Crushing Tiger menace:

Unrelenting political back-up major factor - Major Gen. Prasanna Silva

Major Gen.Prasanna Silva who commanded Sri Lanka Army’s 55 Division in the battle against terrorism recalls the success story of the valiant Security Forces

Q: How do you explain the launch of operation to liberate the East?

A: We launched the Eastern operation after many rounds of peace negotiations. The Government entered the negotiations with its objective for an honourable peace. We however found the LTTE was not interested in peace. Their target was the realisation of Eelam dream. What they wanted was to strengthen themselves and improve their fire power via peace negotiations.

It was crystal clear that the LTTE would not accept anything short of Eelam. Therefore, everybody entertained the opinion that war against LTTE could not be ruled out. We maintain our stand that with all over wherewithal and experience we should prosecute the war.

When we started the fourth Eelam war through the Mavil Aru battle we were fully convinced that it was the political leadership under which we could defeat the LTTE in toto and liberate the North and East from the terrorist jackboot. At that time I was the Special Forces Brigade Commander. Our Special Forces were kept on alert. We knew the LTTE would strike. I should state that our political leadership, Defence Secretary, Commanders of the Three Armed Forces and its members were prepared for any eventuality. Leadership at different levels in the Three Forces were committed to bring an end to the terrorist menace. It is against this backdrop the fourth Eelam war or Liberation of the East was launched.

Q: The victory in the East could be secured amidst formidable national and international pressure and criticism. Various allegation were levelled against the Security Forces. Against this background how did you manage to boost the morale of the forces?

A: Some political leaders had openly claimed that our forces could not win the war.

During the time of peace negotiations, the armed LTTE cadres raised their sarongs and ridiculed our forces badly.

That was the situation in which our forces found their morale debased. But when the Eastern operation was launched, the Government introduced a special morale boosting campaign to benefit the Armed Forces members. Morale-boosting is not something that can be done instantly like switching on or off a bulb, as Defence Secretary once remarked. But, the Government’s morale-boosting programme instilled a sense of confidence in every soldier that the war would be finally won for which the Government provides all that is necessary. Finally the operation was launched.

One special thing I witnessed myself in the battle to regain the East - was the President’s visit to Vakarai at the risk of life to meet the victorious soldiers. In my Army career that was the first time I saw a Head of State visiting the warfront to talk to the soldiers in the Forward Defence Line. This helped soldiers to strengthen their morale to fight the war.

Q: You pursued your victories by deploying small groups of soldiers and infantries. How do you explain this special strategy?

A: By deploying small groups we study the field situation which would help the Special Forces to use their strategies to launch the operation. This enabled us to trace each and every traps, landmine etc. Similarly to avoid areas where the enemy fire power was heavy and minimise the damage to our forces.

Q: You fulfilled a formidable task as Special Forces Brigade Commander in the battle to liberate the Eastern Province. You however, decided to retire from the Army at the end of the Vakarai battle due to a conflict which arose between you and your Army Commander Lt. General Sarath Fonseka. What is the truth?

A: In a problem relating to administration, no justice was meted out to me. When enquired about it General Fonseka informed me to leave the Army. Accordingly I decided to retire.

Q: Then why didn’t you retire?

A: Actually it was the Head of State who stopped me from retiring from the Army, particularly the Defence Secretary who intervened. He understood my difficulty and helped me to get over it. Since justice was meted out to me, I withdrew my decision to retire. It is because of that I could contribute to the final victory.

Q: At a situation when a large number of soldiers were killed during the pitch battles in April 2008, and a number of war tanks were in the enemy hands you were appointed Commander/55 Division.

Later as Commander 55 division together with 53 Division you were leading the battalions from Muhamalai, Nagarkovil to Vellamulli Vaikkal. You had to wade through a number of lagoons. How did you win the battle at the end?

A: Yes, as Commander of the 55 division we could link up with 53 Division and Vanni Front at Elephant Pass. Then having crossed the Eastern coast, Chalai and Chundikulam lagoons and destroyed the base camps located along the Eastern coast our forces finally reached Pudumathalan and rescued about 18,000 entrapped civilians. Our priority in these battles was to minimize the damage to both Army and civilians. Crossing a lagoon during the fighting is of course a Herculean task.

It was under my personal supervision that our forces crossed every lagoon. Even today it continues to be a source of satisfaction to me. Together with Brigade Commanders, commanding officers and group heads and I drew up the war plans. In the vital task of crossing the lagoons, the most difficult expedition ever to undertake, the SL Air Force rendered yeoman service in evacuating the injured personnel and making available information important to us for future planning. Excellent coordination among the three forces contributed hitherto not experienced, helped fight out the enemies. Modern weapons of superior technology were of great importance to us in inflicting the maximum damage to the terrorists while minimizing casualties among our soldiers.

Q: You said you used high technology. But there are allegations that the Government supplied no weapons to the Forces?

A: That is most disparaging. No other government ever procured weapons to the Army as this government did. Not only that the strength of the Army was increased to 2 1/2 lakhs. That was why terrorism could be eradicated so soon. Weapons were supplied aplenty despite the world recession, intense pressure exerted by the western countries. Certain countries went back on their promise to supply weapons needed by us. Similarly plans transporting military hardware were not allowed by certain countries to fly over their air space.

Nor refuelling was permitted. Despite such constraints, arms deliveries were executed efficiently. Of all the weapons we received the two missiles, the Red Arrow and another special brand were the most powerful to go in search of the target.

We used these missiles to destroy Tiger boats at the Eastern coast. Among the other sophisticated military hardware were modern artillery, high-tech communication equipment which enable us to reconnaissance the enemy war strategies beforehand. T-55 tanks were another decisive factor!

Q: How do you answer the allegation that the Tiger leaders who came with white flags were killed? As a leader who fought the final battle you should be knowledgeable about this.

A: It is a joke that the LTTE had such a mentality to surrender with white flags. Their cadres had cyanide capsules hung around their necks when they fought.

Their oath of allegiance won’t permit them to surrender to the enemy! We witnessed enough LTTE cadres swallowing cyanide capsules rather than surrendering to the forces. The allegation that the soldiers killed the surrendering LTTE leaders is a total lie! We are professional soldiers.

When we have saved the lives of injured LTTE cadres, how dare they could change us that we killed LTTE leaders.

Q: There were news reports that these LTTE leaders had decided to surrender to 58 Division rather than the 55 Division of which you were the Commander. Those news reports said, “Shavendra Silva was more human than Prasanna de Silva.”

A: I also saw such news reports but they are devoid of truth. All brigade commanders gave lawful orders to their soldiers and they were disciplined. Our main objective was to destroy the enemy and protect the civilians. Tiger cadres who surrended to the Army were safe and sound and looked after well. Neither Shavendra nor myself or any other brigade commander disturbed them. They were meted out humanitarian treatment.

Q: In war what is more important? Is it political leadership or Security Forces leadership?

A: No war has ever been won in the observer of political leadership. It is also the political leadership which decides whether war should be waged or not.

A direct, clear and correct political leadership in sine qua non for war victory. It does not mean that Security Forces leadership is not wanted! President Mahinda Rajapaksa gave the highest political leadership. Similarly the Defence Secretary, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa made a substantial contribution to war victory.

Q: You have no idea of entering politics once you leave the Forces?

A: Not at all! We performed our duty in the Army. The war victory is the lot of all. This is not a war waged by a few of us. There are thousands who made sacrifices to the war. People are aware of only a small fraction.

There are thousands of unsung heroes as well. We alone cannot be the stakeholders of the victory. Therefore, I do not have any narrow ambition to make use of the war victory for my private gains.