Vakarai explodes

On Wednesday, Security Forces top brass in Batticaloa received a tip off from their intelligence circles. It was about a large number of LTTE cadres, fleeing Vakarai and heading to Thoppigala, a major jungle base of the LTTE.

To reach Thoppigala, also known as 'Tora bora' in the military circles after the famous mountain hideout of Osama Bin Laden, the LTTE was required to go through the government controlled area, crossing the Batticaloa-Polonnaruwa Road.

Additional troops were sent on road patrol and troops planned an ambush.

Under the cover of heavy darkness in the night, the Tiger entourage emerged from the shrubby jungles. A senior security forces commander said, there were 150-200 LTTE cadres in the team. The troops set on an ambush at Meeyankulam, Poonani, which is a crossing point routinely used by the LTTE, moving between its jungle bases in the South of Batticaloa and Vakarai.

The troops ambushed the Tiger team as they approached, a heavy fire fight broke out. There was an element of surprise in the attack which took the LTTE by surprise.

As fighting raged, a pleading was heard from the bushes.

"I am army, don't shoot," a man, already caught in cross fire, shouted.

As a soldier approached, the man identified himself as Sergeant K. M. S. Ratnayake of the 6 GW who went missing in an earlier army offensive in Vakaneri.

Sergeant Ratnayake was being taken to Thoppigala by the Tiger cadres retreating from Vakarai, when they was ambushed.

Fleeing LTTE cadres left six dead bodies, which were later handed over through the ICRC.

Ambush

A senior security forces commander referring to monitored LTTE transmissions said 40 cadres were killed in the Wednesday night attack. The Tiger transmissions have also referred to 20 LTTE cadres who are still missing since the attack.

Several LTTE leaders including Susilan and Pallavan - two Tiger 'field commanders' - were critically injured in the ambush. Among the bodies abandoned by the LTTE was one believed to be of an Tiger 'training coordinator' identified as Poolan, who has gone blind due to injuries of a previous confrontation.

Initial reports of the incident said the fighters of the Karuna faction ambushed the Tiger party and took several LTTE cadres into custody.

The army denied reports of connivance with the Karuna faction in the attack.

A senior military source said Karuna faction was not involved in the attack, but they too have fought the LTTE at a separate location.

Wednesday's attack points to other developments.

It is indicative that the LTTE is on retreat from Vakarai.

According to military estimates, over 400 LTTE cadres were killed in the area since october this year. This included the LTTE casualties of the Wednesday's ambush and casualties during the past two weeks of the fighting.

Army estimates at least 76 LTTE cadres were killed during the last two weeks.

Twenty four soldiers were killed and sixty eight injured during the close quarter fighting which took place when the ground troops advanced from their forward defence lines. Four soldiers are missing in action. However, the ICRC officials who went to Vakarai to facilitate the transport of patients to Valachchenai had seen four dead soldiers lying on the ground. (ICRC said it could not transport the bodies as boats could not accommodate the bodies. Boats were too crowded with patients, they said). Security forces assumed that the Tigers could give up Vakarai by the end of November. The assumption was that, given the heavy casualties of the LTTE since October, the LTTE was only in a desperate bid to hold the ground till the end of Mahaveerar Week, in order to avoid a greater embarassement to the LTTE leadership.

However, last the two weeks saw a greater resistance from the LTTE when the troops advanced from their forward defence line positions. This cost the lives of 24 security forces personnel. Vakarai has been boiling for the past few months. Sporadic clashes in the uncleared areas have routinely been reported during the last three months.

With the collapse of Sampur, the Eastern Tiger enclave on the Southern perimeters of the strategically important Trincomalee harbour, the LTTE retreated to Verugal and Vakarai area. This resulted in a concentration of over 1000 LTTE cadres in the general area of Vakarai and Verugal.

The LTTE's logistical and administrative apparatus were also relocated to Vakarai and Kathiraveli. Added with this was the exodus of civilians, amounting to 15,000, fleeing to Vakarai to escape fighting in Sampur.

This added a further burden on this crowded yet painfully under developed terrain, which lacked the basic human infrastructure.

Understandably, the security forces viewed the LTTE build up in Vakarai with suspicion. This has been an issue at the security council meetings and the green light has been given long ago to pre-empt the LTTE build up in the area.

However, taking a cue from Sampur, where the LTTE cadres fled enmasse, a new strategy was set in motion.

That was to gradually strangle the LTTE military machinery in the area and during the process inflict maximum possible casualties on the LTTE.

The strategy was to disrupt the LTTE supply and administrative functions through the deployment of small teams of security force personnel. Dozens of ambushes and small group assaults were directed at LTTE convoys, foot patrols, movements of its leadership and its logistical and communication posts.

By the end of November, 256 LTTE cadres were reported killed in these small group operations, according to the monitored LTTE transmissions.

