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String of attacks on Sri Lankan forces
V.S. Sambandan
Differences persist on talks venue
COLOMBO: The assault on the Fast Attack Craft (FAC) near the Trincomalee harbour on Saturday is the most serious one in a string of recent incidents on Sri Lankan security forces including the ambush on a road convoy in which at least 13 sailors were killed in Mannar district.
Earlier this week, five Tamil youths were killed in the Trincomalee district.
Saturday's attack, as the island-nation was bracing itself mentally for possible resumption of hostilities, revived memories of the short-lived ceasefire in 1995. On April 19, 1995, LTTE frogmen blasted two naval gunboats in Trincomalee, and sparked a five-year war, referred to as Eelam War III. There has been a sharp escalation in violence since December, killing at least 65 security forces personnel and over 50 civilians in several incidents. Reports of an LTTE-trained civilian force ' which security sources estimate to be about 10,000-strong ' and claims by self-styled Tamil civilian groups have further complicated the ground situation in the north-east.
Saturday's attack took place in the backdrop of a deadlock in efforts to resume direct talks, stalled since the LTTE's unilateral pull out in early 2003. Though the Government and the rebels agreed in principle to discuss issues relating to implementation aspects of the ceasefire agreement, sharp differences persist on the choice of venue. The Government changed its earlier position that talks should be held in Sri Lanka and consented to any Asian venue. The LTTE insists that the talks, at least the first phase, be held in Oslo.
Tigers eye Jaffna city
Bull's Eye by a Special Defence Correspondent
In the backdrop of increasing attacks on the security forces in the North, orders were given to the security forces to act in self defence. This has developed to a volatile situation with tension and panic being the order of the day in the peninsular.
Constant cordon and search operations have perturbed the LTTE sympathisers who harbour the Tigers that plan attacks. Many such families have left for Tiger held Kilinochchi to avoid security checks. Are these sympathizers offended by the constant security checks or does their leaving herald any possible LTTE offensive against the Government forces in the next few weeks?
Having disregarded international pressure to stop violence and the warning by the Co Chairs of the Tokyo donor group, the Tiger leadership has been preparing to launch a major offensive against the security forces in Jaffna intending to recapture the control of the peninsular. Newspapers reported this during the last week and Military Intelligence confirmed that Tigers are waiting until they are strategically prepared fully to face retaliation by the security forces.
It is also confirmed that the LTTE is deploying the fighting cadres in close proximity to the Forward Defence Lines (FDL) in the general area of Nagarkovil and Muhamalai, two areas that come under Tiger control at present.
The Tiger tactic is believed to be the consolidation of their full power to launch a final attack in the North to recapture Jaffna on the one hand, and on other hand, to delay peace talks by haggling over time frames and agenda. They are supposed to raise objections on minor matters and mark time while their military wing would be operating on the ground awaiting the best time for negotiations.
Once they recapture Jaffna town, the group would be able to stand strong at the negotiation table. Under such circumstances, their strategy is to bargain on the peace deal and demand control of the East even without any military struggle. Tigers would seek to convince the peace mediators too of their power and persuade them to talk to the Government to consider their demand to achieve their Eelam target on the pretext of peace.
Tigers believe that it is not impossible provided the peace mediators would pressurize the Government because so far, the Government has paid heed to their instructions. So Tigers would believe that the Government would allow them to consolidate their power in the East.
Tigers are heavily upset about losing control in the East during the last couple of years, especially after the split of Karuna, and the LTTE's main agenda is to use the Government forces to stop Karuna's operations in the East. If they become successful in neutralising Karuna's group in the East, it would be a major achievement of Pirabaharan's Eelam dream.
The Government seems to be undecided yet whether to retaliate against the enemy or restrain oneself as in the past. Apart from the Army, what instructions were given to other two forces, the Navy and the Air force? The two commanders are still silent on their stance on the LTTE offensives against their soldiers.
Therefore, a joint military scheming is vital to face the Tigers in any possible offensive in the North, and it is also imperative to prepare such plans in time as rushing to war without strategies would harvest irreparable human losses to the forces as well as their firepower.
Due to the dearth of their cadres, Tigers have started a new scheme to give military training to the civilians in the area, and many people have already been trained to handle sophisticated weapons in emergency situations.
Military surveillance reports confirmed last week of LTTE military standoff near the FDLs and busy training of civilians at Thalaiadi, a few miles North of Elephant Pass. At the same time, they have distributed leaflets in the LTTE stronghold areas of the East inviting deserters to return to duty on a temporary basis. They have been advised to call upon the nearest LTTE camp and join the cadres at least for a temporary period of time.
Meanwhile, Bhanu - the head of the fighting unit of Batticaloa has been summoned to serve in the North. This has has led to speculation of an imminent LTTE onslaught on Jaffna. Bhanu is a contemporary of Karuna, who mainly masterminded and planned some most successful attacks on several major military camps including Mullaitivu and the Elephant Pass. They were jointly responsible for many other killing sprees in the East where hundreds of security personnel and civilians were killed during the past two decades.
