Forces determined to make 2008, year of eliminating terrorism

Govt takes bold stand on withdrawing from Ceasefire which Tigers openly violated thousands of times

The changes in the sphere of national security were dramatic in the year 2007. But things are expected to be more dramatic in the year 2008. Though people were surprised by the unfolding incidents with the dawn of the year 2008 they were anticipated by many quarters of the society in the South.

The LTTE made similar type of uncertain situation in the country with the dawn of the year 2007 too. They exploded two parcel bombs inside two private buses in Nittambuwa and Seenigama. The first bomb was exploded on January 05, 2007 in Nittambuwa killing five civilians and injuring 54. And the second bus bomb explosion took place at Seenigama on January 6, nearly 20 hours after the first incident, killing another 12 civilians and injuring 29.

The nature of the two bombs was similar and the motives behind those two bomb blasts were to send shock waves in the south about a situation that would unfold in the south. The two bombs were exploded as the LTTE was about to be defeated in Vakarai and Kathirveli. So people understood the situation and become more vigilant leaving handful number of explosions to take place in Colombo.

The things happened in a different way this time with the dawn of the New Year. The target was an individual an MP who made his voice on behalf of the Tamil community.

T. Maheshwaran was the only MP who represented major political parties in the North at the 2001 election in which the UNF government came to power.

Survives pistol attack

His business background may have prompted him to represent the main United National Party from the Jaffna district. But he could not represent his constituents in Jaffna at the 2004 elections and was forced to contest the election from Colombo district under UNP ticket. It was the LTTE who was forced Maheshwaran out the Jaffna district. Maheshwaran also survived from a pistol group attack in Colombo during his election campaign.

The dawn of the year 2008 was marked with the assassination of T. Maheshwaran. He was about to leave the Hindu Temple in Kotahena after receiving blessings for the New Year when he was shot in his chest and head by a gunman. He succumbed to his injuries at the Colombo National hospital. The alleged gunman was later arrested at the same Colombo National hospital after he was identified by the security personnel providing security for the MP.

As usual the blame went directly to the Government. Of course, the assassination of a member representing supreme legislature in broad day light in Colombo is an issue that Government should take the responsibility.

But, no body can point a finger at the Government for assassinating the MP prior to the completion of the investigations.

Once again it is quite apparent the aim of the killer was to put the blame on the Government and put it in an embarrassing situation.

This can be yet another case to highlight the LTTE's false human rights situation in the country especially in the South. However, the Colombo Crime Division is conducting investigations in accordance with the statement given by the alleged gunman now undergoing treatment at the Colombo National hospital to ascertain the real perpetrators behind the killing of T. Maheshwaran.

The second day of the New Year again marred by violence with the claymore mine explosion that took place at Slave Island in Colombo targeting a bus transporting patients to the army hospital. Five people were killed and few more 24 others including ten soldiers injured in the incident.

By this time the entire South was aware that the LTTE will come out this type of attacks in the South. Not that they have witnessed this type of incidents for the past 25 years but also they expected this type of attacks by the LTTE at a time Security Forces are poised to take on the LTTE strongholds in Wanni.

As described by this column last week the Security Forces have determined to make the year 2008, the year of eliminating terrorism, though they have not officially made any announcement into this effect. They have cleared the path to achieve this by gathering all required infrastructure to achieve their target.

Even the international community, which was awaiting the defeat of the Security Forces at the hand of the LTTE which they believed as an invincible terror outfit, is now in the process of realising the fact that the Tigers have been substantially defeated in their territory in the Wanni.

Prabhakaran on the run

Therefore, the Tiger outfit desperately in need of an image boost internationally to prove that they are still in existence in the South to create mayhem in the south at any time. That is the prime reason for the occurrence of this type of incidents in the South, especially at this point of time where for the first time the hunter has become hunted and Tamil Tiger supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran is on the run, as pointed by an Indian newspaper in its editorial.

Then the year has become more decisive one for the Security Forces and the LTTE as both the Security Forces and the LTTE have to engage in a battle to preserve their prestige, though the motives are different on both sides.

The Government made yet another historic decision on January 2 with the Cabinet unanimously agreeing to a memorandum moved by Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake to officially withdraw from the Ceasefire Agreement signed with the LTTE.

CFA ends on Jan 16

The Government has many reasons to do so. Any individual who can go through the almost six year's long history of the Ceasefire Agreement can realise as to why it has decided to withdraw from the Ceasefire Agreement.

With the submitting of the official notification of the Government decision to Norwegian facilitators the Ceasefire will come to an end on January 16. The Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission will also finish their almost six year's long assignment in Sri Lanka on January 16.

