Government in speedy move to clear North for resettlement :

Upholding democratic rights of Northern people the next challenge

The continuous flow of media reports about the weapons, military hardware and many other assets possessed by the LTTE, both from the North and the East during the past few days indicates about the extent of the assets which were to be recovered by the Security Forces during the search and clear operations now on in the Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu districts and also in the Eastern province.

During the past two weeks the Security Forces and the Police were able to recover large hauls of arms and ammunition due to the information provided by the Tiger cadres who had surrendered to the Security Forces and from the civilians now living in transit camps in Vavuniya and Mannar districts.

The recoveries made from the Eastern province in Vakarai, Seruvila and Sampoor is a clear indication that even after intense search operations carried out in those areas, large stocks or arms and ammunitions are still buried under the earth.

If not for the information given by Tiger surrendees and civilians and the intense search operations conducted by the Security Forces and the Police, they would have remained buried inside the earth for a long period and be a big issue once people are resettled in those villages.

The long list of recoveries by the Security Forces conducting search and clear operations in Vellamullivaikkal, Karayanmullivaikkal and Mullaitivu indicates that the LTTE was in possession of large stocks of arms and ammunition even at the last minute of the battle. But they destroyed many of their arms and ammunitions which could not be moved out of the areas once they were boxed to less than one square kilo metre area by the 53, 58 and 59 Division troops during the last few days of the battle.

They buried many of their assets within the No Fire Zone hoping that they would get a chance to return to that land. It was with that hope the LTTE cadres, who were fleeing from the Eastern strongholds of Sampoor, Vakara and, Thoppigala, buried many of their heavy caliber artillery guns. However, troops were able to recover those weapons after conducting extensive search operations in the jungle patches and coastal belt of the Eastern Province.

If not for those extensive search operations and strict security measures taken when civilians were resettled in their habitations in the Eastern Province, the end result of this nearly three -year effort to eliminate LTTE terrorism would have been a different one.

It was due to the deployment of troops in the Eastern Province, especially in the jungle patches, the Security Forces were able to keep the battle in the Wanni intact since they did not leave any room for the LTTE to destabilize the security situation in the East on any occasion except for few incidents that had occurred due to infiltration of small LTTE groups into jungle patches in the East.

The troops, who were engaged in intense battles in the Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu until they fought the final battle in Vellamullivaikkal in the North of Mullaitivu, have not yet been relieved of their duties although people have thought that they are relaxing in their camps.

The task of clearing the entire land mass from mines before civilians are resettled in their villages means that their duties will not be relaxed at any moment.

They still engage in mine clearing and search operations to facilitate the process of resettling people in Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu within the time frame set by the Government. Therefore, the Sri Lanka Army Engineer regiment has already started their battle in the Mannar district to facilitate resettling people in the Mannar district.

Since the Government has expressed its commitment to resettle the people in the North by the end of this year all the demining process has to be expedited to facilitate the resettling process.

The Government delegation led by Senior Presidential Advisor and MP Basil Rajapaksa, Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and Presidential Secretary Lalith Weerathunga during their visit to India has also sought Indian assistance for the de-mining process considering large extent of area the Security Forces and other de-mining agencies have to clear within a six month period.

The Government delegation to India was the first one after Sri Lanka completely defeated the LTTE on May 18, and was specially focused on the resettlement of the displaced civilians in the North. According to reports the Indian Government has pledged to double its assistance for the Government for the demining process due to the urgent requirement of demining teams to achieve the objective of resettling more than 280,000 people in the North after providing them with basic facilities.

Following discussions the Sri Lankan delegation had with the Indian Foreign Minister S.M. Krishna, Senior Presidential Advisor Basil Rajapaksa has told the media that the Indian government had earlier agreed to send four demining teams, but now on a request made to them, they are trying to increase the number by eight.

The Sri Lankan delegation also detailed the many steps being taken to improve the conditions and facilities for the IDPs in the relief centres, such as the provision of schools and text books, the introduction of solar-powered telephone booths for easier communication and the improved accommodation facilities and health and sanitary services.

The delegations also discussed the considerable infra-structure facilities that had to be established to enable the IDPs to be resettled with opportunities for a good livelihood Indian Foreign Minister Krishna has told reporters later that India would assist in the resettlement and rehabilitation process of the displaced persons. New Delhi also stated its commitment to assist in de-mining activity to ensure the safe and speedy return of the IDPs.

