LTTE 'strengths' exposed

The exaggerations, fabrications and overestimations by several NGOs and sections of the international community on the LTTE strengths have now been exposed. Not only those NGOs and so-called international community, but certain sections of international local media 'agents' too were responsible for overrating a group of terrorists such as the LTTE.

But that era has now changed drastically ever since President Mahinda Rajapaksa assumed office some 14 months ago. He is the only Sri Lankan leader in recent times who was courageous enough to talk of an honourable peace. He is the leader of our times who differentiated the extremes between an honourable peace and peace at any cost.

Before he assumed office, the majority of our people felt there could be either peace or war. They thought that peace could only be achieved by meeting the aspirations of the LTTE terrorists and international community. There were only a few people who were bold and courageous enough to believe that there is a peace that could be achieved in an honourable manner, by respecting the beliefs of all communities in this country.

President Rajapaksa and his Government kept faith on a peace that could be achieved in a dignified manner. Despite international pressure and vicious voicing by some of our own people who were after NGO dollars, the President firmly said that he would not compromise on matters that relate to our national security. That was why he firmly said he would not even hesitate to take shelter under a bunker, if the situation so demands, to protect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our country.

Today, our security forces have proved beyond any reasonable doubt that the LTTE is not a force to reckon with, though the terrorists could still target innocent civilians in isolated incidents. The last Tiger bastion in the Eastern Province - Vakarai, fell in to the hands of our brave security forces on Friday.

The brave sons of our soil battled their way to capture the only LTTE stronghold in the Eastern Province. Thousands of civilians fled Vakarai area amidst heavy fighting between the two sides. Following an hour-long effort, our brave soldiers finally liberated the Vakarai town and hospital, which was used as an artillery launching pad by the terrorists.

Since 1996, this tiny Eastern town had faced various problems from LTTE terrorists. From early October 2006, Vakarai life was disturbed drastically with the terrorists trying to turn the town into a battlefield. The Army thus launched a rescue mission in early November last year and then closed the gap on the terrorists. Our soldiers would have captured Vakarai much earlier but the merciless LTTE tactics of using innocent Tamil civilians as a human shield delayed the process.

Thousands of civilians from the Tiger held areas of Vakarai have been moving to the cleared areas of Kaduwatta, Rideetenna and Ichchalanpaththu, north of Vakarai, since Friday morning. Our victorious troops are consolidating their positions in the Vakarai region of the Eastern Province. The LTTE, which had held the area for many years, has now fled.

Around 31,000 people who lived in Vakarai have also moved to Government-controlled areas and a further 8,000 were "rescued from the terrorists". Facilities for these civilians are being provided by the military.

Civilians who were kept as a human shield showed no mercy to the LTTE as the Government troops rescued them. Despite talking big of liberation for the Tamil people, the ruthless LTTE terrorists used their own innocent people as a human shield.

If the Tigers are genuinely concerned and interested in meeting the aspirations and well-being of Tamil-speaking people, they would never resort to such barbarian style tactic of using their own community as a human shield. But still the LTTE claims that they are the sole representatives of Tamils. Isn't it a joke?

The Government troops were forced to move into the Vakarai town after the terrorists had taken control of the hospital, chasing out all civilian patients, which included pregnant women. The LTTE has opted for such an inhuman move to accommodate their injured cadres after the fall of their third Defence Line in Panichchankerni last Tuesday.

The Vakari triumph is not just a military victory but a win and a liberation for innocent civilians who were forcibly held by the LTTE. The so-called sole representatives of Tamils, did so to earn international sympathy and bring disrepute to our security forces, who have always acted in a responsible manner, minimising civilian casualties. Even when the LTTE fired from civilian populated areas, the Government troops decided not to retaliate, considering the innocent civilians.

The fall of Vakari is a severe blow to the LTTE's morale after the elite Special Task Force (STF) had a series of victories in other parts of the Eastern Province. The STF overran several LTTE camps, including the Nalini Base for their women cadres.

We still feel that there should be a political solution for the genuine problems of the Tamil community in Northern and Eastern Provinces. But that should not be mixed up with the LTTE terrorism. After the 9/11 attack, we have experienced how the world reacts to terrorism. We too should deal likewise. At the same time, all political parties, including those Tamil parties who have kept faith in democracy, should get-together and make a genuine effort to find a solution under a unified system. Despite a series of military successes over the past one year, the Government too is keen on talking peace with the LTTE.

True they are an inhuman group of terrorists but as a responsible Government, President Rajapaksa has always kept the doors open for negotiations. While the options for peace talks are open, the Government has not hesitated to take prompt action on matters relating to national security.