Bambalapitiya to the Cinnamon Gardens Police Station, whereupon he was greeted with consternation by the police officers and immediately detained. He was then produced before the Magistrate's Court, Hulftsdorp on a "B" Report which stated that he was suspected of "terrorist activities."
A further shock then awaited him in the form of a lawyer who had informed Gnanamuttu that his identity card was in his possession and therefore that he had to appear for him for which fees would need to be paid. Gnanamuttu had refused stating that he had no money whereupon the lawyer had turned hostile. Gnanamuttu was then brought before the magistrate, allowed to sign a personal bond and asked to appear in court on a later date a week hence on which subsequent date, he was discharged.
Kafkan scenario
This Kafkan scenario was not conceived as a figment of my imagination but instead is an incident that was brought before the Supreme Court shortly thereafter, fully probed into and decided in favour of this unfortunate man who had undergone public humiliation and personal trauma, all due to the fact that he was Tamil, coupled with perhaps the fact that he stammered when he spoke. In 1999, the Supreme Court, examining this incident, declared a violation of the right to be free from unlawful arrest and detention declaring, in the judgment of Shiranee A. Bandaranayake J (with the then Chief Justice G.P.S. de Silva and Wijetunge J agreeing) that 'If the purpose at the security check-point was to ascertain the identity of the person travelling in that bus, these documents in my view, were more than sufficient."
Eight years later, the impact of this judgment appears to have been minimal. Ironically, V.I.S. Rodrigo, the petitioner in whose favour the Court decided this week and who had undergone a similar harrowing experience, this time at the Polhengoda checkpoint and at the hands of a female sub-inspector, had also been arrested and detained because (in the words of the respondent police officer as disclosed to court) "he had stammered and appeared to be excited." One is constrained to question whether there is, therefore some highly confidential and secretive directive or departmental order nestling in the desks of the police stations that define stammering as a justifiable ground on which arrests may be made? Perhaps this is a moot question that the Inspector General of Police may be called upon by the public to answer.
In this week's judgment, Chief Justice Sarath Nanda Silva (with Shiranee Tillekewardene and Balapatabendi JJ agreeing) passed severe strictures on the arrest and later detention of V.I.S. Rodrigo by the Officer in Charge of the Traffic Branch of the Kirulapona police station purportedly on the suspicion that his driving licence was forged. The Court referred to a 'vicious scheme' of the police as well as the 'abuse of power, rampant dishonesty and corruption and also misuse of the process of law that take place at 'check points' that have sprouted up."
In the Gnanamuttu case, the Registrar of the Supreme Court was directed to send a copy of the judgment to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) for appropriate action but to all intents and purposes, nothing was done. In the judgment relating to the complaint brought by V.I.S. Rodrigo, the non-implementation of previous orders by Court, particularly regarding another recent instance where a person who was transporting furniture for personal use was wrongfully arrested, detained and tortured because he refused to give a bribe that was demanded, was specifically adverted to. It is in the context of this non -implementation that the Court, this week, issued directions in terms of Article 126(4) of the Constitution ordering the dismantling of permanent 'checkpoints' and proper regulation of the total prohibition of parking vehicles on principal roads. Further, IGP and Secretary, Defence was directed to ensure that minimum inconvenience be caused to the public as a result of movements of politicians on these roads.
Highhanded, insensitive and discriminatory action
It is unfortunate that judicial intervention is required in order to drive home the thinking that while interests of national security may be paramount, ordinary citizens of any ethnicity cannot be harassed and threatened by law enforcement officers who besmirch the good name of the entire service in so doing.
This rule applies not only to behaviour on the roads but also to all other procedures that are being put into place in the name of national security. What befell V.I.S. Rodrigo, (which is surely a plight common to many other roadusers), demonstrates that arbitrary police abuse is not limited to members of one particular ethnicity alone. But there is no doubt that it is citizens of this ethnicity who bear the very brunt of such attacks. The manner in which the mass arrests of Tamils took place early this week, ostensibly as a security measure is another instance of highhanded, insensitive and overtly discriminatory action. Each and every action of this nature only alienates the ordinary Tamil community, many of whom do not support the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.
In many instances, none of these measures have a rational justification besides possessing racist undertones. Why, for example, are civilians in Jaffna required to have a special identification card issued by the Army in which moreover, it is required to be stated as to what the political opinion of the applicant is? Where is the rational justification between this requirement and national security? Why should passengers, when traveling on the bus be separated by ethnicity and one lot of passengers detained without proper checking of their identification but solely because they are Tamil? Such occurrences make me ashamed to say that I am Sri Lankan and that I live in a country where such incidents are commonplace. These are issues that we should be putting to the Government of Sri Lanka sans any particular political persuasion and as citizens of Sri Lanka, not as Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims and others.
Sri Lanka says 25 dead in clashes amid calls for UN rights mission
International groups called for a UN human rights monitoring mission in Sri Lanka on Saturday as fresh clashes between troops and Tamil Tiger rebels left at least 25 dead, the government said.
Fighting across Sri Lanka's northern frontier left 24 rebels dead and injured 18 during 24 hours ending early Saturday, the defence ministry said, placing their own losses at one soldier killed and two injured.
There was no immediate word from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). Independent verification of battlefield casualties are not possible and both sides are known to offer wildly contradictory figures.
Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch Saturday called for the United Nations Human Rights Council to monitor rights abuses in Sri Lanka.
They have called before for such a mission but said the need was more urgent than ever.
The human rights situation in Sri Lanka "is rapidly deteriorating. In the last two weeks of November alone, more than 50 civilians have been killed in Sri Lanka," the Human Rights Watch said.
Since September, more than 20,000 people have been displaced by the escalation in fighting between both sides, the rights group said in an open letter ahead of a UN meeting on human rights in Geneva next week.
In the northern district of Jaffna, the number of "enforced disappearances" and unlawful killings continues "at very high levels," the HRW said adding that "over 200 civilians were reported missing in Jaffna since January 2007."
"Both the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE have failed to abide by their obligations under international humanitarian law to protect civilians from harm," the group said.
Sri Lanka has strongly resisted calls for a UN monitoring mission in the embattled country where more than 60,000 people have been killed since 1972.
"We are not willing to discuss a UN presence in Sri Lanka for monitoring purposes nor are we willing to allow an office of the High Commissioner (here)," Human Rights minister Mahinda Samarasinghe said in October after a visit of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour.
Fighting across Sri Lanka's northern frontier left 24 rebels dead and injured 18 during 24 hours ending early Saturday, the defence ministry said, placing their own losses at one soldier killed and two injured.
There was no immediate word from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). Independent verification of battlefield casualties are not possible and both sides are known to offer wildly contradictory figures.
Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch Saturday called for the United Nations Human Rights Council to monitor rights abuses in Sri Lanka.
They have called before for such a mission but said the need was more urgent than ever.
The human rights situation in Sri Lanka "is rapidly deteriorating. In the last two weeks of November alone, more than 50 civilians have been killed in Sri Lanka," the Human Rights Watch said.
Since September, more than 20,000 people have been displaced by the escalation in fighting between both sides, the rights group said in an open letter ahead of a UN meeting on human rights in Geneva next week.
In the northern district of Jaffna, the number of "enforced disappearances" and unlawful killings continues "at very high levels," the HRW said adding that "over 200 civilians were reported missing in Jaffna since January 2007."
"Both the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE have failed to abide by their obligations under international humanitarian law to protect civilians from harm," the group said.
Sri Lanka has strongly resisted calls for a UN monitoring mission in the embattled country where more than 60,000 people have been killed since 1972.
"We are not willing to discuss a UN presence in Sri Lanka for monitoring purposes nor are we willing to allow an office of the High Commissioner (here)," Human Rights minister Mahinda Samarasinghe said in October after a visit of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour.
Vaiko writes to Indian PM, alleges SLN-Indian Navy nexus
Vaiko, General Secretary of the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam dashed off a letter to the Indian Prime Minister Mr Manmohan Singh alleging "a nefarious nexus between Sri Lankan Navy (SLN) and Indian Navy" after an Indian naval official declared that SLN was not guilty of deliberately killing Indian fishermen. Mr Vaiko also appealed to Mr Singh to "stop forthwith the supply of arms to Sri Lanka and withdraw the radars already supplied and give instructions to the officers of the Indian Navy not to pursue the nefarious game" of collaborating with the SLN. His three-page letter was released to the media on Sunday.
Commodore PE Van Halteren, Naval officer-in-charge of Tamilnadu, had given a clean-chit to the Sri Lankan Navy (SLN) when he addressed the media in Chennai on Saturday. Defending the SLN, he said that it has "never deliberately fired at Indian fishermen in the Palk Straits. The Indian fishermen fell prey to the crossfire between the Lankan Navy and LTTE whenever they crossed the international maritime boundary. As a matter of policy, they do not open fire on Indian fishermen. The SLN never crossed into Indian territory to attack the fishermen who have alleged that they were frequently targeted by the Lankan Navy boats." Vaiko labeled Halteren's statement "most unwarranted, uncalled for and unjustifiable."
Coming down heavily on Halteren's defence and support of the SLN, Mr Vaiko pointed out that in the Indian democratical setup, the chiefs of the armed forces have "all along been very careful in their press briefings and statements" and "confined themselves to the scope of their authority." In his letter he questioned the recent trend of the officers of the armed forces, particularly naval officers, to make statements in support of the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) since it "causes grave concern and reasonable suspicions as to whether they operate at the behest of the Indian Government or the SLN?"
On September 16, 2004, Chief of the Indian Naval Staff Arun Prakash had said that Indian fishermen have never been attacked by the SLN. Two days later, Vaiko had presented a memorandum to Mr Manmohan Singh giving details of the Tamilnadu fishermen who had been attacked and killed by the SLN since 1970 in more than 900 attacks. According to his letter, the deaths of the Tamilnadu fishermen at the hands of the SLN had been acknowledged in Parliament by the Indian Government itself. Vaiko condemned the "audacity" of the the naval chief to have out-stepped his official bounds and given a "clean chit to the murderous SLN" when in truth they had entered Indian territorial waters innumerable times and attacked Indian fishermen. On July 17, 1997, an SLN helicopter had dared to fly over Indian territorial waters at Arukattuturai near Vedaaranyam and dropped bombs that left four Indian Tamil fishermen dead and several others wounded.
In his letter, Vaiko pointed out that there existed "a nefarious nexus between SLN and Indian Navy" and therefore he alleged that "the Indian Navy is under a cloud of accusation that they are collaborating with SLN by providing information, communication and help in the genocidal attacks of SLN against the Tamils in the ongoing confrontation." He noted with distress that "the Indian Navy has never attempted even once to protect Tamilnadu fishermen and ward-off attacks of the SLN all these years."
He alleged that the farsighted foreign policy of Indian Prime Ministers like Pundit Nehru and Mrs Indira Gandhi had been "given a decent burial" by the "clandestine, planned assistance of the Indian Government to the racist Sri Lanka Government in their military attacks against the Tamils" and this was reflected by the "arrogant, alarming utterances of the Indian Naval officers."
Vaiko had previously written to Mr Manmohan Singh on August 6, 2007 expressing his anguish and protest to the decision taken by the SLN and Indian Navy to jointly coordinate their communication network on July 13, 2007 onboard a SLN vessel. He alleged that through this decision, "the Indian Government had knowingly fallen into the conspiratory trap laid by the Sri Lankan racist Government."
(www.tamilnet.com)
Commodore PE Van Halteren, Naval officer-in-charge of Tamilnadu, had given a clean-chit to the Sri Lankan Navy (SLN) when he addressed the media in Chennai on Saturday. Defending the SLN, he said that it has "never deliberately fired at Indian fishermen in the Palk Straits. The Indian fishermen fell prey to the crossfire between the Lankan Navy and LTTE whenever they crossed the international maritime boundary. As a matter of policy, they do not open fire on Indian fishermen. The SLN never crossed into Indian territory to attack the fishermen who have alleged that they were frequently targeted by the Lankan Navy boats." Vaiko labeled Halteren's statement "most unwarranted, uncalled for and unjustifiable."
Coming down heavily on Halteren's defence and support of the SLN, Mr Vaiko pointed out that in the Indian democratical setup, the chiefs of the armed forces have "all along been very careful in their press briefings and statements" and "confined themselves to the scope of their authority." In his letter he questioned the recent trend of the officers of the armed forces, particularly naval officers, to make statements in support of the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) since it "causes grave concern and reasonable suspicions as to whether they operate at the behest of the Indian Government or the SLN?"
