Defence

The secret behind military success

Interview given by Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa to ITN

As the Executive Head of State, all action flows from His Excellency the President without which failure will result. The operations conducted by the Armed Forces are to achieve a political aim - peace, as they are deployed to achieve this political goal. This political leadership was not available earlier although Service Commanders had requested for more men and equipment to conduct operations against terrorists. Instead, political leaders failed to provide these needs but opted to continue with “Talks”.

Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa

The LTTE leader did neither tolerate any opposition nor any in the organisation that threatened his leadership. This made him eliminate all other Tamil political parties or anyone who disagreed including Tamil organisations as well as PLOTE, EPRLF, TELO, Tamil leaders including his rank and file. Regarding the possibility of him escaping, he recalled that during “Operation Liberation One”, better known as “Operation Vadamaradchi” the LTTE leader was confined to the Jaffna peninsula. At that time he had stated he contemplated suicide but given an opportunity he escaped. Since the environment had changed today, it is doubtful he would attempt suicide but would escape if possible to continue his struggle for a separate state. When questioned regarding the future of the “Tiger’ leader and the prevailing belief among some that the LTTE although defeated will once again ‘rise”, he said the Sri Lankan political leadership should recognize this possibility.

He said it was a time when the armed LTTE controlled many areas in the North and East that His Excellency Mahinda Rajapaksa assumed Office as President. The LTTE had by then established their own camp in Killinochchi with their own Police Force and administration. He said he was surprised to find the name of the Eelam Bank telephone number in the Official Directory! These LTTE plans threatened the nations’ sovereignty and integrity. The leaders at the time in permitting LTTE establishments seemed to accept the North and East as part of another state. Some Foreign organisations and states also seemed to give tacit approval to this idea propagated by the LTTE.

It was at this defining moment in the Island’s history that His Excellency President Mahinda Rajapaksa took over the leadership of Sri Lanka which some seem tend to forget. The Secretary Defence reminded how the East which many were made to believe could never be ‘liberated ‘was in fact ‘liberated’. The capture of Killinochchi became a “nightmare” to the LTTE and its supporters who had two days earlier predicted it was a “day dream “of the President. He explained that the ‘liberation” of the East although not as difficult as in the North was certainly not a ‘stroll in the park’ as stated by some politicians and LTTE supporters. There was resistance which was overcome resulting in the haul of massive quantities of military hardware including ammunition of all varieties, 152 heavy artillery pieces, 84mm, 120 mm mortars, missiles, machine guns ranging from heavy to light, landmines, large quantities of explosives etc. It has to be noted that all the military hardware was purchased by the LTTE after the Cease Fire Agreement (CFA) was signed on 22 February 2002.

Karuna Amman himself told the media that he was responsible for unloading a massive consignment of military hardware on the high seas during the period of the CFA.

Sophisticated

At the time the President assumed office, the people desired an “Honorable” peace. The President attempted to negotiate peace but the LTTE was making maximum use of the time strengthening themselves in numbers and collecting sophisticated military hardware needed for armed conflict with the Sri Lanka Government with no idea to negotiate a peace settlement. The Government realised the immensity of the sacrifice needed to eliminate terrorism but at the same time was equally aware of the even more unthinkable sacrifice to permit Sri Lanka to be divided by the separatist terrorists. The Government also believed that the sacrifice required to keep Sri Lanka undivided should be acceptable as well as reasonable and generations yet unborn should never ever forget the “Heroes” who made the tremendous sacrifice to keep Sri Lanka undivided and peaceful.

Some seem to have forgotten the LTTE had set up a ‘Police’ force, a ‘government’ and the mechanics needed to administer a separate state. Today, the leadership of His Excellency and the Armed Forces have dismantled all that and secured many areas, but not so long ago it appeared that Sri Lanka had lost its independence. The LTTE had so brainwashed the people including foreign countries to acknowledge Killinochci as the capital of Tamil Eelam, which within another three years would have been accepted. Today after His Excellency assumed office these areas under the control of the LTTE terrorists have been ‘liberated’ by the Armed Forces with the LTTE confined to a small area on the verge of being captured.

It must be borne in mind that many in Sri Lanka and in the International Community had come to believe that Killinochchi will never be overrun. Two days earlier, the LTTE leader and his police “Chief” told the foreign media that the capture of Killinochchi was a “day dream” of His Excellency but turned out to be a nightmare for the LTTE. The Secretary Defnce said that the capture of Killinochchi was ‘rapid’ and recalled the days when LTTE supporters said the same regarding the areas captured by the Armed Forces as Sampur, Thoppigala, Mankulam, Mallavi, Pooneryn, Paranthan, Nagarakovil, Killali, Elephant Pass, Oddusuddan and other towns. This fate now awaits Mullaitivu.