Information has also been received that the LTTE has positioned its artillery gun range near the FDLs, which is another clue to their preparedness for a possible major attack on Jaffna.
While the situation in the North is becoming more volatile, the cadres in Colombo have been ordered to be ready with their missions to upset the day to day life in the city.
Tigers have pressurised their proxies, the TNA MPs to protest against the arrest of any Tamil person whether they are LTTE cadres or not and mobilize all other forces including NGOs which appear in the name of human rights to join their protest and blame the government.
The government has to give serious thought to the security situation in the city as the LTTE may launch attacks in the city's vital targets. They had a free run during the UNP regime and riding on the CFA loopholes, they were able to bring arms and ammunition to the city and hide them in strategic positions to be used on demand.
Though the Government launched search operations in the city, it is hard to think that they will be able to raid the caches of arms or the true perpetrators. In this column recently we revealed how the LTTE use Sinhala criminal gangs on Tiger missions and on other secret operations such as drug trafficking, murdering politicians, military intelligence officers and others labeled as LTTE opponents.
A think tank comprising intelligence, military officials of three forces and police and officers of other vital institutions such as emigration and immigration, customs, motor traffic etc should sit together and find out ways and means to combat this menace without delay if the government is to fight terrorism in the city.
Despite security operations and taking in of over 900 suspects for questioning, the crime rate in Colombo has not been reduced when considering the criminal incidents in the city during the last week.
Apart from the killings in the North and East, there were several murders reported within the Colombo city during the last seven days. Police failed to find out any information of the killers or motive of the killings including the murder of an Indian business executive working in Colombo.
The real murder groups may have evaded any arrest during the operation. The authorities should focus their attention on why they failed to nab them.
Any ordinary man could imagine that they would have left the area before hand and it is worth investigating how such criminals received the news of possible security operations in the metropolis. As we revealed in our past columns, the news could be leaked to them by those within the police and security forces who are also in the pay lists of narcotic kingpins and other criminal gangs. Therefore, working with the betrayers would bring dangers to the genuine officers.
It is the general understanding that there is a shortage of narcotics in the city after the recent security operations. However, when considering the quantity of drugs and suspects taken into custody, one cannot help believing that the city is sans a major drug nuisance. Why did the police fail to apprehend the drug kingpins and their massive stocks? The reason would be the leakage of the news to the culprits beforehand.
Two weeks before the police started its raids, the IGP during his speech to his subordinates in a training workshop said that he would start a war against city drug dealers. This could pass a good message to the culprits and all the wanted men in the city fled to safe houses here or abroad. They removed their large stocks to the disappointment of the cops. It is learnt that many drug kingpins have flown to India for holidays soon after the IGP's speech was telecast over certain television channels.
According to Tamilnet, there is no LTTE operations taking place in the North as all killings, kidnapping and other violence are done by unidentified gunmen. Therefore, the duty of the security forces is to get the culprits and identify them. The LTTE has already violated the CFA over 5000 instances, and on all such occasions, the Government response was very vague.
Apart from an official complaint to the SLMM, no tangible step was taken and knowing this lukewarm response, Tigers made it a point to continue with violations, and in the abscene of a strong mediator, the Government is compelled to be satisfied with their decisions.
This could be the major reason, that the LTTE is firm on keeping Norway as the facilitator and the mediator in peace talks. The President's proposal to appoint two parties as facilitator and monitor is most welcome, and such a move would justify both parties provided the plan gets realised.
However, it is hard to believe that the LTTE would go for an all out war with the Government openly, due to multiple reasons. A major reason among them is the possible objections from the residents in the area who would no longer be able to bear the sufferings of a fourth war.
Another reason is the LTTE's reluctance to see destruction of their rehabilitated infrastructure and lose revenue in the form of ransom and tax. They are also afraid of losing international sympathy and possible sanctions. Therefore, the LTTE would continue with their hit and run tactics to destabilise the normal life to create political instability.
Ferry service to transport Lankan refugees from Tamil Nadu
by Ananda Kannangara
The Nation Building and Development Ministry has focused special attention on resuming a ferry service between Talaimannar and Rameshwaram during the early part of this year to transport at least 60,000 Sri Lankan refugees currently seeking asylum in the State of Tamil Nadu.
The Ministry's effort of transporting the Lankan refugees who have been in South India during the past two decades, will be assisted by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees(UNHCR).
A recent research, carried out by the Ministry on Sri Lankan refugees in foreign countries, has revealed that a record number of Lankans had arrived in Tamil Nadu two decades ago due to the prevailing situation then in the Northern and Eastern districts in Sri Lanka during that period.
The research also indicates that many Lankan refugee families are also living in the other two thickly populated South Indian states of Karnataka and Andrapradesh. Ministry Secretary M.S. Jayasinghe told the Sunday Observer on Friday that the UNHCR has already undertaken responsibility of transporting refugees and at least 9000 from South India have been airlifted to Sri Lanka by them during the past three years.