On September 16, 2004, Chief of the Indian Naval Staff Arun Prakash had said that Indian fishermen have never been attacked by the SLN. Two days later, Vaiko had presented a memorandum to Mr Manmohan Singh giving details of the Tamilnadu fishermen who had been attacked and killed by the SLN since 1970 in more than 900 attacks. According to his letter, the deaths of the Tamilnadu fishermen at the hands of the SLN had been acknowledged in Parliament by the Indian Government itself. Vaiko condemned the "audacity" of the the naval chief to have out-stepped his official bounds and given a "clean chit to the murderous SLN" when in truth they had entered Indian territorial waters innumerable times and attacked Indian fishermen. On July 17, 1997, an SLN helicopter had dared to fly over Indian territorial waters at Arukattuturai near Vedaaranyam and dropped bombs that left four Indian Tamil fishermen dead and several others wounded.
In his letter, Vaiko pointed out that there existed "a nefarious nexus between SLN and Indian Navy" and therefore he alleged that "the Indian Navy is under a cloud of accusation that they are collaborating with SLN by providing information, communication and help in the genocidal attacks of SLN against the Tamils in the ongoing confrontation." He noted with distress that "the Indian Navy has never attempted even once to protect Tamilnadu fishermen and ward-off attacks of the SLN all these years."
He alleged that the farsighted foreign policy of Indian Prime Ministers like Pundit Nehru and Mrs Indira Gandhi had been "given a decent burial" by the "clandestine, planned assistance of the Indian Government to the racist Sri Lanka Government in their military attacks against the Tamils" and this was reflected by the "arrogant, alarming utterances of the Indian Naval officers."
Vaiko had previously written to Mr Manmohan Singh on August 6, 2007 expressing his anguish and protest to the decision taken by the SLN and Indian Navy to jointly coordinate their communication network on July 13, 2007 onboard a SLN vessel. He alleged that through this decision, "the Indian Government had knowingly fallen into the conspiratory trap laid by the Sri Lankan racist Government."
(www.tamilnet.com)
LTTE sea wing member, 2 others held in Chennai
A Tamil Tiger guerrilla has been arrested in Chennai along with two accomplices — including an Indian — on charges of smuggling war materials to the rebels in the island nation.
The Q Branch of the Tamil Nadu Police — which deals with insurgent activities — made the arrests late Saturday near the international airport in Chennai, a statement from the police said on Sunday.
The three were identified as James alias Raja, 46, and Jayakumar, 34, (both Sri Lankans) and Ravi Kumar, 42, an Indian.
Jayakumar reportedly told the police that he belonged to the Sea Tigers, the LTTE's sea wing, from 1995 to 2006 during which he took part in battles against the Sri Lankan military.
Jayakumar added that after quitting the Sea Tigers, he sailed to Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu in early 2007 by boat on the orders of Soosai, the Sea Tigers leader. He is from Velvettiturai in Jaffna where LTTE chief V Prabhakaran was born.
James, who belongs to Mannar in Sri Lanka, said he visited India thrice this year using his passport. He later flew to India in October 2007 and then went on to buy for the LTTE computer spare parts, underwater footwear, global positioning system and bundles of beedis, the statement said.
Police seized Rs 4, 78,290 and Rs 4,140 worth Sri Lankan currency and four mobile phones from the group.
The men, according to the police, had tried to hire a boat. The boat was reportedly being harboured in Mallipattinam on the Thanjavur coast, about 450 km south.
Jayakumar reportedly said he went to Thanjavur and bought it for Rs 4,80,000 sent by Soosai and an LTTE fund controller based in London.
Police said Jayakumar had admitted that he had planned to send the boat to Sri Lanka with James. The Indian arrested is said to have helped the Sri Lankan Tamils buy the boat.
Tamil Nadu is separated from Sri Lanka by a strip of sea. Although the Tamil Tigers do not enjoy the kind of support they had in the state in the 1980s, there are still committed sympathisers to the LTTE cause of a separate state.
The Q Branch of the Tamil Nadu Police — which deals with insurgent activities — made the arrests late Saturday near the international airport in Chennai, a statement from the police said on Sunday.
The three were identified as James alias Raja, 46, and Jayakumar, 34, (both Sri Lankans) and Ravi Kumar, 42, an Indian.
Jayakumar reportedly told the police that he belonged to the Sea Tigers, the LTTE's sea wing, from 1995 to 2006 during which he took part in battles against the Sri Lankan military.
Jayakumar added that after quitting the Sea Tigers, he sailed to Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu in early 2007 by boat on the orders of Soosai, the Sea Tigers leader. He is from Velvettiturai in Jaffna where LTTE chief V Prabhakaran was born.
James, who belongs to Mannar in Sri Lanka, said he visited India thrice this year using his passport. He later flew to India in October 2007 and then went on to buy for the LTTE computer spare parts, underwater footwear, global positioning system and bundles of beedis, the statement said.
Police seized Rs 4, 78,290 and Rs 4,140 worth Sri Lankan currency and four mobile phones from the group.
The men, according to the police, had tried to hire a boat. The boat was reportedly being harboured in Mallipattinam on the Thanjavur coast, about 450 km south.
Jayakumar reportedly said he went to Thanjavur and bought it for Rs 4,80,000 sent by Soosai and an LTTE fund controller based in London.
Police said Jayakumar had admitted that he had planned to send the boat to Sri Lanka with James. The Indian arrested is said to have helped the Sri Lankan Tamils buy the boat.
Tamil Nadu is separated from Sri Lanka by a strip of sea. Although the Tamil Tigers do not enjoy the kind of support they had in the state in the 1980s, there are still committed sympathisers to the LTTE cause of a separate state.
LTTE braces for a second front in north
The LTTE, struggling to thwart the army on the Vanni front is facing the prospect of large scale military action on another front.
The army is on the offensive in the general area west of Omanthai, with the current focus being the area south of Adampan, an LTTE stronghold now under intense pressure.
The LTTE is believed to have shifted some of the experienced units from the Vanni front for re-deployment along the Muhamalai line and elsewhere. Authoritative military officials said that this was due to their belief that the army would make a thrust across the northern front.
The launch of large scale operations on another front is expected to cause serious difficulties to the LTTE, particularly at a time it is experiencing a severe shortage of ammunition.
Military Spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara yesterday said that ground troops were making good progress on the Vanni front."We have inflicted sizeable losses on the enemy over the past several months and they are being forced to re-think their strategy," he said. According to him, the LTTE had replaced some of the experienced units with fresh recruits and women cadres. Nanayakkara said that the LTTE was in the process of re-deploying units, strengtheing positions, particularly the Muhamalai line.
He said the ongoing offensive action on the Vanni front wasn’t aimed at capturing land. Ground troops were in the process of inflicting maximum possible losses on the enemy both in terms of personnel and material, he said. Although the army’s intention wasn’t to regain land, the LTTE in some instances had vacated villages, he said.
A case in point is the recent vacation of an LTTE camp at Thampane, which Nanayakkara called ‘Vietnam Base’.
Army Chief Lt. Gen. Sarath Fonseka has committed sizeable forces to Vanni front. Fonseka last Friday toured Weli Oya and Vavuniya to assess the status of the operations that were being carried out in the region as part of the overall strategy to weaken the LTTE’s capacity to wage war in the Vanni.
Nanayakkara said that the LTTE had been losing about ten cadres on a daily basis and on some days their losses doubled. On Saturday, the ground troops killed at least 14 LTTE cadres in separate confrontations at Periyathampanai and Kallikulam.
The military said that Bhanu and Swarnam, who unsuccessfully tried to thwart the army offensive which brought the Eastern Province under government control, were in charge of some the formations deployed in the northern theatre. Balraj is believed to be in charge of Weli Oya sector with Theepan in overall command of the northern front.
The service chiefs have assured the Defence Secretary that the ongoing operations were progressing as planned. The military is confident that the LTTE wouldn’t be able to sustain resistance at the current level for much longer. Police asserted that the recent deliberate attacks on civilian targets, too, could be part of their strategy to pressure the government slow down the offensive action.
The army is on the offensive in the general area west of Omanthai, with the current focus being the area south of Adampan, an LTTE stronghold now under intense pressure.
The LTTE is believed to have shifted some of the experienced units from the Vanni front for re-deployment along the Muhamalai line and elsewhere. Authoritative military officials said that this was due to their belief that the army would make a thrust across the northern front.
The launch of large scale operations on another front is expected to cause serious difficulties to the LTTE, particularly at a time it is experiencing a severe shortage of ammunition.
Military Spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara yesterday said that ground troops were making good progress on the Vanni front."We have inflicted sizeable losses on the enemy over the past several months and they are being forced to re-think their strategy," he said. According to him, the LTTE had replaced some of the experienced units with fresh recruits and women cadres. Nanayakkara said that the LTTE was in the process of re-deploying units, strengtheing positions, particularly the Muhamalai line.
He said the ongoing offensive action on the Vanni front wasn’t aimed at capturing land. Ground troops were in the process of inflicting maximum possible losses on the enemy both in terms of personnel and material, he said. Although the army’s intention wasn’t to regain land, the LTTE in some instances had vacated villages, he said.
A case in point is the recent vacation of an LTTE camp at Thampane, which Nanayakkara called ‘Vietnam Base’.
Army Chief Lt. Gen. Sarath Fonseka has committed sizeable forces to Vanni front. Fonseka last Friday toured Weli Oya and Vavuniya to assess the status of the operations that were being carried out in the region as part of the overall strategy to weaken the LTTE’s capacity to wage war in the Vanni.
Nanayakkara said that the LTTE had been losing about ten cadres on a daily basis and on some days their losses doubled. On Saturday, the ground troops killed at least 14 LTTE cadres in separate confrontations at Periyathampanai and Kallikulam.
The military said that Bhanu and Swarnam, who unsuccessfully tried to thwart the army offensive which brought the Eastern Province under government control, were in charge of some the formations deployed in the northern theatre. Balraj is believed to be in charge of Weli Oya sector with Theepan in overall command of the northern front.
The service chiefs have assured the Defence Secretary that the ongoing operations were progressing as planned. The military is confident that the LTTE wouldn’t be able to sustain resistance at the current level for much longer. Police asserted that the recent deliberate attacks on civilian targets, too, could be part of their strategy to pressure the government slow down the offensive action.
UNESCO or a FIASCO
When I started writing this note to express what I felt about the reaction of Koïchiro Matsuura, the Director General of the UNESCO concerning the bombing of Tamil Tiger Terrorist broadcasting centre, I had a moral conflict whether to respect the individual or to respect his role as a high ranker in the UN. One thing clear to me is that as a matter of generosity from an ethical point of view, I have to respect every human being with no regard to his caste, class, creed, or status.
Question therefore, does not arise here that I have to respect his rank in the UN namely the Director General to the UNESCO. On the other hand, anyone who reads his condemnation of bombing of the LTTE Voice, the propaganda radio, would raise the question why he did say anything on this issue. The fact that the Japanese Navy bombed Colombo on 5th April 1942 comes to my mind involuntarily. Mr. Matsuura must be reminded how this bombing killed a number of psychiatric patients at Mulleria Hospital and one bomb was dropped on Ceylon Radio Station in Colombo, which was then known as Voice of Colombo. While quoting Lord Buddha’s preaching that hatred cannot be overcome by hatred, the Ceylon delegate at the San Francisco Conference made an appeal to the world not to punish the Japanese government but to give the hand to this totally defeated country to raise the head from ashes. Exactly after 65 years, a member of that pardoned country points the finger to the government of Sri Lanka for having bombed a terrorist propaganda radio station. Does Koichiro Matsuura justifies the bombing of Sri Lankan Air base at Anuradhapura recalling what the Japanese Air Force Kamikase Pilots did to Perl Habour in 1941?
The face value of his protest may attribute to his role as the Director General of the UNESCO but not because that he and Yasushi Akashi (the Japanese mediator involved in the so-called reconciliation process between the government of Sri Lanka and the Tamil Tiger terrorists) come from the same country. I have no clues to see any co-relation between Matsuura’s conduct and Akashi’s emphasis concerning this conflict. But it is the general attitude in Sri Lanka that Akashi was another blonder.
Japan as a country, which went through hell during Second World War knows much about cancer in mass scale after bombing Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the US Air force during this war. This immeasurable disaster caused many hundreds of thousand deaths and cancer amongst millions of people in Japan. But this harmful effect was confined only to Japanese territory.
There is a valuable reason why I started with the cancer issue. The LTTE, the most ruthless terrorist movement in the world is an evil malignant cancer not only in the region of its birthplace but also on a global scale. Cancer is also a cell but it is different to the healthy cells in a body. A person, who does not know the intrinsic properties of a cancer cell, cannot distinguish it from a healthy cell.