When the United National Party (UNP) took over the reins of Government from the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) in 1977, neither a Home Guard, nor a policemen had been killed or injured by terrorists in the North.

Terrorists also did not control any area of the island. There were over 20,000 Sinhalese living among the Tamil community engaged in business as running bakeries in the Jaffna peninsula. There was also a Sinhala Maha Vidyalaya near Jaffna town catering to the children. Sinhalese as well as Muslims also lived in Mullaitivu, Mannar, Killinochchi, Paranthan Mankulam and other small towns. A total of over 80,000 Muslims living in the North for generations were forcibly evicted within 48 hours.

There was a large migrant Sinhalese fishing community in the North. Servicemen were also not confined to any single area. However, when the UNP handed over the Government to the SLFP in 1994, the Army was unable to move freely but confined only to a few camps as in Pallaly, Kankesanthurai, Navthkuli, Point Pedro, Velvettithurai, Madagal, etc. In that period under the UNP regime a total of 7174 members of the Armed Forces including Army, Navy, Air Force, Special task Force, Home Guards and Police had been killed.

It should not be forgotten that casualties had increased despite any success. Since 1994 when the SLFP took over the Government, the casualty figures given below speak for themselves. Those killed in action (KIA) are given although the land area controlled by the LTTE increased rapidly.

KIA 1995-1221, 1996-2120, 1997-1662, 1998-1063, 1999-700, 2000-2248.

Since His Excellency President Mahinda Rajapaksa took office nearly three years ago, a total of 3703 have been casualties which includes members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, STF, Police and Home Guards. When compared with the tremendous success of the Armed Forces, STF, Police and Home Guards, the LTTE which once had complete control in the North and East is today confined to a small area of jungle in Mullaitivu.

The entire eastern province, viz, Ampara and Batticaloa districts, is under the complete control of the Security Forces. The Districts of Trincomalee, Mannar, Vavuniya, Jaffna peninsula, Killinochchi (except a small area), Mullaitivu (except small areas) are also under Government control.

It is only a matter of time according to military experts and media both local and foreign that the total elimination of the terrorists will be complete. However, it is not understood how a former responsible SLFP Minister Mangala Samaraweera is complaining of high casualties and thereby attempting to mislead people and deprive the ‘Heroes’ of their success won with immense sacrifice and commitment.

With regard to the common scourge of terrorism and separatist tendencies prevailing in European countries such as Spain, Africa, Asia, Kashmir and in the Middle East and Columbia in South America, it was only the British during the days of the Empire in the 1950’s that terrorism was successfully eliminated in Malaya. Since then, it is only a small country as Sri Lanka has demonstrated to the world that terrorism could be militarily eliminated.

The Secretary Defence recalled with pride that when he met high ranking political leaders, the Foreign Minister, Defence Minister and Service Chiefs including other senior officials when he visited Indonesia recently, they spoke of the success of the Sri Lankan Military to eliminate terrorism.

The Indonesian Commander of the Navy requested he be briefed by the Commander of the Sri Lankan Navy regarding the successful tactics and strategy employed to destroy the terrorist “floating warehouses” far out at sea. The Secretary Defence also stated that he was proud to listen to the Indian National Security Adviser Mr. Narayan tell him that the world’s best Army Commander was the Sri Lankan Commander of the Army.

High ranking officials of the Indian Security establishment also paid glowing tributes to the Sri Lankan fighter pilots who displayed pin point accuracy by skillfully engaging terrorist targets with hardly any or no civilian casualties. The Israeli Navy Commander requested the Director Naval Operations of Sri Lanka Navy to brief them on the tactics of destroying terrorist ‘suicide’ craft. The Secretary Defence said that despite these accolades from responsible Foreign officials, it is unfortunate to hear a few local and some foreign misguided groups and LTTE sympathizers making desperate attempts to tarnish the name of the “Heroes” who have made tremendous sacrifices to bring peace to all communities in our country. Many of them allege civilian casualties when conducting operations to misrepresent the truth while over 700 civilian casualties due to Israeli air strikes in Gaza which included children in four days of fighting were hardly noticed as human rights violations. He noted that His Excellency, President Mahinda Rajapaksa had made it clear prior to the operations which commenced nearly three years ago the need for the strict adherence to the doctrine “Zero” civilian casualties maintained until today. He said that such casualties if any could be counted on one’s fingers, and a message which can be proudly proclaimed.