During these discussions, according to Indian Foreign Minister Sri Lanka has agreed to India’s suggestion to allow the ship “Captain Ali” to off-load the relief material meant for displaced persons in Northern Sri Lanka. These items will now be routed by the Government through the Red Cross.

The ship Captain Ali was which had entered Sri Lankan territorial waters with a load of relief materials meant for displaced civilians was sent back by the Government authorities as they had not taken prior permission from the Sri Lankan authorities for this mission.

After the ship was asked to leave from the Sri Lankan territorial waters and was anchored in the Indian waters as it was running out of fuel and fresh water. With the pledge given to Indian authorities the ship Captain Ali will reach Sri Lanka to unload the relief material meant for civilians within the next few days.

Meanwhile, as a part of expediting the process of resettling the people in the Mannar district the sixth Police Station established in the Mannar District after liberating the area from the LTTE was declared open in Nachchikuda on Saturday (20).

Senior Deputy Inspector General Nimal Lewke, opened this Police station in Nachchikuda. Earlier, the Police Department had opened Police stations in Silawathura, Madhu, Vedattalativu, Illuppukaddavai and Mulangavil were the other Police Stations to commence their operations shortly after the Wanni humanitarian operations were over.

The Police Department is planning to set up 35 Police stations in this region as part of reestablishing civil administration in the North.

The decision by the Government hold the forthcoming Madhu feast on August 15, is also yet another signal that the area is returning to normality step by step. The Catholic community in the country have expressed their gratitude to President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Government and the Armed Forces for liberating the nation from terrorism to enable the pilgrims to pay homage to the Church of Our Lady of Madhu after 33 years without fear.The Catholic community was held to ransom annually by the LTTE preventing them from paying homage to the sacred place.

The LTTE continuously infiltrated the Sacred Madhu Church and caused damaged to the church in the past. The priests were even forced into LTTE held areas last year with the venerated statue of Our Lady of Madhu.The Shrine at Madhu is held sacred and respected by all Sri Lankans irrespective of religion and ethnicity. Thousands of pilgrims used to visit the shrine, especially during the church feast in August, before terrorists took control of the area in 1999.

It was in April 25, 2008 the 57 Division of the Sri Lanka Army captured this sacred Madhu shrine from the clutches of the LTTE and restored the place which was damaged by the LTTE and replaced the sacred statue of Our Lady Madhu which was conveyed out of the Church by the priests under the pressure of the LTTE once they were fleeing from the Madhu area.Last year the LTTE dug trenches on the pathway close the Madhu Church to prevent troops from clearing the area.

With these steps the Government is taking steps to restore the people right to worship their religious places without any harassment from terrorists.

Apart from the measures taken by the Government to uplift the livelihood of the Northern people it had also taken measures to establish democracy in the North by announcing elections to the Jaffna Municipal Council, the citadel of Tamil politics in Sri Lanka and also for the Vavuniya Urban Council which were predominantly under the pressure of the LTTE for the past three decades.The United People’s Freedom Front, United National Party, Tamil National Alliance and the Tamil United Liberation Front are tipped to contest the forthcoming elections on August 08, the same date the southerners voting for the Uva Provincial Council election The Elections Department fixed August 8 as the elections date for the two Local bodies in the Jaffna and Vavuniya districts.

The people in the Jaffna district will get the chance of electing their own candidates for these two local bodies as this would be the first instance they are going to cast their vote without any pressure from the LTTE.Therefore, the elections on August 8, will be one of the most crucial elections for the Tamils as it would give an idea about the true political affinity of the Tamil people as they are now free to cast their vote and the candidates are free to engage in their elections without any guns pointed at them.

Above all there won’t be any terrorists to fix claymore mines and point guns to assassinate elected members to these local bodies to run their own administration in those local bodies.As all these measures are being taken to restore normality in the North the security concerns should also been given top most priority in the North and East and also other part of the country although one month had possed since the elimination of the LTTE from the country.

However, the Security Forces have not yet dropped its guard on security as Tiger elements are still haunting in the North and East.The capture of female Tiger cadres inside the jungle in Puthukudiyiruppu South who had survived for one month after eating uncooked dhal and rice hiding from the Security Forces and the killing of LTTE leader in Jaffna were two examples of their alertness.The 522 Brigade troops who conducted a search operation in the Kodikam area on information about the presence of a few suspected persons, observed one suspect hiding behind a bush.

(Graphics from official web sites of Armed Forces and Police)