This is exactly what is happening in Sri Lanka. With all their expertise and conviction of humanism, this Japanese dignitary and his close international associates are fighting the healthy cells but not to eradicate the cancer cells in the context of so-called ethnic problem in Sri Lanka. Is this an indication of common ignorance or a clear demonstration of double standards?
It could be both because he and his other associates who interfere unnecessarily in this issue seem to be sharing an unethical commitment.
Ignorance is worse than a cancer. A group of so-called human right champions have challenged a democratically elected government for having taken drastic measures to curb terrorism. A malignant cancer is perceived as a liberation movement and the malice not dealt with appropriate measures. Like the medical personnel engaged in curing a cancer patient, a democratic government has launched a war on terrorism in order to eradicate this evil in the same manner as any other civilized governance does.
The USA and its allies like Great Britain, Germany, Canada, Australia, and Poland have sent their troops to fight terrorism in Iraq and in Afghanistan. Japan has nothing to say other than saying yes to what her allies do in these regions and most interestingly the same group champions the cause for human rights in Sri Lanka while massacring innocent people in millions in other countries.
We do not need the assistance of such hypocrites to restore democracy in our country because Sri Lanka is one of the most ancient countries, which enjoyed a long tradition of civilized social order. The secret behind the success of this uninterrupted socio-cultural and religious order is the homogeneity in its composition. If not the continuous invasions from south India did not take place and the western colonial powers did not tried their fortune in our countries, this homogeneous composition would have prevailed up to present days like in China, Korea and Japan. As an exception in the western world, 98% of the population in Germany is Germans. Though the Bavarians claim that they are not Germans and they have their own language, the Bavarians had to accept the conditions imposed by Otto von Bismarck of Prussia in his historical task to bring all divided parts to one solid state namely Deutschland (Germany). The pressure from Bavaria to the Sri Lankan government is relatively high when compared to other federal states in Germany. The reason is the Catholic Church and we are not supposed to ignore the fact that the Pope Benedict XVI, Joseph Ratzinger comes from the same state. Historically there would have been no Hitler without Bavaria.
This is an example how the people can be brought under control by any authority depending on the historical, geographical, and economic conditions. The Bavarians had their own territory, language, and customs and deeply rooted other cultural traditions. The size of the state is very similar to the size of Sri Lanka but there was no claim for a separate homeland similar to the Tamil “Eelam” (Traditional homeland). There was neither an armed struggle nor terrorism for a separate state though they were independent in the past. What sort of example can the Bavarians set for the Sri Lankans in relation to the present conflict while preserving the homogeneity with other federal states and preaching a separate for handful Tamil terrorists?
Germans do not like to see their society becoming heterogeneous like the Japanese. Nevertheless, they like to see Sri Lanka as a heterogeneous country. With some differences in the accent and in expressions, a great majority of people in Germany share a common language, common culture, common religious believes and a democratic capitalist system.
They are also the pioneers of European Union, which brought many western and eastern countries to one single political, social, and economic body. The borders are open. A common currency namely the Euro is introduced. As a result, the economy is booming in each individual country. It proved that the unity is mighty. Most unfortunately, these people cannot see how our nations in the south Asian region were enjoying this privilege since many thousands years. In India or in Sri Lanka, there were no religious or ethnic wars for many centuries until the “divide and rule” strategy was implemented by the colonial “masters”. They join hand in hands to develop their countries but they never let people in former colonial countries to feel united.
Sri Lanka is an exception with an excellent example for harmony with a social, cultural, ethnic, and religious diversity. There are ample prehistoric evidence to prove that even before the Dravidic incursions (10th century) took place, Hela Diva (The Island of Helas) gave the shelter to various heterogeneous groups like Naga, Yakshas, Deva and Raksha.
(see. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Sri_Lanka.
Some scholars presume that the Dravidians were present in this island before the Sinhela ethnic group came into being. According to the Lanka Academic Forum, “Indeed, archaeological records confirm the existence of humans in Sri Lanka, long before Vijaya”. “….”However it was the advent of Buddhism in Sri Lanka, that saw the distinctive evolution of the Sinhela race - a mixture of the original inhabitants naga, yaksha, tamils<*1> who had been in Sri Lanka for a long time and who embraced Buddhism and the Vijayan colonists. They were united by Buddhism and the newly developed Sinhela language” (see: The origins of Sri Lankan Tamils and Sinhalese. –Lanka Academic Forum – (http://www.theacademic.org/forum/viewtopic/).
(<*1> My personal opinion on the usage of this term in the historical context is not appropriate. Small groups of Dravidian origin would have been living in this island without a strong ethnic identity. Some Anthropologists<*2> infer that Veddas have certain physical resemblance to Dravidians and Australian Aborigines. Even if it is a fact, there is no evidence that Dravidian civilization was established in pre-Vijaya era. If there were a Dravidian social organisation, Tamil, Malayalam, Kanarese or Telugu would have been the language of the pre-Vijaya era).
(<*2> Malcolm D. Prentis, Science, Race & Faith: A Life of John Mathew, 1849-1929, Sydney: Centre for the Study of Australian Christianity, 1998, pp.240. ISBN and Aboriginal Man in Australia, Angus and Robertson, Sydney, 1965, pp.31-33)
Though the above inference of the Lanka Academic Forum is obviously disputable, this presumption has some significance in shedding light to the ancient social structure of Hela Diva. It is Buddhism, which paved the way to the harmony of ethnic diversity finally carving out one of the fabulous civilizations in the world. It was the historical task of Helayas to bring unity amongst this heterogeneous people under one significant culture. The consequent incursions of Dravidian rulers from South India clearly indicates that there was no historical evidence for a specific Dravidian cultural line that existed side by side in the evolutionary process of Sinhala Buddhist culture in this island. All that we can see as the remnants of the Dravidian culture in Sri Lanka are the work of invading groups from South India. They had to introduce every cultural aspect from the beginning, as there was no historical evidence for Tamil language or Hindu religious rituals before these invasions.
The facts behind this consequent religious and ethnic harmony even after these invasions clearly indicates that Sinhala speaking Buddhist Helas and Tamil speaking Hindu Dravidians had no problem to share the land and the brotherly warmth in every aspect of their daily lives.
It is ultimately the enemies of Sinhalese Buddhists (Helas) and the Hindu Tamils (Dravidians) have sown the seeds of germs on our soils and we only enjoy the harvest of bloody violence.
Let me appeal every decent Tamil speaking person to join hand in hand in order to eradicate the terrorist malice from northern Sri Lanka. This will open new avenues for our proud nation to build the country leading to peaceful co-existence and economic prosperity.
Question therefore, does not arise here that I have to respect his rank in the UN namely the Director General to the UNESCO. On the other hand, anyone who reads his condemnation of bombing of the LTTE Voice, the propaganda radio, would raise the question why he did say anything on this issue. The fact that the Japanese Navy bombed Colombo on 5th April 1942 comes to my mind involuntarily. Mr. Matsuura must be reminded how this bombing killed a number of psychiatric patients at Mulleria Hospital and one bomb was dropped on Ceylon Radio Station in Colombo, which was then known as Voice of Colombo. While quoting Lord Buddha’s preaching that hatred cannot be overcome by hatred, the Ceylon delegate at the San Francisco Conference made an appeal to the world not to punish the Japanese government but to give the hand to this totally defeated country to raise the head from ashes. Exactly after 65 years, a member of that pardoned country points the finger to the government of Sri Lanka for having bombed a terrorist propaganda radio station. Does Koichiro Matsuura justifies the bombing of Sri Lankan Air base at Anuradhapura recalling what the Japanese Air Force Kamikase Pilots did to Perl Habour in 1941?
The face value of his protest may attribute to his role as the Director General of the UNESCO but not because that he and Yasushi Akashi (the Japanese mediator involved in the so-called reconciliation process between the government of Sri Lanka and the Tamil Tiger terrorists) come from the same country. I have no clues to see any co-relation between Matsuura’s conduct and Akashi’s emphasis concerning this conflict. But it is the general attitude in Sri Lanka that Akashi was another blonder.
Japan as a country, which went through hell during Second World War knows much about cancer in mass scale after bombing Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the US Air force during this war. This immeasurable disaster caused many hundreds of thousand deaths and cancer amongst millions of people in Japan. But this harmful effect was confined only to Japanese territory.
There is a valuable reason why I started with the cancer issue. The LTTE, the most ruthless terrorist movement in the world is an evil malignant cancer not only in the region of its birthplace but also on a global scale. Cancer is also a cell but it is different to the healthy cells in a body. A person, who does not know the intrinsic properties of a cancer cell, cannot distinguish it from a healthy cell.
This is exactly what is happening in Sri Lanka. With all their expertise and conviction of humanism, this Japanese dignitary and his close international associates are fighting the healthy cells but not to eradicate the cancer cells in the context of so-called ethnic problem in Sri Lanka. Is this an indication of common ignorance or a clear demonstration of double standards?
It could be both because he and his other associates who interfere unnecessarily in this issue seem to be sharing an unethical commitment.
Ignorance is worse than a cancer. A group of so-called human right champions have challenged a democratically elected government for having taken drastic measures to curb terrorism. A malignant cancer is perceived as a liberation movement and the malice not dealt with appropriate measures. Like the medical personnel engaged in curing a cancer patient, a democratic government has launched a war on terrorism in order to eradicate this evil in the same manner as any other civilized governance does.
The USA and its allies like Great Britain, Germany, Canada, Australia, and Poland have sent their troops to fight terrorism in Iraq and in Afghanistan. Japan has nothing to say other than saying yes to what her allies do in these regions and most interestingly the same group champions the cause for human rights in Sri Lanka while massacring innocent people in millions in other countries.
We do not need the assistance of such hypocrites to restore democracy in our country because Sri Lanka is one of the most ancient countries, which enjoyed a long tradition of civilized social order. The secret behind the success of this uninterrupted socio-cultural and religious order is the homogeneity in its composition. If not the continuous invasions from south India did not take place and the western colonial powers did not tried their fortune in our countries, this homogeneous composition would have prevailed up to present days like in China, Korea and Japan. As an exception in the western world, 98% of the population in Germany is Germans. Though the Bavarians claim that they are not Germans and they have their own language, the Bavarians had to accept the conditions imposed by Otto von Bismarck of Prussia in his historical task to bring all divided parts to one solid state namely Deutschland (Germany). The pressure from Bavaria to the Sri Lankan government is relatively high when compared to other federal states in Germany. The reason is the Catholic Church and we are not supposed to ignore the fact that the Pope Benedict XVI, Joseph Ratzinger comes from the same state. Historically there would have been no Hitler without Bavaria.
This is an example how the people can be brought under control by any authority depending on the historical, geographical, and economic conditions. The Bavarians had their own territory, language, and customs and deeply rooted other cultural traditions. The size of the state is very similar to the size of Sri Lanka but there was no claim for a separate homeland similar to the Tamil “Eelam” (Traditional homeland). There was neither an armed struggle nor terrorism for a separate state though they were independent in the past. What sort of example can the Bavarians set for the Sri Lankans in relation to the present conflict while preserving the homogeneity with other federal states and preaching a separate for handful Tamil terrorists?
Germans do not like to see their society becoming heterogeneous like the Japanese. Nevertheless, they like to see Sri Lanka as a heterogeneous country. With some differences in the accent and in expressions, a great majority of people in Germany share a common language, common culture, common religious believes and a democratic capitalist system.
They are also the pioneers of European Union, which brought many western and eastern countries to one single political, social, and economic body. The borders are open. A common currency namely the Euro is introduced. As a result, the economy is booming in each individual country. It proved that the unity is mighty. Most unfortunately, these people cannot see how our nations in the south Asian region were enjoying this privilege since many thousands years. In India or in Sri Lanka, there were no religious or ethnic wars for many centuries until the “divide and rule” strategy was implemented by the colonial “masters”. They join hand in hands to develop their countries but they never let people in former colonial countries to feel united.
Sri Lanka is an exception with an excellent example for harmony with a social, cultural, ethnic, and religious diversity. There are ample prehistoric evidence to prove that even before the Dravidic incursions (10th century) took place, Hela Diva (The Island of Helas) gave the shelter to various heterogeneous groups like Naga, Yakshas, Deva and Raksha.
(see. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Sri_Lanka.