The Secretary Defence added that most civilian casualties are due to what is known as “indirect ‘fire due to the use of artillery fire and air strikes. The Air Force has however conducted air strikes sometimes amidst civilians with a very high degree of accuracy with hardly any or no civilian casualties.

Terrorist targets

According to him, the Air Force was able to display to members of the Security Council the high degree of accuracy and skill of the Sri Lankan pilots when engaging terrorist targets. The pictures show pilots conducting an air strike with unimaginable accuracy to destroy LTTE vehicles towing 2 x artillery heavy guns. Viewers were also shown two x terrorist boats at sea being destroyed completely and another large LTTE vessel being destroyed by an air strike followed by continued loud explosions.

Regarding the numerous instances of banning the LITE by the Sri Lanka Government, the Secretary Defence stated that in his mind he had banned the terrorist organisation from its inception! He stated that the ban on the LTTE was imposed and lifted from time to time to accommodate the numerous needs required both here and abroad to give “peace a chance” in the belief a ban would impede and discourage peace. But this time the ban was imposed with the President and the Cabinet of ministers agreeing that the LTTE had confined the innocent civilians to a small area to use them as “human shields” which compelled as well as hastened the decision due to human considerations. He also stated that prior to the ban, even the US Ambassador in Sri Lanka Robert O’Blake had commented that there should be no negotiations with the LTTE terrorists. The Secretary Defence also noted how times have changed and noted that success results of many who once were not in agreement, coming around to the reality of eliminating terrorism.

Heroes

Even the United National Party has stated that they too have “Heroes” among them! There is a visible sign of increasing public support for the Government.

This is true even in the Jaffna peninsula. In addition to the growing public realisation of the nearing end to terrorism to make the Island “free” once again, there is even a greater and ever increasing number of people in the North supporting the Armed Forces. This enthusiasm and expectation of peace was not displayed until around the year 2005 when the defeat of terrorism seemed inevitable. None are better equipped to absorb the ‘feel’ of success as do the public. This enthusiasm ‘burst’ into open demonstration with the march of over 10,000 Tamil people volunteers in the Jaffna peninsula. This feeling of the heralding of peace and the defeat of terrorism was amply projected by the enthusiasm displayed during the “Future Minds” exhibition conducted by the Armed Forces. The people would not have dared to attend in such huge numbers to exhibit their ‘people power’ against terrorism as well as demonstrate their support for the Armed Services a few years earlier.

The 55 Division troops captured an LTTE Dvora type craft in Chundikulam.

The Secretary Defence said that the people have realised the opportunities of freedom from the terrorist “jackboot” which had suppressed them for over thirty years. The terrorists ought to get the message that people have rejected them. They have seen the benefits without being under the terrorist jackboot with the opening of the A9 highway and the Armed Forces have played their role to restore peace and a new life without terrorism is on the horizon.

The Secretary Defence spoke regarding the media stating that the role of the media is to support “liberation” from terrorism. Their ‘Top’ priority is to safeguard the sovereignty of Sri Lanka. The majority of the media except a few have done so. He stated that there is much good as seen even by foreigners. However, some in the media highlight only the negative highlighting evil and crime. However the public demands to know what is positive. The various media outlets as the Media Center for National Security and defence.lk and other media outlets were established to inform the public of positive matters. The popularity of the defence.lk website with a daily average of over six million viewers is managed by only five officers shows its popularity and demonstrating that the public demands positive NOT negative news. He also stated that neither he nor the Government had any idea to “muzzle” the media as alleged by some. He agreed that he did call up or telephoned the Editor but only when facts were misrepresented and needed correction. That, he considered was his duty and a responsibility which he will continue to do as Secretary Defence.He added that some on the pretext of being in the media propagated terrorism which was intolerable. Those who claimed to represent the media when arrested alleged it was an attempt to ‘muzzle’ the media.

It was not so. On the contrary they were arrested only for the reason that their names came up during investigations pertaining to terrorism. Neither the President, nor the Service Commanders or himself have any reason to “muzzle” the media as interpreted by some.The Secretary Defence recalled that at the time he was commissioned as an Army Officer, and posted to Jaffna, he traveled in the “Yal Devi” to assume duties. It was a time when the Sinhalese Muslims and the Tamil lived together in peace. He said it was also a time when thousands of commuters from the North traveled to Colombo for work and returned home for the week- end. The Secretary Defence was confident that those times will return once again so that the present and future generations could soon enjoy those days of peace.