There is no need to mention the number of Ceasefire violations committed by the LTTE during this period. And if the Ceasefire Agreement was meant to facilitate pursuing a peaceful resolution of the problem there is no need to have that Ceasefire for its own sake, if there is no attempt to pursue a peaceful solution to the problem by the LTTE.

Till now the LTTE has engaged in violence and the Security Forces had to counter those violence after engaged in pre-emptive attacks.

As pointed out by Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa the CFA has become a joke with the number of violations taking place. It has become a further joke with the existing of a Monitoring Mission only to count the number of violations committed by the parties and just to issue statement highlighting those violations.

The number of Ceasefire Violations that have taken place is still a controversial figure with many parties coming out with different statistics.

According to Government the LTTE has violated the Ceasefire nearly 10,000 times during this period.

The number of violations by the Government is around 3,000. However, the highlighting point here is that many of the violations made from the side of the Security Forces taken place after President Mahinda Rajapaksa assumed office as the president of the country. They were only reactions to the violations committed by the LTTE.

Anyway, the decision clearly shows the firmness of the Government to weaken the LTTE. If we gather the ideas expressed by the President during the past few weeks, the Government needs to push the LTTE towards a military defeat to push them to agree to a political solution to the problem.

Otherwise it is futile attempt to unilaterally find a solution to the problem without having an environment in the North East conducive to implement that solution.

If the LTTE is not willing to have a political solution to address genuine grievances of the Tamil community they should allow other Tamil groups to engage in that process without any hindrance. Therefore, the military defeat of the LTTE has become a vital factor as they used to run the Tamil people pointing guns at them but not by democratic means.

The Government by defeating the LTTE in the East created an environment where the Tamil community could engage in a democratic politics rather than sticking to their guns. The forthcoming local polls in the East will be better example to show that the defeat of LTTE military capabilities will pave the way for other Tamil groups to engage in democratic politics as they wish.

The successful completion of Local polls in the east would be able to convince the international community that it was the LTTE which became stumbling block for successive governments in the South to address their genuine grievances. Therefore, it is incumbent on the Government make sure the coming local polls in the East would be free and fare, since it can send a strong message to the international community about the path the Government has taken.

Many feel that there is no need to withdraw from the Ceasefire but equal number of people believe that it was correct move by the Government since there is no need to wage war against the LTTE while keeping on as a partner to the Ceasefire Agreement.

Many opined that the international community would isolate Sri Lanka with this decision. But many have understood the position taken by the Government correctly as the Government could convince them effectively why they are taking this decision.

On the other hand the government made this move after convincing the local masses about their plans for the country. The entire nation, despite some aborted attempts by some interested parties to instigate people against the government is rallying round the Security Forces in support of their endeavors to defeat terrorism. So this can be seen as a momentum of the patriotic movements of the country, as it was the major demand by them for the past six years.

With the removal of this barricade the Government and the Security Forces can go ahead with their desired plans to defeat LTTE terrorism within this year. But they have to be extremely cautious about the situation in the south since the LTTE still have the capability to stop the Security Forces moves in the Wanni by creating mayhem in the South.

Therefore, the LTTE will definitely go for highly sensitive target in the South which can bring a strong message to the international community and in return bring pressures on the Government. So the entire nation should be vigilant about Tiger moves as they were vigilant in the year 2007 by preventing LTTE from creating a colossal damage in the South after detecting explosive laden lorry and a freezer truck, since a explosion of that magnitude can that type of incident only can prevent the Security Forces moves in the Wanni.

However it seems the LTTE is not in a position to stop the forces capturing their territory as troops operating in the Mannar made major moves on Friday and Saturday taking many vital grounds in Parappkandal and Adampan.

Yesterday morning the troops attached to 6 Gemunu Watch operating under the 58 Division captured a bunker line capturing nearly six kilo metres strech. They crossed a open territory in the area last night to capture a LTTE bunker line on a tank bund. They braved massive minefields to achieve their target.

During this attack they captured a command bunker of the LTTE identified as A-3 base killing three Tiger leaders in the ranks of 'Lt. Col' 'Major' and 'Captain'. The troops also recovered bodies of three female cadres. For the first time the troops have been able to capture a route leading to Parappakandal from Murunkan.

In Admpan too the Security Forces captured in LTTE bunker line killing at least eight Tiger cadres.

The military sources confirm that the LTTE leadership is in total disarray in Mannar and Madhu sector. Lakshaman the Tiger area leader for Mannar and Madhu has taken over the operational matters as many leaders have failed in giving leadership to cadres in the LTTE FDLs. They have removed Baskeran from the area as he failed to keep Uyilankulam under the LTTE command.

With these signals it can be strongly pointed out that the Security Forces are in the moves to reach their targets effectively for the year 2008 with the strong backing from the Government for their moves.

- RANIL