Some scholars presume that the Dravidians were present in this island before the Sinhela ethnic group came into being. According to the Lanka Academic Forum, “Indeed, archaeological records confirm the existence of humans in Sri Lanka, long before Vijaya”. “….”However it was the advent of Buddhism in Sri Lanka, that saw the distinctive evolution of the Sinhela race - a mixture of the original inhabitants naga, yaksha, tamils<*1> who had been in Sri Lanka for a long time and who embraced Buddhism and the Vijayan colonists. They were united by Buddhism and the newly developed Sinhela language” (see: The origins of Sri Lankan Tamils and Sinhalese. –Lanka Academic Forum – (http://www.theacademic.org/forum/viewtopic/).
(<*1> My personal opinion on the usage of this term in the historical context is not appropriate. Small groups of Dravidian origin would have been living in this island without a strong ethnic identity. Some Anthropologists<*2> infer that Veddas have certain physical resemblance to Dravidians and Australian Aborigines. Even if it is a fact, there is no evidence that Dravidian civilization was established in pre-Vijaya era. If there were a Dravidian social organisation, Tamil, Malayalam, Kanarese or Telugu would have been the language of the pre-Vijaya era).
(<*2> Malcolm D. Prentis, Science, Race & Faith: A Life of John Mathew, 1849-1929, Sydney: Centre for the Study of Australian Christianity, 1998, pp.240. ISBN and Aboriginal Man in Australia, Angus and Robertson, Sydney, 1965, pp.31-33)
Though the above inference of the Lanka Academic Forum is obviously disputable, this presumption has some significance in shedding light to the ancient social structure of Hela Diva. It is Buddhism, which paved the way to the harmony of ethnic diversity finally carving out one of the fabulous civilizations in the world. It was the historical task of Helayas to bring unity amongst this heterogeneous people under one significant culture. The consequent incursions of Dravidian rulers from South India clearly indicates that there was no historical evidence for a specific Dravidian cultural line that existed side by side in the evolutionary process of Sinhala Buddhist culture in this island. All that we can see as the remnants of the Dravidian culture in Sri Lanka are the work of invading groups from South India. They had to introduce every cultural aspect from the beginning, as there was no historical evidence for Tamil language or Hindu religious rituals before these invasions.
The facts behind this consequent religious and ethnic harmony even after these invasions clearly indicates that Sinhala speaking Buddhist Helas and Tamil speaking Hindu Dravidians had no problem to share the land and the brotherly warmth in every aspect of their daily lives.
It is ultimately the enemies of Sinhalese Buddhists (Helas) and the Hindu Tamils (Dravidians) have sown the seeds of germs on our soils and we only enjoy the harvest of bloody violence.
Let me appeal every decent Tamil speaking person to join hand in hand in order to eradicate the terrorist malice from northern Sri Lanka. This will open new avenues for our proud nation to build the country leading to peaceful co-existence and economic prosperity.
Australian investigators build cast iron case against arms procurers
Sri Lanka has been able to produce irrefutable evidence to prove a direct link between the LTTE and three Australian Tamils under investigation for providing critical support to carry out high profile attacks including the sinking of a Fast Attack Craft (FAC P 418) off Vettilaikerni in May last year.
The FAC, a part of the force deployed to protect a ship carrying 700 off duty personnel to their bases in the Jaffna peninsula went down after an explosive-laden stealth craft powered by four 250 horsepower outboard motors (OBMs) rammed it.
This evidence has been brought to the notice of Australian Federal Police conducting the investigation, authoritative sources said.
The Director of Public Prosecutions of the State of Victoria has charged Aruran Vinayagamoorthy, Sivarajah Yathavan and Arumugam Rajeewan, currently on bail, with being members of a terrorist organisation (LTTE) and for funding, raising and providing material support to a terrorist organisation.
The sources said that the an SLN diving team which salvaged bodies of seven members of the FAC crew along with the ill-fated craft's main armaments, also recovered the tail part of the suicide craft.
The Sunday Island learns that the four OBMs of Japanese origin had been inter-linked to the steering wheel by an Australian manufactured hydrive unit. The Australian Federal Police have been able to establish the origin of this unit with the help of its Australian manufacturer.
What the suspects didn’t expect was that the Australian company maintains a complete list of its customers, the sources said noting that the Australian Federal Police have been meticulous in their investigations.
"They have done a thorough job," an official said, ``and have made remarkable progress.’’
Police have also recovered photographic evidence of the suspects together with a person identified as Jayakumar, believed to be the ring leader, who subsequently died of a heart attack onboard an LTTE vessel off Mullaitivu.
The navy is also believed to have recovered two more Australian manufactured hydrive units during two engagements this year. One of the units had been recovered from the LTTE’s ‘wave rider’ class large attack craft (Indumathi) which was salvaged off Thalaiadi on June 19 this year. The other had been found last February when the SLN seized a fibre glass dinghy off Baththalangunduwa.
Speculation is that Jayakumar had been involved in the acquisition of aircraft by the LTTE and that the deal may have been finalized in Australia.
Senior Sri Lankan security forces, legal and law enforcement officials have testified at the Australian proceedings via satellite link from Colombo - something unprecedented here. Among those who gave evidence were Army Commander Sarath Fonseka, Navy Commander Wasantha Karannagoda, Police Chief Victor Perera, Deputy Solicitor General Yasantha Kodagoda, Admiral Thisara Samarasinghe and several other senior military, police and STF personnel.
The suspects have been accused of running an LTTE fund-raising network in Australia using a front organization called the Tamil Co-ordinating Committee, which annually channelled to the LTTE several million Australian dollars, collected in the guise of humanitarian and tsunami aid.
Investigations into the activities of the three suspects by the Joint Counter Terrorism Team of the Australian Federal Police began two years ago as part of an anti-terrorism initiative during which Australian investigators met with and obtained the assistance of their counterparts in Sri Lanka to carry out local investigations.
The army and navy had also obtained irrefutable evidence that PCBs (Printed Circuit Boards) used by the LTTE to trigger a series of claymore mine explosions were of Australian origin.
The Sunday Island learns that the Australian investigators have been able to establish the identity of the manufacturer and also the fact that the suspects had carried the consignment through the Australian Customs.
Sri Lankan officials expressed confidence that the ongoing case would prove beyond doubt the way the Tamil Diaspora had manipulated laws and regulations to provide both financial and material support to the LTTE.
The FAC, a part of the force deployed to protect a ship carrying 700 off duty personnel to their bases in the Jaffna peninsula went down after an explosive-laden stealth craft powered by four 250 horsepower outboard motors (OBMs) rammed it.
This evidence has been brought to the notice of Australian Federal Police conducting the investigation, authoritative sources said.
The Director of Public Prosecutions of the State of Victoria has charged Aruran Vinayagamoorthy, Sivarajah Yathavan and Arumugam Rajeewan, currently on bail, with being members of a terrorist organisation (LTTE) and for funding, raising and providing material support to a terrorist organisation.
The sources said that the an SLN diving team which salvaged bodies of seven members of the FAC crew along with the ill-fated craft's main armaments, also recovered the tail part of the suicide craft.
The Sunday Island learns that the four OBMs of Japanese origin had been inter-linked to the steering wheel by an Australian manufactured hydrive unit. The Australian Federal Police have been able to establish the origin of this unit with the help of its Australian manufacturer.
What the suspects didn’t expect was that the Australian company maintains a complete list of its customers, the sources said noting that the Australian Federal Police have been meticulous in their investigations.
"They have done a thorough job," an official said, ``and have made remarkable progress.’’
Police have also recovered photographic evidence of the suspects together with a person identified as Jayakumar, believed to be the ring leader, who subsequently died of a heart attack onboard an LTTE vessel off Mullaitivu.
The navy is also believed to have recovered two more Australian manufactured hydrive units during two engagements this year. One of the units had been recovered from the LTTE’s ‘wave rider’ class large attack craft (Indumathi) which was salvaged off Thalaiadi on June 19 this year. The other had been found last February when the SLN seized a fibre glass dinghy off Baththalangunduwa.
Speculation is that Jayakumar had been involved in the acquisition of aircraft by the LTTE and that the deal may have been finalized in Australia.
Senior Sri Lankan security forces, legal and law enforcement officials have testified at the Australian proceedings via satellite link from Colombo - something unprecedented here. Among those who gave evidence were Army Commander Sarath Fonseka, Navy Commander Wasantha Karannagoda, Police Chief Victor Perera, Deputy Solicitor General Yasantha Kodagoda, Admiral Thisara Samarasinghe and several other senior military, police and STF personnel.
The suspects have been accused of running an LTTE fund-raising network in Australia using a front organization called the Tamil Co-ordinating Committee, which annually channelled to the LTTE several million Australian dollars, collected in the guise of humanitarian and tsunami aid.
Investigations into the activities of the three suspects by the Joint Counter Terrorism Team of the Australian Federal Police began two years ago as part of an anti-terrorism initiative during which Australian investigators met with and obtained the assistance of their counterparts in Sri Lanka to carry out local investigations.
The army and navy had also obtained irrefutable evidence that PCBs (Printed Circuit Boards) used by the LTTE to trigger a series of claymore mine explosions were of Australian origin.
The Sunday Island learns that the Australian investigators have been able to establish the identity of the manufacturer and also the fact that the suspects had carried the consignment through the Australian Customs.
Sri Lankan officials expressed confidence that the ongoing case would prove beyond doubt the way the Tamil Diaspora had manipulated laws and regulations to provide both financial and material support to the LTTE.
Eastern Tamils rallies against alleged LTTE, TNA coalition
Thousands of Tamils and Muslims are flocking to Batticaloa town today (December 10) with slogans and banners condemning alleged LTTE, TNA coalition reports our eastern area defence correspondent.
People are seen flowing from all parts of the recently liberated eastern province to stage a mass protest against the evil LTTE, TNA axis, said defence sources citing few protestors.
According to available information, many Tamil and Muslim civilians from Kallady, Chenkallady and Valachchenai are making way towards the 'Weber Stadium' in Batticaloa and it is said that the demonstrators are to hand over a memoranda to the Batticaloa GA, to be forwarded to H.E the President.
Defence correspondent has learned that the memoranda is a request to the President, to continue the resettlement and mega development projects in east, despite attempt made by the evil coalition to disrupt the cause.
People are seen flowing from all parts of the recently liberated eastern province to stage a mass protest against the evil LTTE, TNA axis, said defence sources citing few protestors.
According to available information, many Tamil and Muslim civilians from Kallady, Chenkallady and Valachchenai are making way towards the 'Weber Stadium' in Batticaloa and it is said that the demonstrators are to hand over a memoranda to the Batticaloa GA, to be forwarded to H.E the President.
Defence correspondent has learned that the memoranda is a request to the President, to continue the resettlement and mega development projects in east, despite attempt made by the evil coalition to disrupt the cause.
Pillayan pooh-poohs 'Eelam' mirage
Calls all parties to stand against LTTE
Pillayan alias Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, who is second in command of the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP) claims that there is no split between him and his leader Karuna Amman. The one time LTTE cadre who had taken part in several battles against the Security Forces in the past says that the leadership of Prabhakaran will not bring any relief to the Tamils and he would continue to be arrogant not accepting any constructive settlement to the Tamil question. In an exclusive interview with the Sunday Observer, Pillayan speaks in detail on the decision taken by Karuna and his other colleagues in the East to keep away from the clutches of Prabhakaran, who according to Pillayan is an arrogant dictator.
Q: How do you describe the functions of the Karuna faction?
A: First of all I would like to say there is nothing called Karuna faction. Our party is known as the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP). We are committed to find a meaningful and a durable solution to fulfil the political aspirations of Tamils in this country. On the other hand we are also determined to defeat terrorism which is a major obstacle for the integrity and the socio-economic development of this country.
Q: What has really gone wrong with Karuna who is now in UK? Is there any split between you and Karuna?
A: There is no split between our leader Karuna Amman and us. There were all made up stories saying that our party members were clashing with each other and we are in disarray. There is no truth in those stories. I played an important role in establishing our party. Therefore from the very beginning I was entrusted with the powers and responsibilities as the second in command next to my leader.So as my leader is now away from the country, I had to take over the party's responsibilities. However certain elements are trying to tarnish our party's image by carrying out a false story.
Our organisation has been created on democratic principles. Therefore we respect the freedom of expression of each member in our party. So arguments and counter arguments could be expected when the party men are allowed to express their views freely and this should not be interpreted either as a split or a conflict within the party. Of course there were delays in structuring our party. However we have done it successfully and now there is no room for any misgivings within the party.
Q: How long were you engaged with the LTTE? And what made you to join the LTTE in the first place?
A: I joined the LTTE at the age of sixteen in 1991 at the time while I was schooling. There were many like me who joined the organisation, thinking that only through military means we could achieve our political goals. So, we didn't see anything abnormally wrong in that particular period by joining the LTTE.
Q: What made the Karuna faction to go separate ways from the leadership of Prabhakaran?