Jayasinghe also admired the invaluable service rendered by the Indian Government by providing the Lankan refugees the necessary welfare facilities including food and lodging and also medical facilities during their stay. Asked whether refugees are also arriving in the country by illegal channels, Jayasinghe quoted recent reports and said that nearly 500 Lankan refugees arrived in the island, during the past three years by using illegally operated ferry services.
"However the refugees, arriving in illegal ways are handed over to the Government Agent by the Talaimannar Police and thereafter provided with necessary official documents such as National Identity cards to enable them to start their living in their original homes.
The Secretary further said that the majority of Lankan refugees presently in South Indian cities do not possess national identity cards or passports to prove their authenticity, since most of them had fled the country during the war period, leaving their personal belongings.
"However the Government is expected to provide any refugee coming back to the country with housing facilities and other needs," he added.
Dateline Colombo: Midday meal programme
Web posted at: 1/8/2006 3:15:17
Source ::: The Peninsula
The much awaited mid-day meal programme will begin on Monday with the participation of 3,100 schools to be later extended to 6,000 schools by January 19. In a statement, the government said the launching of the mid-day meal programme would fulfill another pledge made in the 'Mahinda Chinthana' election manifesto of President Mahinda Rajapakse. The first stage of the programme which has been estimated at Rs700m is to begin with grade one and two students and the other grades to be included later. A recent survey conducted by the Health Ministry has revealed that a quarter of the population was malnourished.
Policemen's kin worried
Family members of the three Sri Lankan policemen currently in Tamil rebel custody for several months have expressed concern that they would be sent to a rebel jail soon. Family members told Science and Technology Minister Tissa Witharana during a meeting that they had been given this information by LTTE media spokesman Daya Master in northern Kilinochchi recently. They are appealing to President Mahinda Rajapakse to intervene in the matter. The three officers were tracking a suspected British paedophile hiding in a northern area when the trackers apparently strayed into rebel territory.
Action against exam department
Education Minister Susil Premajayantha has ordered disciplinary action against Examination Department officials responsible for the discrepancies in the machine-aided evaluation of the GCE Advanced Level answer scripts. Newspapers said Premajayantha gave this assurance at a meeting held with the representatives of the Inter University Students' Federation (IUSF) to discuss the injustice caused to students. The marks of thousands of students have been held back due to a flawed machine. Meanwhile the department is bringing down the chief engineer of the Indian firm which supplied the OMR scanner that scanned the answers scripts to check the machine.
Protest against killlings
Hundreds of people launched a protest demonstration in Pettah, Colombo's old business district, on Friday against alleged killings and indiscriminate arrests of minority Tamils under emergency regulations. The demonstration was spearheaded by Western People's Front, Upcountry People's Front, United Socialist Party, The New Left Front, New Democratic Party, Trade Unions and other organizations, newspapers said. Demonstrators carried placards and banners with slogans such as "Stop Arresting People in the guise of the Emergency", "We denounce arrests of innocent Tamils" and "Is the Human Rights Commission Sleeping?"
Doctors fail to return home
Sri Lanka's Health Ministry will shortly publish a comprehensive list of doctors who have failed to return home from countries like England and Australia where they were sent on state sponsored scholarships. According to official statistics, there are 132 state doctors who have not returned home after completing their studies abroad.
Sri Lankan Navy bars Tamil fishermen to go to sea, say rebels
Colombo, Jan. 8 (AP): The Tamil Tiger rebels accused the Sri Lankan Navy Sunday of barring Tamil fishermen from going to the sea, a day after suspected insurgents rammed a fishing boat packed with explosives into a navy vessel, killing 13 sailors.
``The Sri Lankan Navy has banned fishing for Tamil fisherman in most sections of the north seas'' off the Jaffna Peninsula, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam said on their Web site.
The blockade forced about 1,000 families to move to rebel-held areas and was reminiscent of the navy's tactics before the government and the Tigers signed a truce four years ago to halt the island's civil war, it said.
Navy officials couldn't be immediately reached for comment.
The government has blamed the rebels for Saturday's attack on the navy vessel off the northeastern coast, the most serious of recent attacks that has put the truce of the verge of collapse.
``The incident has brought the cease-fire under pressure like never before,'' Hagrup Haukland, chief of the Norwegian-led Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission overseeing the Oslo-brokered 2002 truce, told The Associated Press on Saturday.
``The question is how long the Sri Lankan security forces can take it,'' Haukland said.
The rebels began fighting in 1983 for a homeland for Sri Lanka's 3.2 million ethnic minority Tamils, claiming discrimination by the island's 14 million Sinhalese. The war claimed 65,000 lives.
Saturday's attack killed 13 sailors and brought the death toll of security forces to 58 since Dec. 4, when a wave of anti-government attacks began. Authorities have blamed the Tigers, who have denied responsibility.
