LTTE displays their cowardice again

War heroes march ahead:

The LTTE once again displayed its true face of terrorism in Colombo deploying yet another Tamil civilian on a suicide mission to appease the Tiger leader Velupillai Prabhakaran’s thirst for human blood. Seven Police officers including three Women Constables and three civilians were killed and 85 others were injured in this brutal bomb blast in the heart of Colombo on Friday noon.

Police and Security Forces personnel deployed for riot squad duty to prevent protestors entering the high security zone of Colombo became victims of this suicide mission. But it was not yet clear whether the suicide cadre on an explosive laden motorbike had rammed it to the Police bus short of his target fearing his detection by the Security Forces and Police.

Once again it was yet another attempt to mark its presence at a time the country was about to witness yet another milestone in the process of restoring democracy in the North and the East.

The swearing in ceremony of the Eastern Provincial Council members who won at the Eastern Provincial Council election from the UPFA ticket was round the corner at the time of this bomb blast.

Therefore, it can be suspected that the suicide cadre would have been deployed to take VVIP target attending the function at the Presidential Secretariat which is only hundred metres away from the location of the bomb blast. The suicide cadre would have changed his mission after being confused by the strong presence of Security Forces and Police.

According to Security Forces personnel who were at the location at the time of the bomb blast the number of deaths would have been much higher if not for their organizing themselves as small groups without gathering in large numbers until they were called in for their duty.

The female suicide cadre who blew herself at the Fort railway station on February 03 as the Security Forces and Police were rehearsing for the Independence Day celebrations was also on a mission to target the Security Forces personnel but missed her target as she was detected by the cops in civies at the Fort railway station.

Therefore, it cannot be ruled out whether this suicide cadre had been deployed to take any random target within the Colombo city to highlight their presence at a time the democratically elected representatives of the Eastern Provincial Council were about to swear in before President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

It was yet another attempt similar to that of the attempts they made in the East to sabotage the election on the eve of the election date and also on the elections date by launching mortar attack on a Sinhalese settlement in Damana and by exploding Navy logistic vessel inside the Trincomalee harbour.

But none of these attempts by the LTTE became fruitful as elections were conducted unaffected by these sabotage acts enabling the UPFA to record an emphatic victory against the United National Party which cry foul of the election after their defeat saying it was marred by violence.

The swearing in ceremony of Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias Pillayan also took place on Friday evening at the Presidential Secretariat despite the bomb blast that rocked the city in the noon.

It was amidst lot of deliberations and arguments over the issue of Chief Minister’s portfolio Thamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal leader Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan was sworn in as the Chief Minister of the Eastern Provincial Council.

The Muslim representatives elected to the Provincial Council from the Batticaloa district, led by M.L.A.M. Hisbulla protested against the appointment of Pillayan as the Chief Minister.

The decision of President Mahinda Rajapaksa came amidst protests by the Muslim Ministers considering the ground realities in the Eastern province as the Chief Minister plays a significant role in the process of liberating the North from the clutches of the LTTE.

Addressing the swearing in ceremony President pointed out that solutions to the North East conflict are not meant to be kept inside files but for implementation. The President had indeed implemented an important solution to North East conflict which had been neglected for more than two decades without implementing it fully.

None of the political leaders, despite their apparent commitment towards solving the North East conflict which had put the national security of the country in a dangerous position had never attempted to implement the provisions of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution fully to see an end to this long dragged problem.

Despite, their commitment to evolve solutions, suggesting devolution of power beyond the stipulated provision in the 13th Amendment to the Constitution all of those attempts became futile due one vital factor. All those attempts were made futile as they were compelled to accept the LTTE as the only representative of the Tamil community.

The Eastern election had proved beyond any doubt the Tamil community in the East no longer accepts the leadership of Velupillai Prabhakaran and they have voted for a separate Tamil leadership in the East. They have chosen TMVP as their political party within a democratic framework.

It was after the bold decision taken by the President to defeat LTTE terrorism in the East the people were able to exercise their universal franchise in electing a separate leadership for the Eastern Province.

If not for this bold decision, to get rid of LTTE terrorism and defeat them militarily the country would be still in a dilemma in evolving solutions to the North East conflict while engaged in futile discussions with the LTTE and just appeasing their needs to achieve their final goal, the Tamil Eelam.

Any ordinary citizen in this country can understand the fact that if not for all these bold initiatives by the President and the Government along with the Security Forces the country will have to suffer for decades without evolving any solution to this problem.

On the other hand the international community who are obstructing the path of the Government should also make a realistic assessment of the country without taking hasty decision on the future of this country.

They should have realized the fact the Government has no alternative other than defeating the LTTE militarily if they are to do justice to the Tamil population which suffer at the hands of the LTTE.

The assassination of Maheshwarie Velayuthan, an advisor to Social Services Minister Douglas Devananda at her private residence in Point Pedro by LTTE gunmen was clear indication that the Tiger outfit has not given up the idea of assassinating the members of the rival political groups.