A: In fact the main reason for us to wriggle out from the leadership. He was going ahead with terrorism under the banner of freedom struggle to reach an unattainable thing called a `separate Tamil state' which is a myth. Prabhakaran rejected all good efforts put forward to find a political solution to the Tamil people in the country. The LTTE leader has made thousands of youngsters to sacrifice their lives for his dictatorship. Therefore we decided to keep ourselves away from a person who is single minded and not bothered about the peaceful existence of our people. So, we realised it was meaningless to remain under the leadership of Prabhakaran and quit the LTTE in order to protect our people.
Q: Karuna was known as the right hand of Prabhakaran and why he decided to get away from Prabhakaran amidst the progress of the peace process?
A: The cadres from the Eastern province were closely monitoring the then peace process and were hopeful of reaching an amicable settlement. We thought the war that could be ended and our people would lead a peaceful life. However Prabhakaran was not interested in reaching a peaceful settlement and went on raising funds and buying weapons to strengthen further his outfit during the Ceasefire period. So we found it was meaningless to remain in the LTTE and decided to get out of it.
Q: Is there any more LTTE leaders who are dissatisfied with the LTTE leadership and waiting to give up arms?
A: The LTTE is now terribly weakened and their key commanders are highly demoralised. They cannot think of going forward and engaging in big operations. They are also weak in defending the areas where their presence is felt. The fall of Thoppigala highlighted their inability in safe guarding their stronghold areas. The present day commanders of the LTTE feel that Prabhakaran and his intelligence chief are responsible for the downfall of the LTTE.
Q: What do you think about the government taking control of the LTTE held areas in the North and East, particularly, the capture of Thoppigala the strong hold of LTTE in the East?
A: We appreciate the efforts taken by the Government in liberating the innocent civilians from the clutches of the LTTE. It is the utmost responsibility of the Government to liberate the people from the grip of the terrorists.
On the other hand we like to emphasize that the civilians who have been liberated from the LTTE should not be harassed under the civil adminstration of the Government. Their basic facilities must be looked into and all support must be given for them to resume their normal life without any interruptions or intimidations.
Q: What are the main battles that you have taken part in the past against the Security forces?
A: When I was a member in the LTTE, I took part in almost all the important battles that took place in the East. And in the North I was very much engaged in challenging the `Jayasikuru' military operation.
Q: What is the fate of the Cease Fire Agreement?
A: First of all we denounce the Ceasefire Agreement. The LTTE leadership used the opportunity it gained through CFA to hunt down the key political and the military figures. So we consider the CFA period gave ample opportunity for the LTTE to go ahead with it covert activities. Of course the CFA brought some relief to our people. But everything went upside down with LTTE violating the agreement.
Q: How do you see the Tamil National Alliance (TNA)?
A: The emergence of TNA was considered a political arrangement to address the grievances of the Tamils politically.
Let the TNA Parliamentarians speak to their conscious whether they were able to do anything meaningful to our people. They are deceiving the people they represented and putting them in more troubles by taking orders from Wanni.
Q: Will your party agree with other political parties opposed to the LTTE functioning in the East?
A: We invite all political forces to stand against the LTTE terrorism. Our party is prepared to join hands with the political parties which are genuinely interested in working towards fulfilling the political aspirations of our people.
Instead of taking our people for a ride by giving false promises, we urge the Tamil parties to face the realities and look forward in finding a peaceful solution for our people without further delays.
Q: How does the TMVP see the military operations under the Mahinda Rajapaksa government to crush the LTTE?
A: We appreciate the bold initiatives taken by the Government to defeat terrorism.
The people in the North should also be liberated from the LTTE like the people in the East were liberated. Unlike the previous regimes the present Government is all out to root out terrorism. However the rulers should ensure that the innocent civilians are not harassed in the war against terrorism. While taking the tougher stance against terrorism, the rulers should also expedite the peace process to find a political solution.
Q: What is the strength of the LTTE in Wanni?
A: As the LTTE has been in Wanni for a long period their whole strength has been accumulated there in a big way. Therefore capturing the region won't be an easy task. Anyway, if an offensive is launched to take control of Wanni the LTTE could only go ahead with defensive attacks and they won't be in a position to initiate fresh attacks to re-capture the places they lost to the armed forces so far.
Q: Will your party help the security forces in case of a military offensive in Wanni?
A: The Security Forces need not to get our assistance in case of an offensive in Wanni. The strategies of the present Security Forces' Chiefs and the Defence Ministry show that the LTTE will soon see its `waterloo'.
Q: How come the LTTE has encroached into Yala?
A: We believe that the LTTE cadres who escaped from the East when the military operations were carried out there and the cadres from the North would have also now infiltrated into Yala jungles. They could have gone into Yala through Kumpurupitty, a border village in the Trincomalee district and through the border areas of Ampara region. The LTTE has adopted the tactics to deviate the attention of the Security Forces in the North by making their presence in Yala.
Q: What do you think about the recent victories of the Navy in destroying more than 10 LTTE ships in the Eastern waters?
A: The recent victories of the Navy in the seas against the LTTE are remarkable and historic as the destruction of LTTE vessels has helped in a big way in smashing its supply routes and preventing its gun running activities.
Q: Still there is an allegation to the TMVP that you are recruiting children and adults forcibly. What is your comment?
A: We need not to conscript the elders or the infants into our party. Our military strength is limited. As we are now in a position to defence ourselves we don't expect the children to carry arms for us.
Of course we had some under-aged cadres with us. It was after their security was ensured we have handed over them to their parents as well as to the UNICEF.
Q: What is your expectation in finding a durable solution to the Tamil issue?
A: We have committed ourselves to find a meaningful and a durable solution to the Tamil question in the country. The other parties should also come forward in doing their part in creating peace and harmony in the country.
Pillayan alias Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, who is second in command of the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP) claims that there is no split between him and his leader Karuna Amman. The one time LTTE cadre who had taken part in several battles against the Security Forces in the past says that the leadership of Prabhakaran will not bring any relief to the Tamils and he would continue to be arrogant not accepting any constructive settlement to the Tamil question. In an exclusive interview with the Sunday Observer, Pillayan speaks in detail on the decision taken by Karuna and his other colleagues in the East to keep away from the clutches of Prabhakaran, who according to Pillayan is an arrogant dictator.
Q: How do you describe the functions of the Karuna faction?
A: First of all I would like to say there is nothing called Karuna faction. Our party is known as the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP). We are committed to find a meaningful and a durable solution to fulfil the political aspirations of Tamils in this country. On the other hand we are also determined to defeat terrorism which is a major obstacle for the integrity and the socio-economic development of this country.
Q: What has really gone wrong with Karuna who is now in UK? Is there any split between you and Karuna?
A: There is no split between our leader Karuna Amman and us. There were all made up stories saying that our party members were clashing with each other and we are in disarray. There is no truth in those stories. I played an important role in establishing our party. Therefore from the very beginning I was entrusted with the powers and responsibilities as the second in command next to my leader.So as my leader is now away from the country, I had to take over the party's responsibilities. However certain elements are trying to tarnish our party's image by carrying out a false story.
Our organisation has been created on democratic principles. Therefore we respect the freedom of expression of each member in our party. So arguments and counter arguments could be expected when the party men are allowed to express their views freely and this should not be interpreted either as a split or a conflict within the party. Of course there were delays in structuring our party. However we have done it successfully and now there is no room for any misgivings within the party.
Q: How long were you engaged with the LTTE? And what made you to join the LTTE in the first place?
A: I joined the LTTE at the age of sixteen in 1991 at the time while I was schooling. There were many like me who joined the organisation, thinking that only through military means we could achieve our political goals. So, we didn't see anything abnormally wrong in that particular period by joining the LTTE.
Q: What made the Karuna faction to go separate ways from the leadership of Prabhakaran?
A: In fact the main reason for us to wriggle out from the leadership. He was going ahead with terrorism under the banner of freedom struggle to reach an unattainable thing called a `separate Tamil state' which is a myth. Prabhakaran rejected all good efforts put forward to find a political solution to the Tamil people in the country. The LTTE leader has made thousands of youngsters to sacrifice their lives for his dictatorship. Therefore we decided to keep ourselves away from a person who is single minded and not bothered about the peaceful existence of our people. So, we realised it was meaningless to remain under the leadership of Prabhakaran and quit the LTTE in order to protect our people.
Q: Karuna was known as the right hand of Prabhakaran and why he decided to get away from Prabhakaran amidst the progress of the peace process?
A: The cadres from the Eastern province were closely monitoring the then peace process and were hopeful of reaching an amicable settlement. We thought the war that could be ended and our people would lead a peaceful life. However Prabhakaran was not interested in reaching a peaceful settlement and went on raising funds and buying weapons to strengthen further his outfit during the Ceasefire period. So we found it was meaningless to remain in the LTTE and decided to get out of it.
Q: Is there any more LTTE leaders who are dissatisfied with the LTTE leadership and waiting to give up arms?
A: The LTTE is now terribly weakened and their key commanders are highly demoralised. They cannot think of going forward and engaging in big operations. They are also weak in defending the areas where their presence is felt. The fall of Thoppigala highlighted their inability in safe guarding their stronghold areas. The present day commanders of the LTTE feel that Prabhakaran and his intelligence chief are responsible for the downfall of the LTTE.
Q: What do you think about the government taking control of the LTTE held areas in the North and East, particularly, the capture of Thoppigala the strong hold of LTTE in the East?
A: We appreciate the efforts taken by the Government in liberating the innocent civilians from the clutches of the LTTE. It is the utmost responsibility of the Government to liberate the people from the grip of the terrorists.
On the other hand we like to emphasize that the civilians who have been liberated from the LTTE should not be harassed under the civil adminstration of the Government. Their basic facilities must be looked into and all support must be given for them to resume their normal life without any interruptions or intimidations.
Q: What are the main battles that you have taken part in the past against the Security forces?
A: When I was a member in the LTTE, I took part in almost all the important battles that took place in the East. And in the North I was very much engaged in challenging the `Jayasikuru' military operation.
Q: What is the fate of the Cease Fire Agreement?
A: First of all we denounce the Ceasefire Agreement. The LTTE leadership used the opportunity it gained through CFA to hunt down the key political and the military figures. So we consider the CFA period gave ample opportunity for the LTTE to go ahead with it covert activities. Of course the CFA brought some relief to our people. But everything went upside down with LTTE violating the agreement.
Q: How do you see the Tamil National Alliance (TNA)?
A: The emergence of TNA was considered a political arrangement to address the grievances of the Tamils politically.
Let the TNA Parliamentarians speak to their conscious whether they were able to do anything meaningful to our people. They are deceiving the people they represented and putting them in more troubles by taking orders from Wanni.
Q: Will your party agree with other political parties opposed to the LTTE functioning in the East?
A: We invite all political forces to stand against the LTTE terrorism. Our party is prepared to join hands with the political parties which are genuinely interested in working towards fulfilling the political aspirations of our people.
Instead of taking our people for a ride by giving false promises, we urge the Tamil parties to face the realities and look forward in finding a peaceful solution for our people without further delays.
Q: How does the TMVP see the military operations under the Mahinda Rajapaksa government to crush the LTTE?
A: We appreciate the bold initiatives taken by the Government to defeat terrorism.
The people in the North should also be liberated from the LTTE like the people in the East were liberated. Unlike the previous regimes the present Government is all out to root out terrorism. However the rulers should ensure that the innocent civilians are not harassed in the war against terrorism. While taking the tougher stance against terrorism, the rulers should also expedite the peace process to find a political solution.
Q: What is the strength of the LTTE in Wanni?
A: As the LTTE has been in Wanni for a long period their whole strength has been accumulated there in a big way. Therefore capturing the region won't be an easy task. Anyway, if an offensive is launched to take control of Wanni the LTTE could only go ahead with defensive attacks and they won't be in a position to initiate fresh attacks to re-capture the places they lost to the armed forces so far.
Q: Will your party help the security forces in case of a military offensive in Wanni?
A: The Security Forces need not to get our assistance in case of an offensive in Wanni. The strategies of the present Security Forces' Chiefs and the Defence Ministry show that the LTTE will soon see its `waterloo'.
Q: How come the LTTE has encroached into Yala?
A: We believe that the LTTE cadres who escaped from the East when the military operations were carried out there and the cadres from the North would have also now infiltrated into Yala jungles. They could have gone into Yala through Kumpurupitty, a border village in the Trincomalee district and through the border areas of Ampara region. The LTTE has adopted the tactics to deviate the attention of the Security Forces in the North by making their presence in Yala.
Q: What do you think about the recent victories of the Navy in destroying more than 10 LTTE ships in the Eastern waters?