A similar 1995 attack in Trincomalee harbour _ near Saturday's incident _ shattered a brief truce between the two sides.
Defense Ministry spokesman Brig. Prasad Samarasinghe, said the two survivors told investigators the attacking boat emerged from a fleet of fishing boats. ``They say that the attacking craft emerged and collided with their vessel, triggering a huge explosion.'' Samarasinghe said.
Erik Solheim, the Norwegian official who brokered the Feb. 2002 cease-fire, was scheduled to visit Sri Lanka in late January to try restarting government-rebels peace talks, stalled due to disagreements over rebel demands for autonomy.
``LTTE attack, a provocation''
Diplomatic Correspondent
Task of Norway made difficult
NEW DELHI: The South Block views the latest Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam attack that killed 15 Sri Lankan Navy soldiers outside the Trincomalee harbour on Saturday as part of a pattern of deliberate provocations.
South Block officials said the idea seemed to be to demoralise the security forces on the one hand, and on the other, provoke the Government in Colombo into responding to the Tiger attacks.
Terming the latest attack on a Sri Lankan naval gunboat outside the Trincomalee harbour as a serious incident, the officials, however, said the attacks could lead to talks with the Government or spark a full-scale war.
The officials also felt the continuing attacks by the LTTE made the task of Norwegian negotiator Erik Solheim, who was scheduled to visit Sri Lanka towards January-end, even more difficult. "It remains to be seen whether Mr. Solheim will be able to meet [the LTTE chief, Velupillai] Prabakaran," the officials said.
Hit by attacks, S.Lanka's army take no chances
Sun Jan 8, 2006 11:19 AM IST
By Peter Apps
JAFFNA, Sri Lanka (Reuters) - Speeding along the rough roads of the Sri Lankan army-held Jaffna peninsula, guarded by armoured vehicles front and back, convoys transporting troops near Tamil rebel-held areas take no chances.
While a 2002 ceasefire is still technically holding, a string of suspected claymore fragmentation mine attacks on patrols and convoys in December -- the deadliest month by far since the truce -- killed 39 military personnel. Most troops patrolling Jaffna say they expect war.
"Last month, it changed," said 23-year-old Private Waduge Krishan Dehevapiya, like most soldiers one of the island's Sinhalese majority.
"We are scared. But we are soldiers. We know we will have to face that kind of strategy."
Sri Lanka's Tamil minority lives mostly in the island's north and east, where the Tamil Tiger rebels have a de facto state in most areas, except the Jaffna peninsula, which they have held intermittently and now want back.
In the latest violence, a navy Israeli-built Dvora patrol boat exploded off the northeastern coast on Saturday after being rammed by what officers said was a suspected Tiger suicide boat. Only two of the 15 crew were rescued and the others are missing, presumed dead.
Violence in the Tamil-dominated north has risen sharply since a Tiger boycott of the November presidential election helped President Mahinda Rajapakse win -- seen as the candidate least likely to cut a deal with the rebels. Analysts say the boycott suggests the Tigers are tired of the peace process.
Shortly after the election, the rebels warned they would "intensify their struggle" without new concessions and now say army atrocities in Jaffna could force them into war.
They say they are not behind the attacks, but few diplomats believe them. Neither side can agree a venue for talks.
The army deny their soldiers are abusing civilians, but say the language barrier hampers communication. Tamil courses are now being run, but officers say they should have started much earlier in a two-decade old war that has killed over 64,000.
But they say their most serious worry is safeguarding their supply routes, particularly around Jaffna -- which is cut off from the rest of the island by rebel territory, leaving the military to rely on resupply by air and sea.
HAIL OF STEEL
Within the peninsula itself, the army has only two main supply routes: the road from Jaffna town to the Palaly air base and the main road that runs to the northern border of rebel territory.
"If we had enough men, we would line the entire route," one officer said. "But we do not."
Instead, patrols -- some of only a couple of soldiers, some of sixty or so men -- repeatedly comb the roads, cutting back undergrowth and rooting through piles of rubble from the previous conflict for signs of mines or potential ambushes.
Two days before Christmas, the military says the rebels attacked a navy bus near the northwestern Mannar Sea.
A claymore fragmentation mine blasted a hail of steel ball bearings into the vehicle, which was then hit with rocket propelled grenade fire. Thirteen died.
After that and similar attacks near Jaffna, buses and trucks travel in convoy, often protected by South African-made Buffel armoured personnel carriers. Soldiers stand in bus doors and out of hatches on truck cab roofs, with AK-47s at the ready.
Some soldiers strap their flak jackets to the truck cab doors, hoping to protect the driver from any claymore blast so the vehicle keeps moving until it is out of the danger area.
But while soldiers say the attacks are pressuring troops -- some of whom have spent four years in the north and east, only rotating out for training -- they expect before long to be facing a Tiger offensive aimed at taking Jaffna.
"We are ready every day," said a senior officer. "We have to be. We cannot say it will happen. It is down to politics."