Another advantage of small team operations is the relatively low casualty rates as they are rarely intercepted. Another plus point is indirect fire, mainly the artillery and mortars with 81 mm being the main cause of security forces casualties since Operation Riviresa, could not be of much use against security forces operating as small teams.

Last week, the LTTE shelled adjacent Sinhalese villages in Sinhapura, Sirimangala Pura, Serunuwara and Mahinda Pura, which gave the justification for the security forces to launch ground operations.

LTTE shelling triggered off an exodus of Sinhalese civilians seeking refuge in Kantale.

If the exodus of Sinhalese shocked the Southern public, a greater tragedy was unfolding in uncleared areas of Vakarai.

As fighting intensified last week, thousand of Tamil civilians fleeing Vakarai and Kathiravelu streamed into government controlled areas.

During the last there days ending Friday, over six thousand persons arrived in Valachchenai.

Several hundreds of civilians also arrived in Selvanagar, West of Muttur.

Meanwhile, at least two civilians drowned on Friday when two boats carrying IDPs bound to Batticaloa were capsized near the Vakarai Jetty due to the rough sea.

The Website of the Media Centre for National Security said eight civilians were killed in the incident. The Tamilnet website said 14 civilians drowned in the incident.

However, a senior security forces commander in the area said that ICRC informed him that two civilians were killed in the incident.

Amidst this confusion, the actual figures could not be verified.

ICRC early last week transported thirty civilians from the besieged Vakarai hospital to Valachchenai for emergency treatment. The patients were transported via sea routes in seven boats as land routes were obstructed.

LTTE Peace Secretariat website claimed forty civilians were killed in security forces shelling during the last week. Independent verification of the figures could not be possible.

UN Resident Coordinator's Office demanded the Government and the LTTE to ensure the protection of civilians.

"An unconfirmed number of civilians are dead with dozens lying wounded at Vaharai hospital. Innocent civilians and school children suffered direct attacks on a school and private homes," it said in a statement.

"The United Nations is deeply concerned about indiscriminate shelling of civilian residential areas, leading to death, injuries and evacuation of communities to Kantale and surrounding areas, out of danger zones."

"The critical need of the moment is the protection of these desperate civilians. All fundamental rights are currently being breached in areas like Vaharai and villages in Trincomalee District and it is imperative that direct shelling where civilians reside stops and the civilian population must be granted full and unhindered freedom of movement, away from military operations. The wounded need to be evacuated and assistance and protection to the civilian population must be guaranteed" warned Amin Awad, Acting UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator."

The Scandinavian truce monitors also raised concerns at the deteriorating conditions in Vakarai.

The Sri Lankan Monitors Mission in the statement blamed both parties for the breach of the truce agreement.

"The LTTE has failed to protect civilians in Vakarai by restricting their movements.It is the responsibility of the LTTE to do their utmost to facilitate for these innocent civilians to reach safe ground."

"The SLMM has contrary to acceptable practices on one occasion experienced that civilians were being hindered from exiting the area."

"The SLMM has not been able to monitor the situation as well as it would have wanted as monitors have been continuously refused access by the SLA into the areas of concern. The SLA has cited security reasons for this. SLMM has on countless occasions tried to patrol into Vakarai and most recently in the Kallar area for inspections. Restriction of SLMM access by GOSL forces to areas where violations may have taken place is in itself a violation of the CFA and more importantly prevents the SLMM from working according to its mandate given to them by the Parties."

Human Shield

The security forces have continuously charged the LTTE of using civilians as a human shield. Civilians who made their way to government controlled areas have said that the LTTE have mined the area to obstruct the advancement of ground troops and exodus of people.

During Norwegian Envoy Hanssen Bauer's meeting with LTTE political commissar S. P. Thamilselvam, Mr Bauer took up two main proposals of the Government, one of which was to set up safe havens for IDPs in Vakarai.

The other proposal was to send one off food convoy's bound to Jaffna via the Muhamalai entry-exit point. Both proposals were turned down by the Tigers.

As for the safe havens for Vakarai civilians, the security forces demanded the LTTE to relocate its gun positions away from IDP centres or relocate civilians away from the gun positions.

The security forces claim they have restrained use of artillery and Multi Barrel Rocket Launchers fire in order to avoid civilian casualties.

However, according to the latest developments in the battle front, the security forces have closed in the LTTE stronghold. Troops have advanced from Trikona Madu, Kirimichchiya and Kajuwatta.

Certain intelligence reports suggest a division within the Tiger ranks based on their geographical origin. The LTTE is on a retreat and they are moving to their home theatres of Trincomalee, Wanni or Batticaloa. Those who made a costly attempt to move into Batticaloa were believed to be the cadres from Batticaloa.

The collapse of Vakarai would cost the LTTE of its last populated bastion in the East. This would also impact on the LTTE's claim for the East. At the dawn of the new year, it looks like the security forces have almost succeeded in neutralising the LTTE military machinery in the East.

However the danger is that the Tigers with a wounded pride could strike a soft target to avenge the losses in the Eastern battle field.

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