A: The recent victories of the Navy in the seas against the LTTE are remarkable and historic as the destruction of LTTE vessels has helped in a big way in smashing its supply routes and preventing its gun running activities.
Q: Still there is an allegation to the TMVP that you are recruiting children and adults forcibly. What is your comment?
A: We need not to conscript the elders or the infants into our party. Our military strength is limited. As we are now in a position to defence ourselves we don't expect the children to carry arms for us.
Of course we had some under-aged cadres with us. It was after their security was ensured we have handed over them to their parents as well as to the UNICEF.
Q: What is your expectation in finding a durable solution to the Tamil issue?
A: We have committed ourselves to find a meaningful and a durable solution to the Tamil question in the country. The other parties should also come forward in doing their part in creating peace and harmony in the country.
Pillayan pooh-poohs 'Eelam' mirage
Calls all parties to stand against LTTE
Pillayan alias Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, who is second in command of the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP) claims that there is no split between him and his leader Karuna Amman. The one time LTTE cadre who had taken part in several battles against the Security Forces in the past says that the leadership of Prabhakaran will not bring any relief to the Tamils and he would continue to be arrogant not accepting any constructive settlement to the Tamil question. In an exclusive interview with the Sunday Observer, Pillayan speaks in detail on the decision taken by Karuna and his other colleagues in the East to keep away from the clutches of Prabhakaran, who according to Pillayan is an arrogant dictator.
Q: How do you describe the functions of the Karuna faction?
A: First of all I would like to say there is nothing called Karuna faction. Our party is known as the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP). We are committed to find a meaningful and a durable solution to fulfil the political aspirations of Tamils in this country. On the other hand we are also determined to defeat terrorism which is a major obstacle for the integrity and the socio-economic development of this country.
Q: What has really gone wrong with Karuna who is now in UK? Is there any split between you and Karuna?
A: There is no split between our leader Karuna Amman and us. There were all made up stories saying that our party members were clashing with each other and we are in disarray. There is no truth in those stories. I played an important role in establishing our party. Therefore from the very beginning I was entrusted with the powers and responsibilities as the second in command next to my leader.So as my leader is now away from the country, I had to take over the party's responsibilities. However certain elements are trying to tarnish our party's image by carrying out a false story.
Our organisation has been created on democratic principles. Therefore we respect the freedom of expression of each member in our party. So arguments and counter arguments could be expected when the party men are allowed to express their views freely and this should not be interpreted either as a split or a conflict within the party. Of course there were delays in structuring our party. However we have done it successfully and now there is no room for any misgivings within the party.
Q: How long were you engaged with the LTTE? And what made you to join the LTTE in the first place?
A: I joined the LTTE at the age of sixteen in 1991 at the time while I was schooling. There were many like me who joined the organisation, thinking that only through military means we could achieve our political goals. So, we didn't see anything abnormally wrong in that particular period by joining the LTTE.
Q: What made the Karuna faction to go separate ways from the leadership of Prabhakaran?
A: In fact the main reason for us to wriggle out from the leadership. He was going ahead with terrorism under the banner of freedom struggle to reach an unattainable thing called a `separate Tamil state' which is a myth. Prabhakaran rejected all good efforts put forward to find a political solution to the Tamil people in the country. The LTTE leader has made thousands of youngsters to sacrifice their lives for his dictatorship. Therefore we decided to keep ourselves away from a person who is single minded and not bothered about the peaceful existence of our people. So, we realised it was meaningless to remain under the leadership of Prabhakaran and quit the LTTE in order to protect our people.
Q: Karuna was known as the right hand of Prabhakaran and why he decided to get away from Prabhakaran amidst the progress of the peace process?
A: The cadres from the Eastern province were closely monitoring the then peace process and were hopeful of reaching an amicable settlement. We thought the war that could be ended and our people would lead a peaceful life. However Prabhakaran was not interested in reaching a peaceful settlement and went on raising funds and buying weapons to strengthen further his outfit during the Ceasefire period. So we found it was meaningless to remain in the LTTE and decided to get out of it.
Q: Is there any more LTTE leaders who are dissatisfied with the LTTE leadership and waiting to give up arms?
A: The LTTE is now terribly weakened and their key commanders are highly demoralised. They cannot think of going forward and engaging in big operations. They are also weak in defending the areas where their presence is felt. The fall of Thoppigala highlighted their inability in safe guarding their stronghold areas. The present day commanders of the LTTE feel that Prabhakaran and his intelligence chief are responsible for the downfall of the LTTE.
Q: What do you think about the government taking control of the LTTE held areas in the North and East, particularly, the capture of Thoppigala the strong hold of LTTE in the East?
A: We appreciate the efforts taken by the Government in liberating the innocent civilians from the clutches of the LTTE. It is the utmost responsibility of the Government to liberate the people from the grip of the terrorists.
On the other hand we like to emphasize that the civilians who have been liberated from the LTTE should not be harassed under the civil adminstration of the Government. Their basic facilities must be looked into and all support must be given for them to resume their normal life without any interruptions or intimidations.
Q: What are the main battles that you have taken part in the past against the Security forces?
A: When I was a member in the LTTE, I took part in almost all the important battles that took place in the East. And in the North I was very much engaged in challenging the `Jayasikuru' military operation.
Q: What is the fate of the Cease Fire Agreement?
A: First of all we denounce the Ceasefire Agreement. The LTTE leadership used the opportunity it gained through CFA to hunt down the key political and the military figures. So we consider the CFA period gave ample opportunity for the LTTE to go ahead with it covert activities. Of course the CFA brought some relief to our people. But everything went upside down with LTTE violating the agreement.
Q: How do you see the Tamil National Alliance (TNA)?
A: The emergence of TNA was considered a political arrangement to address the grievances of the Tamils politically.
Let the TNA Parliamentarians speak to their conscious whether they were able to do anything meaningful to our people. They are deceiving the people they represented and putting them in more troubles by taking orders from Wanni.
Q: Will your party agree with other political parties opposed to the LTTE functioning in the East?
A: We invite all political forces to stand against the LTTE terrorism. Our party is prepared to join hands with the political parties which are genuinely interested in working towards fulfilling the political aspirations of our people.
Instead of taking our people for a ride by giving false promises, we urge the Tamil parties to face the realities and look forward in finding a peaceful solution for our people without further delays.
Q: How does the TMVP see the military operations under the Mahinda Rajapaksa government to crush the LTTE?
A: We appreciate the bold initiatives taken by the Government to defeat terrorism.
The people in the North should also be liberated from the LTTE like the people in the East were liberated. Unlike the previous regimes the present Government is all out to root out terrorism. However the rulers should ensure that the innocent civilians are not harassed in the war against terrorism. While taking the tougher stance against terrorism, the rulers should also expedite the peace process to find a political solution.
Q: What is the strength of the LTTE in Wanni?
A: As the LTTE has been in Wanni for a long period their whole strength has been accumulated there in a big way. Therefore capturing the region won't be an easy task. Anyway, if an offensive is launched to take control of Wanni the LTTE could only go ahead with defensive attacks and they won't be in a position to initiate fresh attacks to re-capture the places they lost to the armed forces so far.
Q: Will your party help the security forces in case of a military offensive in Wanni?
A: The Security Forces need not to get our assistance in case of an offensive in Wanni. The strategies of the present Security Forces' Chiefs and the Defence Ministry show that the LTTE will soon see its `waterloo'.
Q: How come the LTTE has encroached into Yala?
A: We believe that the LTTE cadres who escaped from the East when the military operations were carried out there and the cadres from the North would have also now infiltrated into Yala jungles. They could have gone into Yala through Kumpurupitty, a border village in the Trincomalee district and through the border areas of Ampara region. The LTTE has adopted the tactics to deviate the attention of the Security Forces in the North by making their presence in Yala.
Q: What do you think about the recent victories of the Navy in destroying more than 10 LTTE ships in the Eastern waters?
A: The recent victories of the Navy in the seas against the LTTE are remarkable and historic as the destruction of LTTE vessels has helped in a big way in smashing its supply routes and preventing its gun running activities.
Q: Still there is an allegation to the TMVP that you are recruiting children and adults forcibly. What is your comment?
A: We need not to conscript the elders or the infants into our party. Our military strength is limited. As we are now in a position to defence ourselves we don't expect the children to carry arms for us.
Of course we had some under-aged cadres with us. It was after their security was ensured we have handed over them to their parents as well as to the UNICEF.
Q: What is your expectation in finding a durable solution to the Tamil issue?
A: We have committed ourselves to find a meaningful and a durable solution to the Tamil question in the country. The other parties should also come forward in doing their part in creating peace and harmony in the country.
Pillayan alias Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, who is second in command of the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP) claims that there is no split between him and his leader Karuna Amman. The one time LTTE cadre who had taken part in several battles against the Security Forces in the past says that the leadership of Prabhakaran will not bring any relief to the Tamils and he would continue to be arrogant not accepting any constructive settlement to the Tamil question. In an exclusive interview with the Sunday Observer, Pillayan speaks in detail on the decision taken by Karuna and his other colleagues in the East to keep away from the clutches of Prabhakaran, who according to Pillayan is an arrogant dictator.
Q: How do you describe the functions of the Karuna faction?
A: First of all I would like to say there is nothing called Karuna faction. Our party is known as the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP). We are committed to find a meaningful and a durable solution to fulfil the political aspirations of Tamils in this country. On the other hand we are also determined to defeat terrorism which is a major obstacle for the integrity and the socio-economic development of this country.
Q: What has really gone wrong with Karuna who is now in UK? Is there any split between you and Karuna?
A: There is no split between our leader Karuna Amman and us. There were all made up stories saying that our party members were clashing with each other and we are in disarray. There is no truth in those stories. I played an important role in establishing our party. Therefore from the very beginning I was entrusted with the powers and responsibilities as the second in command next to my leader.So as my leader is now away from the country, I had to take over the party's responsibilities. However certain elements are trying to tarnish our party's image by carrying out a false story.
Our organisation has been created on democratic principles. Therefore we respect the freedom of expression of each member in our party. So arguments and counter arguments could be expected when the party men are allowed to express their views freely and this should not be interpreted either as a split or a conflict within the party. Of course there were delays in structuring our party. However we have done it successfully and now there is no room for any misgivings within the party.
Q: How long were you engaged with the LTTE? And what made you to join the LTTE in the first place?
A: I joined the LTTE at the age of sixteen in 1991 at the time while I was schooling. There were many like me who joined the organisation, thinking that only through military means we could achieve our political goals. So, we didn't see anything abnormally wrong in that particular period by joining the LTTE.
Q: What made the Karuna faction to go separate ways from the leadership of Prabhakaran?
A: In fact the main reason for us to wriggle out from the leadership. He was going ahead with terrorism under the banner of freedom struggle to reach an unattainable thing called a `separate Tamil state' which is a myth. Prabhakaran rejected all good efforts put forward to find a political solution to the Tamil people in the country. The LTTE leader has made thousands of youngsters to sacrifice their lives for his dictatorship. Therefore we decided to keep ourselves away from a person who is single minded and not bothered about the peaceful existence of our people. So, we realised it was meaningless to remain under the leadership of Prabhakaran and quit the LTTE in order to protect our people.
Q: Karuna was known as the right hand of Prabhakaran and why he decided to get away from Prabhakaran amidst the progress of the peace process?
A: The cadres from the Eastern province were closely monitoring the then peace process and were hopeful of reaching an amicable settlement. We thought the war that could be ended and our people would lead a peaceful life. However Prabhakaran was not interested in reaching a peaceful settlement and went on raising funds and buying weapons to strengthen further his outfit during the Ceasefire period. So we found it was meaningless to remain in the LTTE and decided to get out of it.
Q: Is there any more LTTE leaders who are dissatisfied with the LTTE leadership and waiting to give up arms?
A: The LTTE is now terribly weakened and their key commanders are highly demoralised. They cannot think of going forward and engaging in big operations. They are also weak in defending the areas where their presence is felt. The fall of Thoppigala highlighted their inability in safe guarding their stronghold areas. The present day commanders of the LTTE feel that Prabhakaran and his intelligence chief are responsible for the downfall of the LTTE.
Q: What do you think about the government taking control of the LTTE held areas in the North and East, particularly, the capture of Thoppigala the strong hold of LTTE in the East?
A: We appreciate the efforts taken by the Government in liberating the innocent civilians from the clutches of the LTTE. It is the utmost responsibility of the Government to liberate the people from the grip of the terrorists.
On the other hand we like to emphasize that the civilians who have been liberated from the LTTE should not be harassed under the civil adminstration of the Government. Their basic facilities must be looked into and all support must be given for them to resume their normal life without any interruptions or intimidations.