V.S. Sambandan
Differences persist on talks venue
COLOMBO: The assault on the Fast Attack Craft (FAC) near the Trincomalee harbour on Saturday is the most serious one in a string of recent incidents on Sri Lankan security forces including the ambush on a road convoy in which at least 13 sailors were killed in Mannar district.
Earlier this week, five Tamil youths were killed in the Trincomalee district.
Saturday's attack, as the island-nation was bracing itself mentally for possible resumption of hostilities, revived memories of the short-lived ceasefire in 1995. On April 19, 1995, LTTE frogmen blasted two naval gunboats in Trincomalee, and sparked a five-year war, referred to as Eelam War III. There has been a sharp escalation in violence since December, killing at least 65 security forces personnel and over 50 civilians in several incidents. Reports of an LTTE-trained civilian force ' which security sources estimate to be about 10,000-strong ' and claims by self-styled Tamil civilian groups have further complicated the ground situation in the north-east.
Saturday's attack took place in the backdrop of a deadlock in efforts to resume direct talks, stalled since the LTTE's unilateral pull out in early 2003. Though the Government and the rebels agreed in principle to discuss issues relating to implementation aspects of the ceasefire agreement, sharp differences persist on the choice of venue. The Government changed its earlier position that talks should be held in Sri Lanka and consented to any Asian venue. The LTTE insists that the talks, at least the first phase, be held in Oslo.
Tigers eye Jaffna city
Bull's Eye by a Special Defence Correspondent
In the backdrop of increasing attacks on the security forces in the North, orders were given to the security forces to act in self defence. This has developed to a volatile situation with tension and panic being the order of the day in the peninsular.
Constant cordon and search operations have perturbed the LTTE sympathisers who harbour the Tigers that plan attacks. Many such families have left for Tiger held Kilinochchi to avoid security checks. Are these sympathizers offended by the constant security checks or does their leaving herald any possible LTTE offensive against the Government forces in the next few weeks?
Having disregarded international pressure to stop violence and the warning by the Co Chairs of the Tokyo donor group, the Tiger leadership has been preparing to launch a major offensive against the security forces in Jaffna intending to recapture the control of the peninsular. Newspapers reported this during the last week and Military Intelligence confirmed that Tigers are waiting until they are strategically prepared fully to face retaliation by the security forces.
It is also confirmed that the LTTE is deploying the fighting cadres in close proximity to the Forward Defence Lines (FDL) in the general area of Nagarkovil and Muhamalai, two areas that come under Tiger control at present.
The Tiger tactic is believed to be the consolidation of their full power to launch a final attack in the North to recapture Jaffna on the one hand, and on other hand, to delay peace talks by haggling over time frames and agenda. They are supposed to raise objections on minor matters and mark time while their military wing would be operating on the ground awaiting the best time for negotiations.
Once they recapture Jaffna town, the group would be able to stand strong at the negotiation table. Under such circumstances, their strategy is to bargain on the peace deal and demand control of the East even without any military struggle. Tigers would seek to convince the peace mediators too of their power and persuade them to talk to the Government to consider their demand to achieve their Eelam target on the pretext of peace.
Tigers believe that it is not impossible provided the peace mediators would pressurize the Government because so far, the Government has paid heed to their instructions. So Tigers would believe that the Government would allow them to consolidate their power in the East.
Tigers are heavily upset about losing control in the East during the last couple of years, especially after the split of Karuna, and the LTTE's main agenda is to use the Government forces to stop Karuna's operations in the East. If they become successful in neutralising Karuna's group in the East, it would be a major achievement of Pirabaharan's Eelam dream.
The Government seems to be undecided yet whether to retaliate against the enemy or restrain oneself as in the past. Apart from the Army, what instructions were given to other two forces, the Navy and the Air force? The two commanders are still silent on their stance on the LTTE offensives against their soldiers.
Therefore, a joint military scheming is vital to face the Tigers in any possible offensive in the North, and it is also imperative to prepare such plans in time as rushing to war without strategies would harvest irreparable human losses to the forces as well as their firepower.
Due to the dearth of their cadres, Tigers have started a new scheme to give military training to the civilians in the area, and many people have already been trained to handle sophisticated weapons in emergency situations.
Military surveillance reports confirmed last week of LTTE military standoff near the FDLs and busy training of civilians at Thalaiadi, a few miles North of Elephant Pass. At the same time, they have distributed leaflets in the LTTE stronghold areas of the East inviting deserters to return to duty on a temporary basis. They have been advised to call upon the nearest LTTE camp and join the cadres at least for a temporary period of time.
Meanwhile, Bhanu - the head of the fighting unit of Batticaloa has been summoned to serve in the North. This has has led to speculation of an imminent LTTE onslaught on Jaffna. Bhanu is a contemporary of Karuna, who mainly masterminded and planned some most successful attacks on several major military camps including Mullaitivu and the Elephant Pass. They were jointly responsible for many other killing sprees in the East where hundreds of security personnel and civilians were killed during the past two decades.
