2008: The year of eliminating LTTE terrorism:

Security Forces on a realistic path to achieve the set target

Finding solutions to the Tamil question proved to be a difficult task. All successive Governments in the post independent Sri Lanka has faced opposition either from the southern political parties or from the Tamil community itself in their endeavours to put an end to this problem.

Though many of these Governments made genuine attempts, finally they have failed in their attempts to implement those solutions. Primarily it was the southern political parties opposed to those solutions agreed upon by the Government in power with the moderate Tamil parties. But later it was the LTTE which became a stumbling block in many attempts by successive governments to address the Tamil grievances.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa on December 26, reiterated the fact that it was a futile attempt to discuss political solutions to address the Tamil grievances without pushing the LTTE to accept a political solutions to the problem.

The President, in his speech delivered in Matara also pointed out that the military victories will definitely pave the way to push the LTTE towards accepting a political solution to address the just demands of the Tamil community.

On Friday Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake also said that Minister Ratnasiri Wickremenayake asserted that the country can anticipate dedicating and celebrating 2008 as the year in which terrorists will be comprehensively defeated and totally eliminated.

Adding to this point Army Commander Lt. General Sarath Fonseka also making a statement recently said that the Security Forces can bring the current war to a turning point by August, 2008.

There is a question mark before the people why Government is making these statements and how can they come to conclusion that they can eliminate terrorism in the year 2008.

It is true that the Security Forces defeated the LTTE in the East. Except for isolated groups the LTTE cannot operate in the East to pose major threat.

The Security Forces too, despite focusing attention towards Wanni are not allowing to raise their head in the East again.

But on what ground the Security Forces heads can say that they are sure of defeating the LTTE in the year 2008, is a question raised by the public.

To answer this query there should be an in depth analysis on the facts on the military situation at present.

Troops encircle Wanni

Everybody can see that the Security Forces, specially the ground troops have encircled the Wanni in two fronts, from Wanni and Jaffna while Navy is engaged in a process to seal off the sea area covering the Wanni region. The Air Force is engaging the LTTE from the air to destroy their military and training bases, armories, Sea Tiger bases and their leaders.

During the past few weeks the ground troops attached to 57 Division, Task Force -1 supported by Commando and Special Forces troops made their way to Wanni after opening up gateways in Uyilankulam and Tanmapanai in Vavuniya and Mannar districts.

They are now in the process of moving towards Wanni.

It was after months long efforts they capture an area like Thampanai which was one of the strongholds of the LTTE located on the Madhu road. It seems that the LTTE is withdrawing from even from their vital grounds as they face severe shortage of man power to dominate these areas. The other factor revealed during the past few days was that many of the Tiger cadres killed during these battles were sea Tiger cadres. The Security Forces got this confirmation through the intercepted radio communications of the LTTE.

Therefore, it is believed that the LTTE is making use of its maximum strength to defend the ground in the Wanni and facing acute shortage of man power with them.

Only 7,000 Tigers

According to intelligence reports, the Security Forces estimates that the LTTE is having only 7,000 Tiger cadres strength in the Wanni prior to the commencement of Wanni operations in March 2007.

Leave aside the exaggeration part; the Security Forces have been able to kill more than 2,000 in the Wanni during this year alone.

These figures have been collected with the confirmed reports from the ground troops engaged in battles in Wanni and also through intercepted radio communications of the LTTE. So the Security Forces have been able to reduce the strength of the LTTE in the Wanni by 2,000 in this year alone. Then the LTTE has a strength of more than 5,000 in the Wanni sector including the civilians who have been given weapon training by the LTTE to be deployed in Weli Oya, Wanni and front in Jaffna.

According to military the LTTE strength in the East was only 2,000 when Security Forces started clearing operations in the East. As the troops took full control of the East with the capture of Thoppigala, the Security Forces were able to kill over 1,700 cadres.

Therefore, the Security Forces believe that if they can reduce the Tiger strength in the Wanni at leas by another 3,000 they can bring the war into a turning point.

The turning point anticipated by the Army Commander is where the LTTE lose their capability operate as a conventional force by holding bunkers and other military installations. With reduction of their strength they have to retreat into jungles and operate as groups. Then the Security Forces have the chance to go after them and eliminate them fully.

To achieve, this task the Security Forces should have a clear strategy. The Security Forces have already prepare this strategy and fulfill all the requirements needed to achieve this target by recruiting nearly 50,000 recruits to the three Forces and the Police during the year 2007.

The strength of the Army has been increased by 30,000 this year alone enabling the Army to form new Divisions to launch pre-emptive attacks on the LTTE. Within this year alone the Army has formed two new Divisions 57and 58 (task Force -1 operating in Mannar). The other newly formed 59 Division will come into effect this week with the dawn of the year 2008.