Q: What are the main battles that you have taken part in the past against the Security forces?
A: When I was a member in the LTTE, I took part in almost all the important battles that took place in the East. And in the North I was very much engaged in challenging the `Jayasikuru' military operation.
Q: What is the fate of the Cease Fire Agreement?
A: First of all we denounce the Ceasefire Agreement. The LTTE leadership used the opportunity it gained through CFA to hunt down the key political and the military figures. So we consider the CFA period gave ample opportunity for the LTTE to go ahead with it covert activities. Of course the CFA brought some relief to our people. But everything went upside down with LTTE violating the agreement.
Q: How do you see the Tamil National Alliance (TNA)?
A: The emergence of TNA was considered a political arrangement to address the grievances of the Tamils politically.
Let the TNA Parliamentarians speak to their conscious whether they were able to do anything meaningful to our people. They are deceiving the people they represented and putting them in more troubles by taking orders from Wanni.
Q: Will your party agree with other political parties opposed to the LTTE functioning in the East?
A: We invite all political forces to stand against the LTTE terrorism. Our party is prepared to join hands with the political parties which are genuinely interested in working towards fulfilling the political aspirations of our people.
Instead of taking our people for a ride by giving false promises, we urge the Tamil parties to face the realities and look forward in finding a peaceful solution for our people without further delays.
Q: How does the TMVP see the military operations under the Mahinda Rajapaksa government to crush the LTTE?
A: We appreciate the bold initiatives taken by the Government to defeat terrorism.
The people in the North should also be liberated from the LTTE like the people in the East were liberated. Unlike the previous regimes the present Government is all out to root out terrorism. However the rulers should ensure that the innocent civilians are not harassed in the war against terrorism. While taking the tougher stance against terrorism, the rulers should also expedite the peace process to find a political solution.
Q: What is the strength of the LTTE in Wanni?
A: As the LTTE has been in Wanni for a long period their whole strength has been accumulated there in a big way. Therefore capturing the region won't be an easy task. Anyway, if an offensive is launched to take control of Wanni the LTTE could only go ahead with defensive attacks and they won't be in a position to initiate fresh attacks to re-capture the places they lost to the armed forces so far.
Q: Will your party help the security forces in case of a military offensive in Wanni?
A: The Security Forces need not to get our assistance in case of an offensive in Wanni. The strategies of the present Security Forces' Chiefs and the Defence Ministry show that the LTTE will soon see its `waterloo'.
Q: How come the LTTE has encroached into Yala?
A: We believe that the LTTE cadres who escaped from the East when the military operations were carried out there and the cadres from the North would have also now infiltrated into Yala jungles. They could have gone into Yala through Kumpurupitty, a border village in the Trincomalee district and through the border areas of Ampara region. The LTTE has adopted the tactics to deviate the attention of the Security Forces in the North by making their presence in Yala.
Q: What do you think about the recent victories of the Navy in destroying more than 10 LTTE ships in the Eastern waters?
A: The recent victories of the Navy in the seas against the LTTE are remarkable and historic as the destruction of LTTE vessels has helped in a big way in smashing its supply routes and preventing its gun running activities.
Q: Still there is an allegation to the TMVP that you are recruiting children and adults forcibly. What is your comment?
A: We need not to conscript the elders or the infants into our party. Our military strength is limited. As we are now in a position to defence ourselves we don't expect the children to carry arms for us.
Of course we had some under-aged cadres with us. It was after their security was ensured we have handed over them to their parents as well as to the UNICEF.
Q: What is your expectation in finding a durable solution to the Tamil issue?
A: We have committed ourselves to find a meaningful and a durable solution to the Tamil question in the country. The other parties should also come forward in doing their part in creating peace and harmony in the country.
The Sri Lanka Navy turned 57 yesterday
The Navy, the first line of defence celebrated its 57th anniversary yesterday, becoming a Blue Water Navy.
The naval legacy began in Sri Lanka during British colonial period. The Ceylon Naval Volunteer Force (CNVF) was established in 1937 and after World War II was absorbed into the Royal Navy as the Ceylon Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (CRNVR).
After independence, a nucleus of 100 officers and men formed the Regular Navy. The Navy Act was enacted and the Royal Ceylon Navy was renamed as “The Sri Lanka Navy” on December 9, 1950.
Navy Spokesman Commander D. K. P. Dassanayake asserted that the Navy was largely a ceremonial outfit till mid 1980s. That changed beginning with Sea Tiger movements.
“Since the LTTE sea Tiger activities began the role of sailors changed in order to meet the challenges at sea. The LTTE began their activities as small boat movements across the Palk Straits and they gradually developed a sea wing, comprising armed craft, logistic craft and a few merchant vessels which engaged in illegal maritime activities,” Commander Dassanayake said.
It took time to comprehend the gravity of Sea Tiger operations and the significance of naval operations to combat such terrorism. “Despite naval fleets destroying many LTTE armed craft during sea battles the Tigers always had several craft restored and ready to be launched for another attack,” he said.
Pointing at the recent naval operations, he said there were remarkable changes in the entire operational aspect and a sophistication of naval maritime dominance around the country and also out in the deep seas.
The perceived the significance of destroying the LTTE’s backbone by effectively targeting its international supply line. President Mahinda Rajapaksa as the Commander-in-Chief has given his fullest support to Navy Commander Wasantha Karannagoda for these steps.
The sailors did not take long to tackle the ground situation and the LTTE tactics to smuggle arms and weapons. While the Tigers kept attacking on the ground, the Navy was aware that the key element was gaining the upper hand at sea.
Tigers’ maritime routes and the processes of loading and unloading arms and weapons out in the deep seas were identified by the Navy.
A major breakthrough was made after apprehending multi-day fishing trawlers engaged in sea transport of items to the final destination after being unloaded from a ship out in the deep seas. When this operation was identified through naval intelligence, it was a matter of delivering a lethal blow to the Tigers.
The Navy had developed its own naval intelligence wing to destroy the Sea Tiger network. During the last two years eight Tiger merchant vessels were destroyed in addition to the large number of Tiger armed craft and 11 multi day fishing trawlers.
The use of naval intelligence, utilisation of limited resources effectively, a sound leadership and planning can be taken as the key to all the successes the Navy saw during the past two years.
The naval craft operating in the deep sea observed LTTE vessels at locations where the Tigers never expected them to be found. The LTTE never expected the naval units to go that far and destroy their vessels transporting weapons.
The highlight of its fight against the LTTE was destroying three LTTE ships at a distance of 2800 Nm South East of Hambantota on September 10 and 11, 2007. With the destruction of these three vessels, the Navy prevented the Tigers from receiving their military supplies and other needs for war.
This destruction crippled the Tigers’ international maritime network which was actively engaged in smuggling arms and ammunition for LTTE.
When the Security Forces launched clearing operations in the East on a humanitarian mission with the intention of liberating the civilians from the Tiger grip, it is the Navy that protected the sea front by not allowing the Tigers to bring in reinforcements and logistics supplies.
Tigers had no way of withdrawing via sea routes and as a result they withdrew through dense jungles where they were prone to attacks by the ground Forces.
The navy also engaged in humanitarian missions apart from sea line protection. “In addition to the operational tasks, the Navy undertook a number of humanitarian missions during the Eastern humanitarian operation.
The lifeline between the North and East was kept intact by naval fleet units. Following the closure of the A-9 highway, sea transportation of logistics and personnel was taken over by the Navy at the initial stages and security was provided to all the vessels,” Commander Dassanayake remarked. It facilitates the transport of civilians between Jaffna and Trincomalee.
The Navy has entered the record books by being the only fighting Navy which destroyed eight floating warehouses containing arms and ammunition. The Navy also had proved by their successful operations that its is one of the powerful navies around the world.
The term “Blue Water Navy” came into use with the destruction of many Tiger vessels by the Navy in the deep seas. Even though the Navy was termed a “Brown Water Navy”, she has performed operationally as a Blue Water Navy.
“Being an island nation we need a Navy that can expand into all three dimensions if we are to achieve a distinguished victory over the enemy. The trend is set and what is left is to continue it. The Sri Lanka Navy and its men have shown today that nothing is impossible if correct leadership and guidance are available,” he observed.
The naval legacy began in Sri Lanka during British colonial period. The Ceylon Naval Volunteer Force (CNVF) was established in 1937 and after World War II was absorbed into the Royal Navy as the Ceylon Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (CRNVR).
After independence, a nucleus of 100 officers and men formed the Regular Navy. The Navy Act was enacted and the Royal Ceylon Navy was renamed as “The Sri Lanka Navy” on December 9, 1950.
Navy Spokesman Commander D. K. P. Dassanayake asserted that the Navy was largely a ceremonial outfit till mid 1980s. That changed beginning with Sea Tiger movements.
“Since the LTTE sea Tiger activities began the role of sailors changed in order to meet the challenges at sea. The LTTE began their activities as small boat movements across the Palk Straits and they gradually developed a sea wing, comprising armed craft, logistic craft and a few merchant vessels which engaged in illegal maritime activities,” Commander Dassanayake said.
It took time to comprehend the gravity of Sea Tiger operations and the significance of naval operations to combat such terrorism. “Despite naval fleets destroying many LTTE armed craft during sea battles the Tigers always had several craft restored and ready to be launched for another attack,” he said.
Pointing at the recent naval operations, he said there were remarkable changes in the entire operational aspect and a sophistication of naval maritime dominance around the country and also out in the deep seas.
The perceived the significance of destroying the LTTE’s backbone by effectively targeting its international supply line. President Mahinda Rajapaksa as the Commander-in-Chief has given his fullest support to Navy Commander Wasantha Karannagoda for these steps.
The sailors did not take long to tackle the ground situation and the LTTE tactics to smuggle arms and weapons. While the Tigers kept attacking on the ground, the Navy was aware that the key element was gaining the upper hand at sea.
Tigers’ maritime routes and the processes of loading and unloading arms and weapons out in the deep seas were identified by the Navy.
A major breakthrough was made after apprehending multi-day fishing trawlers engaged in sea transport of items to the final destination after being unloaded from a ship out in the deep seas. When this operation was identified through naval intelligence, it was a matter of delivering a lethal blow to the Tigers.
The Navy had developed its own naval intelligence wing to destroy the Sea Tiger network. During the last two years eight Tiger merchant vessels were destroyed in addition to the large number of Tiger armed craft and 11 multi day fishing trawlers.
The use of naval intelligence, utilisation of limited resources effectively, a sound leadership and planning can be taken as the key to all the successes the Navy saw during the past two years.
The naval craft operating in the deep sea observed LTTE vessels at locations where the Tigers never expected them to be found. The LTTE never expected the naval units to go that far and destroy their vessels transporting weapons.
The highlight of its fight against the LTTE was destroying three LTTE ships at a distance of 2800 Nm South East of Hambantota on September 10 and 11, 2007. With the destruction of these three vessels, the Navy prevented the Tigers from receiving their military supplies and other needs for war.
This destruction crippled the Tigers’ international maritime network which was actively engaged in smuggling arms and ammunition for LTTE.
When the Security Forces launched clearing operations in the East on a humanitarian mission with the intention of liberating the civilians from the Tiger grip, it is the Navy that protected the sea front by not allowing the Tigers to bring in reinforcements and logistics supplies.
Tigers had no way of withdrawing via sea routes and as a result they withdrew through dense jungles where they were prone to attacks by the ground Forces.
The navy also engaged in humanitarian missions apart from sea line protection. “In addition to the operational tasks, the Navy undertook a number of humanitarian missions during the Eastern humanitarian operation.
The lifeline between the North and East was kept intact by naval fleet units. Following the closure of the A-9 highway, sea transportation of logistics and personnel was taken over by the Navy at the initial stages and security was provided to all the vessels,” Commander Dassanayake remarked. It facilitates the transport of civilians between Jaffna and Trincomalee.
The Navy has entered the record books by being the only fighting Navy which destroyed eight floating warehouses containing arms and ammunition. The Navy also had proved by their successful operations that its is one of the powerful navies around the world.
The term “Blue Water Navy” came into use with the destruction of many Tiger vessels by the Navy in the deep seas. Even though the Navy was termed a “Brown Water Navy”, she has performed operationally as a Blue Water Navy.
“Being an island nation we need a Navy that can expand into all three dimensions if we are to achieve a distinguished victory over the enemy. The trend is set and what is left is to continue it. The Sri Lanka Navy and its men have shown today that nothing is impossible if correct leadership and guidance are available,” he observed.