Information has also been received that the LTTE has positioned its artillery gun range near the FDLs, which is another clue to their preparedness for a possible major attack on Jaffna.
While the situation in the North is becoming more volatile, the cadres in Colombo have been ordered to be ready with their missions to upset the day to day life in the city.
Tigers have pressurised their proxies, the TNA MPs to protest against the arrest of any Tamil person whether they are LTTE cadres or not and mobilize all other forces including NGOs which appear in the name of human rights to join their protest and blame the government.
The government has to give serious thought to the security situation in the city as the LTTE may launch attacks in the city's vital targets. They had a free run during the UNP regime and riding on the CFA loopholes, they were able to bring arms and ammunition to the city and hide them in strategic positions to be used on demand.
Though the Government launched search operations in the city, it is hard to think that they will be able to raid the caches of arms or the true perpetrators. In this column recently we revealed how the LTTE use Sinhala criminal gangs on Tiger missions and on other secret operations such as drug trafficking, murdering politicians, military intelligence officers and others labeled as LTTE opponents.
A think tank comprising intelligence, military officials of three forces and police and officers of other vital institutions such as emigration and immigration, customs, motor traffic etc should sit together and find out ways and means to combat this menace without delay if the government is to fight terrorism in the city.
Despite security operations and taking in of over 900 suspects for questioning, the crime rate in Colombo has not been reduced when considering the criminal incidents in the city during the last week.
Apart from the killings in the North and East, there were several murders reported within the Colombo city during the last seven days. Police failed to find out any information of the killers or motive of the killings including the murder of an Indian business executive working in Colombo.
The real murder groups may have evaded any arrest during the operation. The authorities should focus their attention on why they failed to nab them.
Any ordinary man could imagine that they would have left the area before hand and it is worth investigating how such criminals received the news of possible security operations in the metropolis. As we revealed in our past columns, the news could be leaked to them by those within the police and security forces who are also in the pay lists of narcotic kingpins and other criminal gangs. Therefore, working with the betrayers would bring dangers to the genuine officers.
It is the general understanding that there is a shortage of narcotics in the city after the recent security operations. However, when considering the quantity of drugs and suspects taken into custody, one cannot help believing that the city is sans a major drug nuisance. Why did the police fail to apprehend the drug kingpins and their massive stocks? The reason would be the leakage of the news to the culprits beforehand.
Two weeks before the police started its raids, the IGP during his speech to his subordinates in a training workshop said that he would start a war against city drug dealers. This could pass a good message to the culprits and all the wanted men in the city fled to safe houses here or abroad. They removed their large stocks to the disappointment of the cops. It is learnt that many drug kingpins have flown to India for holidays soon after the IGP's speech was telecast over certain television channels.
According to Tamilnet, there is no LTTE operations taking place in the North as all killings, kidnapping and other violence are done by unidentified gunmen. Therefore, the duty of the security forces is to get the culprits and identify them. The LTTE has already violated the CFA over 5000 instances, and on all such occasions, the Government response was very vague.
Apart from an official complaint to the SLMM, no tangible step was taken and knowing this lukewarm response, Tigers made it a point to continue with violations, and in the abscene of a strong mediator, the Government is compelled to be satisfied with their decisions.
This could be the major reason, that the LTTE is firm on keeping Norway as the facilitator and the mediator in peace talks. The President's proposal to appoint two parties as facilitator and monitor is most welcome, and such a move would justify both parties provided the plan gets realised.
However, it is hard to believe that the LTTE would go for an all out war with the Government openly, due to multiple reasons. A major reason among them is the possible objections from the residents in the area who would no longer be able to bear the sufferings of a fourth war.
Another reason is the LTTE's reluctance to see destruction of their rehabilitated infrastructure and lose revenue in the form of ransom and tax. They are also afraid of losing international sympathy and possible sanctions. Therefore, the LTTE would continue with their hit and run tactics to destabilise the normal life to create political instability.
Ferry service to transport Lankan refugees from Tamil Nadu
by Ananda Kannangara
The Nation Building and Development Ministry has focused special attention on resuming a ferry service between Talaimannar and Rameshwaram during the early part of this year to transport at least 60,000 Sri Lankan refugees currently seeking asylum in the State of Tamil Nadu.
The Ministry's effort of transporting the Lankan refugees who have been in South India during the past two decades, will be assisted by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees(UNHCR).
A recent research, carried out by the Ministry on Sri Lankan refugees in foreign countries, has revealed that a record number of Lankans had arrived in Tamil Nadu two decades ago due to the prevailing situation then in the Northern and Eastern districts in Sri Lanka during that period.
The research also indicates that many Lankan refugee families are also living in the other two thickly populated South Indian states of Karnataka and Andrapradesh. Ministry Secretary M.S. Jayasinghe told the Sunday Observer on Friday that the UNHCR has already undertaken responsibility of transporting refugees and at least 9000 from South India have been airlifted to Sri Lanka by them during the past three years.
