Re-establish Civil Defence Force, to manage the bomb threat

Wg. Cdr. C.A.O. DIRCKZE (S.L.A.F. Retd.)

CIVIL DEFENCE FORCE: The attempt on the life of the Commander of the Army on April 25 by an LTTE suicide cadre, has sent shock waves throughout the country, particularly the City of Colombo.

The most alarming aspect is that the suicide bomber was able to penetrate the high security cordon of the army Headquarters. This operation has demonstrated that the LTTE currently have the capability to penetrate any target in the City.

This factor should be recognised, and appropriate steps should be taken to provide adequate security. The Police and the Army have appealed to the 'public' to extend their cooporation to the Services. It is my humble opinion that this cooporation should be 'organised' and 'directed'.

Conflict resolution and 'elimination'

Prabhakaran does not appear to have faith in resolving conflicts by 'negotiation'. Even in resolving conflicts within his own organisation his preferred method has been by 'elimination'.

That would appear to be the only philosophy he understands, it is the only system he has faith in. He will fight till he achieves his objective, or he is eliminated.

In his rules of conflict resolution there are no holds barred. He eliminated Lakshman Kadirgamar with a 'bullet' and he eliminated Ranil Wickremesinghe with his latest weapon, the Jaffna 'ballot'.

The Sri Lanka Government has pinned all its hopes and resources on a 'negotiated' settlement. This is indeed the only civilised method of resolving this problem, but having said that one must be realistic and play the game according to the ground rules.

Forgiveness

The President in his New Year 'message' to the Nation quoted the Bible. He said he was willing to forgive seventy times seven.

This indeed is a noble concept in resolving one's personal conflicts. But Mr. President when you are charged with resolving conflicts involving your countrymen, and the territorial integrity of our country, this is not a concept you can afford.

You are required to protect the lives of your countrymen, and the territorial integrity of Sri Lanka, with all the resources at your disposal. "Patience must not be taken as a weakness".

But when the LTTE makes a mockery of these concepts, and does take them as a manifestation of weakness, you have to play the game as per the ground rules. It was these ground rules that were applied when America and Briton attacked Iraq not so long ago.

It is accepted both locally and Internationally that the best solution to the current ethnic problem is a negotiated settlement.

But while making every effort to resolve the problem by negotiation, we must be prepared for the political and military activities of the LTTE that do not conform to the concepts of a negotiated settlement, and are aimed at weakening our ability to negotiate. In relation to the present ground situation we would have to concede a lot of 'ground' to bring the LTTE to the negotiating table, let alone agreeing to a settlement. It is precisely for these reasons that in 1995.

General Anuruddha Ratwatte, the then Deputy Minister of Defence established the Civil Defence Force. The Civil Defence Force was established to:

a). Provide 'information'.

b). Provide Pre-Disaster Management Training.

c). Provide Post-Disaster Management Training.

d). Promote communal harmony.

e). Provide Civilians the opportunity to Contribute to the on going war effort.

Providing 'Information'

In the present situation this is a vital component, because the State Information Facility is being systematically eliminated by the LTTE.

Every 'street' in any given Police Station Area should establish a 'street' CDF Unit comprising at least one member from every household in that street. The weapons of the members of the 'CDF' street Units' are only their 'eyes and ears'.

They would be required to be "vigilant and observant" and to provide "information" pertaining to, new comers, suspicious movements and activities, etc. in their respective streets that would help to identify LTTE safe houses, the presence of LTTE cadres in their respective streets, etc. This system will not provoke a public outcry of harassment.

Pre-disaster bomb threat management

An analysis of the sequence of major 'activities' involved in the total operation from manufacturing to exploding a bomb at a selected target provides the information required to prevent the LTTE from achieving their objective.

The Dehiwela Railway Station bomb disaster was a disaster that should not have occurred, because the bomb was identified after the LTTE 'introduced' it into the compartment, but before they 'exploded' it.

The LTTE activities in relation to the manufacture and explosion of bombs in the City of Colombo which are conducted from a Safe House.

a). Bomb assembled or manufactured at the safe house.

b). Transported to the targeted area.

c). Introduced into the targeted area and finally

d). Bomb explodes.

Pre-disaster bomb management: Therefore the requirement is to take measures at each activity level to prevent the final activity which is the exploding of the bomb.

The identification of safe houses by the CDF Street Units would prevent the assembling/manufacturing activity.

Road blocks and security checks by the Services would prevent the transportation activity. It must therefore be appreciated that it is possible though difficult to 'manage' the pre-disaster bomb threat.

Post-disaster management

Analysing the probable post-disaster: The first requirement in post-disaster management is to identify the Threat and Analyse the probable Consequences.

Had the thousands of people who lost their lives in the tsunami been aware of the threat and the consequences most of them would have taken 'preventive' measures and would have been alive today.

The 'threat' for the purposes of this article has been identified as a 'bomb explosion' in a multi-storey office building in a congested part of the City of Colombo.

The "Consequences" Due to the Explosion. The degree of the consequences of the explosion will depend on the "distance" of the explosion from the target and any 'shielding' between the explosion and the target. The consequences of a bomb explosion are:

a) Loss of life and limb.

b) 'Shattering' of glass. This aspect has been not only the cause for the loss of life, but has been the cause for more than half the injuries due to bomb blasts in our multi-storey buildings.

c) Structural damage to the life saving facilities, such as fire escapes, stairways, lifts, etc. which would cause occupants to be trapped in the building.

d) Multiple Fires, which would cause loss of life and property, and also collapse of the building.

e) Damage to fire suppression equipment.

f) Total power failure, plunging the building into darkness.

g) Chaos, within the building and outside too, preventing ambulances, fire vehicles, rescue personnel, etc. from responding to the scene of the disaster.

h) Looting at the scene of the disaster, which unfortunately has become a common occurrence.

i) Congestion at the hospitals.

NOTE. The debris should not be disturbed, unless absolutely necessary.

Post-disaster management: The most important function of the CDF in the current situation would be to provide training in relation to 'managing' the consequences of the bomb explosion to ensure that the consequences are reduced to a level as low as reasonably practicable.

For this purpose the Management of the targeted institutions are required to establish their 'In-house Post-Disaster Management Teams'.

These Teams will be trained by the CDF Staff in the aspects required to prevent or mitigate the identified consequences of the threat. In relations to the consequences of the bomb threat the teams will be trained in the following areas:

a) Traffic control, to ensure that responding ambulances and fire vehicles are not obstructed and delayed.

b) Crowd control.

c) First aid and casualty handling.

d) Fire fighting.

e) Security to prevent looting.

Promoting communal harmony

The members of the CDF Street Units will meet at least once a month to discuss CDF agenda, and to promote communal harmony in their respective streets. Collective action for a common cause will bind together people from all walks of life, and therefore will promote communal harmony.

Worthwhile contribution

The Civil Defense Force provides every Sri Lankan the opportunity to make his or her contribution, however small, to resolve the ethnic problem, and preserve the territorial integrity of our little Island.

It is not just an opportunity, it is an Obligation. We must all make our contribution. This contribution is not financial, it is a personal contribution that requires our 'time' that is called for, from every one of us.

The writer is Fellow of Fire Engineers U.K. & Industrial Security Foundation Sri Lanka Consultant, Disaster Management, former Commandant, Civil Defence Force.