All these three Divisions have been formed as offensive divisions and function as the reserve of the Sri Lanka Army. 53 Division was the only reserve Division Sri Lanka Army had earlier to engage in offensive operations. Apart from this 55 Division based in Jaffna will also function as an offensive Division.

Therefore, the Security Forces will have 20,000 strong Army to engage in pre-emptive attacks against LTTE's 5,000 cadres remaining in the Wanni. So the LTTE won't be able to face this threat effectively in Wanni since they have to face well trained soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army.

The Security Forces despite recruiting large number of soldiers have not lowered the standards on training given to soldiers. On the other hand there is no need to shift the battalions in the East to deploy in Wanni as these five Divisions have got enough man power to face the LTTE threat.

Therefore, any one can understand that the set target before the Security Forces is realistic one with Government providing all required facilities for them and to motivate them in fulfilling their target.

Army Commander has set the target to bring the war to turning point in August next year as real pre-emptive strikes of the Security Forces were commenced in August 2006. By September 2007 the Security Forces were able to fully clear the Eastern province.

By next August they will complete two years for the ongoing confrontations between the LTTE and the Security Forces. The Government strongly believes that this should not be dragged on further and should be completed within shortest possible time.

This is only the role of the ground troops. The Sri Lanka Navy and the Sri Lanka Air Force too would extend its support for the ground troops by destroying major military bases and armories of the LTTE located in the Wanni as they did during the past. It is unrealistic to think that even Tiger leader Velupillai Prabhakaran will get a chance to continue his hide and seek game for another eight months as intelligence sources are effectively locating their hideouts in Wanni.

Even though LTTE denied that Tiger leader Prbahakaran was not injured in the air raid they Prabhakaran so far has not appeared in public to show his real status after the incident, whether to see he is dead or alive.

Therefore, nobody can rely on the LTTE's denial of the fact that Tiger leader did not sustain any injury in the air raid on his hide out in Kilinochchi. The Tiger leader must come before the public if he wants to prove to the world he is safely living in Wanni.

Though, Government and the Security Forces do not believe hundred per cent that killing of Tiger leader will end the problem, they believe that it would at least partly resolves once Security Forces able to get rid of the leadership of the LTTE who are terrorists by their actions. Under these circumstances, it is clear that Forces will go after every Tiger leader in wanni in their bid to eliminate terrorism from the country. Therefore, with LTTE confining to a limited territory in Wanni the chances are very low for them operate freely. That fact will also contribute to the efforts of the Security Forces to eliminate terrorism from the Sri Lankan soils.

Sabotage activities

But it is unrealistic to think that the LTTE will remain calm and quiet in face of troops advancing towards Wanni.

Possibilities are very high that they will engage in sabotage activities in the South to bring pressure on the Government to stop military thrust on the LTTE as they did in the past. But with the breaking of LTTE cells and armories of the LTTE in the South it will be very difficult for them to operate in the South freely.

They will do every possible effort to stop the military thrust on them specially bringing international pressures on the Government.

Since the Government is making sincere effort to eradicate terrorism from Sri Lankan soil it may have the strength to face all these challenges. However, it is a must on the part of the Government to unite the South to eradicate terrorism and also find a just solution to address the burning issues concerning the Tamil community. Otherwise there may be lot of barriers before the Governments to proceed along the path of eradicating terrorism.

So far the Security Forces have proved that they are on the correct path of eradicating terrorism. So there is no doubt that that they will continue on the same path until they fully eliminate terrorism form Sri Lankan soil.

Separate story

Major General Mendaka Samarasinghe has been appointed as the Director General General Staff at the Army Headquarters with immediate effect. Major General Mendaka samarasinghe was General Officer Commanding 22 Division Trincomalee prior to leave for higher defence studies at National Defence College India.

Major General Dhammika Liyanage has been appointed the Security Forces Commander East. Major General Parakrama Pannipitiya who held the post earlier has been summoned to the Army headquarters with immediate effect.

Brigadier Janaka Walagama, the Commandant of the Sri Lanka Military Academy Diyatalawa has been appointed as the General Officer Commanding 22 Division in Trincomalee. Major General Milinda Peiris has left to India for higher defence studies at national Defence College.

Brigadier Kumudu Peiris currently the Director Training has been appointed as the Commandant of the Sri Lanka Military Academy Diyatalawa. Brigadier Chagi Gallage former Commando Brigade Commander has been appointed as the Director Training.

Brigadier Deepal Alwis has been appointed as the Military Secretary with the retirement of Major General Sunil Silva with the completion of 55 years.