Jayasinghe also admired the invaluable service rendered by the Indian Government by providing the Lankan refugees the necessary welfare facilities including food and lodging and also medical facilities during their stay. Asked whether refugees are also arriving in the country by illegal channels, Jayasinghe quoted recent reports and said that nearly 500 Lankan refugees arrived in the island, during the past three years by using illegally operated ferry services.
"However the refugees, arriving in illegal ways are handed over to the Government Agent by the Talaimannar Police and thereafter provided with necessary official documents such as National Identity cards to enable them to start their living in their original homes.
The Secretary further said that the majority of Lankan refugees presently in South Indian cities do not possess national identity cards or passports to prove their authenticity, since most of them had fled the country during the war period, leaving their personal belongings.
"However the Government is expected to provide any refugee coming back to the country with housing facilities and other needs," he added.
Dateline Colombo: Midday meal programme
Web posted at: 1/8/2006 3:15:17
Source ::: The Peninsula
The much awaited mid-day meal programme will begin on Monday with the participation of 3,100 schools to be later extended to 6,000 schools by January 19. In a statement, the government said the launching of the mid-day meal programme would fulfill another pledge made in the 'Mahinda Chinthana' election manifesto of President Mahinda Rajapakse. The first stage of the programme which has been estimated at Rs700m is to begin with grade one and two students and the other grades to be included later. A recent survey conducted by the Health Ministry has revealed that a quarter of the population was malnourished.
Policemen's kin worried
Family members of the three Sri Lankan policemen currently in Tamil rebel custody for several months have expressed concern that they would be sent to a rebel jail soon. Family members told Science and Technology Minister Tissa Witharana during a meeting that they had been given this information by LTTE media spokesman Daya Master in northern Kilinochchi recently. They are appealing to President Mahinda Rajapakse to intervene in the matter. The three officers were tracking a suspected British paedophile hiding in a northern area when the trackers apparently strayed into rebel territory.
Action against exam department
Education Minister Susil Premajayantha has ordered disciplinary action against Examination Department officials responsible for the discrepancies in the machine-aided evaluation of the GCE Advanced Level answer scripts. Newspapers said Premajayantha gave this assurance at a meeting held with the representatives of the Inter University Students' Federation (IUSF) to discuss the injustice caused to students. The marks of thousands of students have been held back due to a flawed machine. Meanwhile the department is bringing down the chief engineer of the Indian firm which supplied the OMR scanner that scanned the answers scripts to check the machine.
Protest against killlings
Hundreds of people launched a protest demonstration in Pettah, Colombo's old business district, on Friday against alleged killings and indiscriminate arrests of minority Tamils under emergency regulations. The demonstration was spearheaded by Western People's Front, Upcountry People's Front, United Socialist Party, The New Left Front, New Democratic Party, Trade Unions and other organizations, newspapers said. Demonstrators carried placards and banners with slogans such as "Stop Arresting People in the guise of the Emergency", "We denounce arrests of innocent Tamils" and "Is the Human Rights Commission Sleeping?"
Doctors fail to return home
Sri Lanka's Health Ministry will shortly publish a comprehensive list of doctors who have failed to return home from countries like England and Australia where they were sent on state sponsored scholarships. According to official statistics, there are 132 state doctors who have not returned home after completing their studies abroad.
Sri Lankan Navy bars Tamil fishermen to go to sea, say rebels
Colombo, Jan. 8 (AP): The Tamil Tiger rebels accused the Sri Lankan Navy Sunday of barring Tamil fishermen from going to the sea, a day after suspected insurgents rammed a fishing boat packed with explosives into a navy vessel, killing 13 sailors.
``The Sri Lankan Navy has banned fishing for Tamil fisherman in most sections of the north seas'' off the Jaffna Peninsula, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam said on their Web site.
The blockade forced about 1,000 families to move to rebel-held areas and was reminiscent of the navy's tactics before the government and the Tigers signed a truce four years ago to halt the island's civil war, it said.
Navy officials couldn't be immediately reached for comment.
The government has blamed the rebels for Saturday's attack on the navy vessel off the northeastern coast, the most serious of recent attacks that has put the truce of the verge of collapse.
``The incident has brought the cease-fire under pressure like never before,'' Hagrup Haukland, chief of the Norwegian-led Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission overseeing the Oslo-brokered 2002 truce, told The Associated Press on Saturday.
``The question is how long the Sri Lankan security forces can take it,'' Haukland said.
The rebels began fighting in 1983 for a homeland for Sri Lanka's 3.2 million ethnic minority Tamils, claiming discrimination by the island's 14 million Sinhalese. The war claimed 65,000 lives.
Saturday's attack killed 13 sailors and brought the death toll of security forces to 58 since Dec. 4, when a wave of anti-government attacks began. Authorities have blamed the Tigers, who have denied responsibility.