Troops get toehold in Wanni
Once the Eastern Province, comprising Batticaloa, Ampara and Trincomalee (BAT), was wrested control of, the next major target was Mulativu in the Northern Province.
But, the Mannar district in the west and Vavuniya north provided the buffer making Mulativu inaccessible. The districts of Mulativu and Mannar overlap at the boundary.
To the west of the Giant’s Tank in the Mannar District, are many small tanks and lush paddy cultivation, while to the east, fewer tanks in the scrub jungle. North east of the Giant’s Tank is the dense Madhu jungles.
Through the Madhu jungles, the security forces could penetrate one of the LTTE Forward Defence Lines (FDL) running from Vidalthivu on the western coast to Pulliyakulam, north of Omanthai on the A-9 Road from Vavuniya to Jaffna. The LTTE controls this road from Omanthai to Muhamalai, running through the districts of Vavuniya, Mulativu and Jaffna.
To the south of the Madhu jungle, is the sanctuary of Madhu Matha.
Throughout the year, there are several feasts celebrated there, but the August one draws lakhs of Catholics from the North and South.
Madhu is the meeting point for Tamil Catholics from the North and Sinhalese Catholics from the South, even as Kataragama is the converging point of Hindus from the North and Buddhists from the rest of the country.
Trial and error
The military, which tried the previous eastern approach to penetrate the jungles in the Wanni, in small numbers, were not all that successful. As we forewarned, it was not going to be a cake walk, given that the Tigers were well entrenched and dug in, to prevent further inroads into their main territory.
For months, the military tried to penetrate places such as Thirukethiswaram and Andankulam west of Giant’s Tank and to the east of this tank, areas such as Vilattikulam, Pokkaravanni, Iranai Illuppaikkulam, Periyathampanai and Thampanai, to no avail. A separate 57 strike Division was created for the purpose.
Teams stealthily entered north of the Madhu jungles at Periyamadu and Palampiddi but did not make much progress.
The government tried to explain its attempts to wrest control of Madhu by citing the request of Vatican Secretary Cardinal Tarcisco Bertone to allow pilgrims to visit the holy shrine. The request was made on the sidelines of an audience President Mahinda Rajapaksa had with Pope Benedict XVI in April this year. The President maintained that it was beyond government mandate, as long as the LTTE controlled Madhu.
The army controls the A-14 Road from Medawachchiya to Mannar and the Navy controls the area beyond Mannar-Mannar Island including Tallaimanar.
On the A-14, there are three important points - the turn off on the Madhu Road, closed since August 2006, by the army on the one side and the LTTE on the other, after a stretch of no-man’s land.
For the August feast this year, the military allowed civilians to use the Uliyankulam Entry/Exit point to enter Madhu. But this point has been closed, as operations are now taking place in the extreme west of the Wanni. On account of the closure, aid workers don’t have access to the Musali Division and those based in Mannar are unable to access the increasingly large caseload in Manthai West Division.
At Thallady, where the A-14 and the A-32, which is the road to Pooneryn, meet, is a large army detachment.
Tactical improvisations
As several efforts to penetrate west of Giant’s Tank failed, the government decided to capture areas behind the enemy lines north of the current Madhu jungles. This is to make the entrenched impregnable places south, redundant, as supplies and reinforcements would get automatically cut off, forcing the LTTE to withdraw its beleaguered cadres. This tactic referred to as ‘bypassing the enemy line behind it,’ was also used in Operation Jayasikuru.
Hence, the military thrust was to secure places such as Adampan, Palampiddi and extending it up to Puliyankulam, by moving east from here and north from Omanthai.
The FDL crossing at Omanthai closed from November 29, for civilians moving from the Wanni into government controlled areas, was reopened on Thursday (6).
A few weeks back, under pressure, the LTTE deserted Vietnam Base at Mullipallam, which was one of the main supply bases for the Wanni FDL. The LTTE had launched operations from Vietnam Base, to prevent the military from wresting control of Madhu.
At Adampan, in the Mannar District, a predominantly Catholic area, December 1 dawned to the sound of gunfire.
Troops broke out of their FDLs at the crack of dawn, with the intent of wresting control of Adampan, which had been under Tiger control from the nineties. Adampan is situated in the Manthai West Division. Troops met with heavy resistance, as the first round of fighting lasted two and a half hours. This was one of the fiercest battles since Wanni operations began. Nine Tigers were killed and four dozens wounded, according to the military, which admitted three killed in action (kia) and 10 wounded in action (wia).
Troops for this operation were drawn from 8 Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment (SLSR) commanded by Lt. Col. Ramesh Fernando, 2 Commando Regiment commanded by Maj. D.M.J. Balasuriya and 3 Commando Regiment under Lt. Col. Uditha Bandara. The operation was commanded by Task Force 01 under Brig. Shavindra Silva.
Tiger tooth and nail
Fearing that the security forces would proceed north from Adampan, to take control of Vidattaltivu, where the LTTE FDL begins on the extreme west, cadres from the Charles Anthony Brigade hit back several times in a bid to retake Adampan. There were three retaliatory strikes on Sunday and Monday. The military claims 35 Tigers and six soldiers died in the retaliatory strikes to retake Adampan. Another two dozen soldiers were wounded as troops held on to newly secured territory, now being consolidated.
On Saturday (01) evening, 57 Divisional Commander Brig. Jagath Dias launched another operation east of Vavuniya to secure Periyapandirichchan, which had been under LTTE control from the late nineties. Troops from the 7 Sri Lanka Light Infantry (SLLI) commanded by Col. U.R. Abeyratne were drawn for the operation.
On account of the operations in Vavuniya and Mannar, 3,071 families (10,302 persons) and 6,328 families (23,662 persons) respectively, have been displaced from the districts.
It was likely that a fresh front would be opened up in Weli Oya, now that the 59 Division, including a Deputy General Officer Commanding and three brigade commands have been established, as reported several weeks back in this column.
It was probably to prevent operations in Weli Oya, that the LTTE launched the Kebithigollewa claymore blast as a diversionary attack to make its present felt. Fifteen people died in the blast that hit the bus heading for Janakapura from Medawachchiya. New procedures have been implemented at the Medawachchiya checkpoint, including vehicle checks and registration of even UN vehicles. In protest, the NGO Consortium in Vavuniya and local NGOs there, as well as in Mannar, held a one-day strike on Wednesday (05), to draw attention to the threats humanitarian workers were facing. The work of humanitarian workers in a war situation must be appreciated not just on Human Rights Day tomorrow, but always.
But, the Mannar district in the west and Vavuniya north provided the buffer making Mulativu inaccessible. The districts of Mulativu and Mannar overlap at the boundary.
To the west of the Giant’s Tank in the Mannar District, are many small tanks and lush paddy cultivation, while to the east, fewer tanks in the scrub jungle. North east of the Giant’s Tank is the dense Madhu jungles.
Through the Madhu jungles, the security forces could penetrate one of the LTTE Forward Defence Lines (FDL) running from Vidalthivu on the western coast to Pulliyakulam, north of Omanthai on the A-9 Road from Vavuniya to Jaffna. The LTTE controls this road from Omanthai to Muhamalai, running through the districts of Vavuniya, Mulativu and Jaffna.
To the south of the Madhu jungle, is the sanctuary of Madhu Matha.
Throughout the year, there are several feasts celebrated there, but the August one draws lakhs of Catholics from the North and South.
Madhu is the meeting point for Tamil Catholics from the North and Sinhalese Catholics from the South, even as Kataragama is the converging point of Hindus from the North and Buddhists from the rest of the country.
Trial and error
The military, which tried the previous eastern approach to penetrate the jungles in the Wanni, in small numbers, were not all that successful. As we forewarned, it was not going to be a cake walk, given that the Tigers were well entrenched and dug in, to prevent further inroads into their main territory.
For months, the military tried to penetrate places such as Thirukethiswaram and Andankulam west of Giant’s Tank and to the east of this tank, areas such as Vilattikulam, Pokkaravanni, Iranai Illuppaikkulam, Periyathampanai and Thampanai, to no avail. A separate 57 strike Division was created for the purpose.
Teams stealthily entered north of the Madhu jungles at Periyamadu and Palampiddi but did not make much progress.
The government tried to explain its attempts to wrest control of Madhu by citing the request of Vatican Secretary Cardinal Tarcisco Bertone to allow pilgrims to visit the holy shrine. The request was made on the sidelines of an audience President Mahinda Rajapaksa had with Pope Benedict XVI in April this year. The President maintained that it was beyond government mandate, as long as the LTTE controlled Madhu.
The army controls the A-14 Road from Medawachchiya to Mannar and the Navy controls the area beyond Mannar-Mannar Island including Tallaimanar.
On the A-14, there are three important points - the turn off on the Madhu Road, closed since August 2006, by the army on the one side and the LTTE on the other, after a stretch of no-man’s land.
For the August feast this year, the military allowed civilians to use the Uliyankulam Entry/Exit point to enter Madhu. But this point has been closed, as operations are now taking place in the extreme west of the Wanni. On account of the closure, aid workers don’t have access to the Musali Division and those based in Mannar are unable to access the increasingly large caseload in Manthai West Division.
At Thallady, where the A-14 and the A-32, which is the road to Pooneryn, meet, is a large army detachment.
Tactical improvisations
As several efforts to penetrate west of Giant’s Tank failed, the government decided to capture areas behind the enemy lines north of the current Madhu jungles. This is to make the entrenched impregnable places south, redundant, as supplies and reinforcements would get automatically cut off, forcing the LTTE to withdraw its beleaguered cadres. This tactic referred to as ‘bypassing the enemy line behind it,’ was also used in Operation Jayasikuru.
Hence, the military thrust was to secure places such as Adampan, Palampiddi and extending it up to Puliyankulam, by moving east from here and north from Omanthai.
The FDL crossing at Omanthai closed from November 29, for civilians moving from the Wanni into government controlled areas, was reopened on Thursday (6).
A few weeks back, under pressure, the LTTE deserted Vietnam Base at Mullipallam, which was one of the main supply bases for the Wanni FDL. The LTTE had launched operations from Vietnam Base, to prevent the military from wresting control of Madhu.
At Adampan, in the Mannar District, a predominantly Catholic area, December 1 dawned to the sound of gunfire.
Troops broke out of their FDLs at the crack of dawn, with the intent of wresting control of Adampan, which had been under Tiger control from the nineties. Adampan is situated in the Manthai West Division. Troops met with heavy resistance, as the first round of fighting lasted two and a half hours. This was one of the fiercest battles since Wanni operations began. Nine Tigers were killed and four dozens wounded, according to the military, which admitted three killed in action (kia) and 10 wounded in action (wia).
Troops for this operation were drawn from 8 Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment (SLSR) commanded by Lt. Col. Ramesh Fernando, 2 Commando Regiment commanded by Maj. D.M.J. Balasuriya and 3 Commando Regiment under Lt. Col. Uditha Bandara. The operation was commanded by Task Force 01 under Brig. Shavindra Silva.
Tiger tooth and nail
Fearing that the security forces would proceed north from Adampan, to take control of Vidattaltivu, where the LTTE FDL begins on the extreme west, cadres from the Charles Anthony Brigade hit back several times in a bid to retake Adampan. There were three retaliatory strikes on Sunday and Monday. The military claims 35 Tigers and six soldiers died in the retaliatory strikes to retake Adampan. Another two dozen soldiers were wounded as troops held on to newly secured territory, now being consolidated.
On Saturday (01) evening, 57 Divisional Commander Brig. Jagath Dias launched another operation east of Vavuniya to secure Periyapandirichchan, which had been under LTTE control from the late nineties. Troops from the 7 Sri Lanka Light Infantry (SLLI) commanded by Col. U.R. Abeyratne were drawn for the operation.
On account of the operations in Vavuniya and Mannar, 3,071 families (10,302 persons) and 6,328 families (23,662 persons) respectively, have been displaced from the districts.
It was likely that a fresh front would be opened up in Weli Oya, now that the 59 Division, including a Deputy General Officer Commanding and three brigade commands have been established, as reported several weeks back in this column.
It was probably to prevent operations in Weli Oya, that the LTTE launched the Kebithigollewa claymore blast as a diversionary attack to make its present felt. Fifteen people died in the blast that hit the bus heading for Janakapura from Medawachchiya. New procedures have been implemented at the Medawachchiya checkpoint, including vehicle checks and registration of even UN vehicles. In protest, the NGO Consortium in Vavuniya and local NGOs there, as well as in Mannar, held a one-day strike on Wednesday (05), to draw attention to the threats humanitarian workers were facing. The work of humanitarian workers in a war situation must be appreciated not just on Human Rights Day tomorrow, but always.
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