So, TMVP leader Pillayan will also have to face the same type of threat from the LTTE in his endeavour to establish full democracy in the East. Therefore, those who question the carrying of arms by the TMVP cadres should also provide answers to threats posed by the LTTE to the TMVP cadres.

However, the TMVP should also not take this as an excuse to harass the innocent civilians to achieve their objectives, as they have already embraced the path of democracy and have been given a mandate by the people in the East to look into their grievances, but not make them suffer .

The ultimate solution for all these ills is to see an end to the LTTE terrorism in the North, strengthening the hands of Security Forces to achieve their task fast and effectively.

Once the North is fully liberated from the LTTE, the Government can take a decision to disarm all the armed groups.

As the process of establishing democracy in the East is fast moving with the appointment of the Chief Minister for the Eastern Provincial Council the Security Forces continued their arduous task of liberating the Wanni from the clutches of the LTTE in all three battlefronts in the Wanni.

They made big achievements in the battlefront making inroads to the Tiger held Wanni removing all barriers ahead of them.The Tiger outfit has been put in a low ebb of morale in the Mannar theatre after the valiant troops in a surprise move captured the strategic town of Adampan last week without a single casualty on the part of the Security Forces.

‘Capturing Adampan was a dream but the troops made it a reality capturing it without a single casualty hoodwinking the LTTE,” a senior military official told this columnist highlighting the importance of capturing Adampan in the Mannar battlefront.

Many barriers have now been removed before the troops operating in the Mannar battlefront after this surprise capture of the strategic town of Adampan. They are now in full control of Adampan area and even extended their defence further North and East of Adampan.

According to ground sources troops are in control of some 1.3 Kilometres North of Adampan while securing nearly 2 Kilo metres stretch along the Adampan Andankulam road towards the Eastern part of the town. Troops are in operation some 400 metres North of Adampan -Andankulam road.

With the capture of Minnukkulam located some 1.34 Kilometres North of Adampan town the Security Forces operating under the 58 Division under the command of the Brigadier Shavendra Silva has now reached to the edge of the Mannar ‘Rice Bowl’ area which was the end of the open terrain in the Mannar battlefront.

They are now in the process of fully liberating the ‘Mannar Rice Bowl’.

As troops of the 58 Division were advancing from the Manthai side, the troops attached to the 8 Sinha Regiment battalion also advanced towards Alankulam area located some three Kilometres North of Giant Tank from the Eastern edge.

Heavy fighting broke out this week too in the Alankulam area as troops confronted with Tiger cadres. More than 40 Tiger cadres have reportedly perished during these confrontations.

Meanwhile, the LTTE lost one of its senior leaders named, Gadafi in a claymore mine attack on a LTTE cab in the North of Mannar. According to sources he was a close confidante of the Tiger leader Velupillai Prabhakaran and was in charge of the Maintenance Section of the Sea Tiger Wing.

The LTTE confirmed his death. According to LTTE he has been killed during the confrontation that broke out in Mannar recently. He was killed in Vellankulam area on the Vidathalthivu Pooneryn road on May 08 during night hours.

According to intelligence reports he has been the mastermind behind the underwater attack on the Naval logistic vessel in Trincomalee in the wee hours of last Saturday.

Gadafi has been posthumously promoted to the self styled ‘Lieutinent Colonel’ rank following his death. Reports also indicate that three other Tiger cadres including Artillery leader in the Mannar sector A-1 had also sustained injuries during the blast.

Former Sea Tiger Leader Soosai had participated at his funeral at an unknown location in Wanni during the past few days.

Meanwhile the Commando troops operating in the Mannar sector were also able to kill seven Tiger cadres who had been operating in the Vilpattu jungle.

They had captured the weapons and ammunition including the Tomba gun they had used to launch a grenade attack on Army detachment close to Vilpattu jungle recently.

They were killed close to Chettiyankkattiadai between Parappakandatthan and Madhu area on May 3.

With these developments the LTTE is undergoing severe difficulties in facing the Security Forces in the Wanni front. Meanwhile, the troops in the Vavuniya front following their victorious mission in Madhu are now fast moving towards the Tiger territory. In some area they have reached upto Mullaitivu district border.

The troops operating in the Palampiddi some nine kilometres North of Madhu have fixed the Tiger cadres at the Palampiddi junction cutting off supplies to Palampiddi junction.

The troops are now heading towards Periyamadhu area in the North of Madhu cutting off Palampiddi junction from various directions. Many attempts by the LTTE deploying reinforcements have been made futile due to the heavy resistance from the troops.

The Tiger leadership has been fully disturbed as troops captured Palampiddi bridge which links the Mullikulam road to Palampiddi junction. Troops brave the booby trap and all forms of mines in their bid to capture this territory.

Meanwhile, the troops operating in the Weli Oya front also made remarkable progress having advanced five kilo metres into the Tiger territory.

Therefore, the troops are now in the process of completing the first phase of the Wanni battle achieving their set targets within stipulated time frames.