A similar 1995 attack in Trincomalee harbour _ near Saturday's incident _ shattered a brief truce between the two sides.
Defense Ministry spokesman Brig. Prasad Samarasinghe, said the two survivors told investigators the attacking boat emerged from a fleet of fishing boats. ``They say that the attacking craft emerged and collided with their vessel, triggering a huge explosion.'' Samarasinghe said.
Erik Solheim, the Norwegian official who brokered the Feb. 2002 cease-fire, was scheduled to visit Sri Lanka in late January to try restarting government-rebels peace talks, stalled due to disagreements over rebel demands for autonomy.
``LTTE attack, a provocation''
Diplomatic Correspondent
Task of Norway made difficult
NEW DELHI: The South Block views the latest Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam attack that killed 15 Sri Lankan Navy soldiers outside the Trincomalee harbour on Saturday as part of a pattern of deliberate provocations.
South Block officials said the idea seemed to be to demoralise the security forces on the one hand, and on the other, provoke the Government in Colombo into responding to the Tiger attacks.
Terming the latest attack on a Sri Lankan naval gunboat outside the Trincomalee harbour as a serious incident, the officials, however, said the attacks could lead to talks with the Government or spark a full-scale war.
The officials also felt the continuing attacks by the LTTE made the task of Norwegian negotiator Erik Solheim, who was scheduled to visit Sri Lanka towards January-end, even more difficult. "It remains to be seen whether Mr. Solheim will be able to meet [the LTTE chief, Velupillai] Prabakaran," the officials said.
Hit by attacks, S.Lanka's army take no chances
Sun Jan 8, 2006 11:19 AM IST
By Peter Apps
JAFFNA, Sri Lanka (Reuters) - Speeding along the rough roads of the Sri Lankan army-held Jaffna peninsula, guarded by armoured vehicles front and back, convoys transporting troops near Tamil rebel-held areas take no chances.
While a 2002 ceasefire is still technically holding, a string of suspected claymore fragmentation mine attacks on patrols and convoys in December -- the deadliest month by far since the truce -- killed 39 military personnel. Most troops patrolling Jaffna say they expect war.
"Last month, it changed," said 23-year-old Private Waduge Krishan Dehevapiya, like most soldiers one of the island's Sinhalese majority.
"We are scared. But we are soldiers. We know we will have to face that kind of strategy."
Sri Lanka's Tamil minority lives mostly in the island's north and east, where the Tamil Tiger rebels have a de facto state in most areas, except the Jaffna peninsula, which they have held intermittently and now want back.
In the latest violence, a navy Israeli-built Dvora patrol boat exploded off the northeastern coast on Saturday after being rammed by what officers said was a suspected Tiger suicide boat. Only two of the 15 crew were rescued and the others are missing, presumed dead.
Violence in the Tamil-dominated north has risen sharply since a Tiger boycott of the November presidential election helped President Mahinda Rajapakse win -- seen as the candidate least likely to cut a deal with the rebels. Analysts say the boycott suggests the Tigers are tired of the peace process.
Shortly after the election, the rebels warned they would "intensify their struggle" without new concessions and now say army atrocities in Jaffna could force them into war.
They say they are not behind the attacks, but few diplomats believe them. Neither side can agree a venue for talks.
The army deny their soldiers are abusing civilians, but say the language barrier hampers communication. Tamil courses are now being run, but officers say they should have started much earlier in a two-decade old war that has killed over 64,000.
But they say their most serious worry is safeguarding their supply routes, particularly around Jaffna -- which is cut off from the rest of the island by rebel territory, leaving the military to rely on resupply by air and sea.
HAIL OF STEEL
Within the peninsula itself, the army has only two main supply routes: the road from Jaffna town to the Palaly air base and the main road that runs to the northern border of rebel territory.
"If we had enough men, we would line the entire route," one officer said. "But we do not."
Instead, patrols -- some of only a couple of soldiers, some of sixty or so men -- repeatedly comb the roads, cutting back undergrowth and rooting through piles of rubble from the previous conflict for signs of mines or potential ambushes.
Two days before Christmas, the military says the rebels attacked a navy bus near the northwestern Mannar Sea.
A claymore fragmentation mine blasted a hail of steel ball bearings into the vehicle, which was then hit with rocket propelled grenade fire. Thirteen died.
After that and similar attacks near Jaffna, buses and trucks travel in convoy, often protected by South African-made Buffel armoured personnel carriers. Soldiers stand in bus doors and out of hatches on truck cab roofs, with AK-47s at the ready.
Some soldiers strap their flak jackets to the truck cab doors, hoping to protect the driver from any claymore blast so the vehicle keeps moving until it is out of the danger area.
But while soldiers say the attacks are pressuring troops -- some of whom have spent four years in the north and east, only rotating out for training -- they expect before long to be facing a Tiger offensive aimed at taking Jaffna.
"We are ready every day," said a senior officer. "We have to be. We cannot say it will happen. It is down to politics."