LTTE's provocative acts and Government's right to defend national security

Ranil WIJEPALA

CFA VIOLATIONS: As the dates for the Peace Talks were fixed for October 28 and 29 in Geneva with the agreement of the Government and the LTTE with Norwegian facilitators, the Tigers in line with their usual pattern has intensified its tactics to turn the situation in their favour.

LTTE were in desperate need to show the international community that they were the only party sticking to the Ceasefire Agreement and the Government was the protagonist in CFA violations.

While agreeing for talks Thamilselvan, the Tiger political wing leader in his deliberations with Norwegian special peace envoy Jon Hanssen Bauer in a message to the Government say the LTTE would fully withdraw from the Ceasefire Agreement if the Government continues with its operations.

But the Government without succumbing to those pressures, clearly indicated to the LTTE through the Norwegian facilitators that it reserves its right to defend national security and also the right to face any LTTE attacks.

There was no double standards in the Government message as it clearly demonstrated during the past few months its commitment to peace negotiations and also for the national security.

As the LTTE was aware that they were not militarily strong to have a strong voice during peace negotiations in Geneva the LTTE made several attempts to blow up their military power after making a number of failed attempts to breach Security Forces defences in the North and East.

But they never forgot to point the accusing finger towards the Security Forces and make them responsible for all confrontations that erupted in the North and East.

But the Government did not waver from its position and President Mahinda Rajapaksa when he met the Ambassadors of the Co-chair countries of the Tokyo donor conference gave the same message to them.

The most recent defeats suffered by the LTTE in face of retaliatory fire of the Security Forces has dislocated them from many of the areas they were holding earlier due to their failed attempts to breach Security Forces Defences.

The Security Forces were able to deter another LTTE attempt to pose a major threat to the Security Forces in Trincomalee strengthening their positions in the West of Muttur by smoothly moving to the area forcibly held by the LTTE in violation of the CFA last Sunday.

The news came to Army Commander Lt. General Sarath Fonseka when he was participating at the annual flag blessing ceremony at the Sacred Sri Maha Bodhi in Anuradhapura with the participation of all Regimental Commanders.

The Army Commander had good reasons to be happy about it as areas west of Muttur provided strategic locations for the LTTE following the fallout of Sampur to pose a major threat to the Trincomalee harbour.

Nobody can disagree with the move by the Security Forces as it was a matter that had to be given utmost attention given that Trincomalee harbour has now turned out to be the life line of the entire Jaffna population including the Security Forces following the closure of the A-9 road.

As the LTTE was not fulfilling any humanitarian requirements the Security Forces had to take the responsibility of fulfilling those humanitarian tasks using the Trincomalee harbour as their main op erational centre.

Under these circumstances Security Forces did not want to have a single doubt about the security of the Trincomalee harbour and had to decide on this move as a matter of urgency.

Troops of the Special Forces moved into the areas west of Muttur and recommenced dominating Upparu, Manirasakulam, Gange in the South of Trincomalee following the receipt of intelligence reports that LTTE was constructing bunker lines in the area.

According to sources they faced least resistance from the LTTE and were able to flush small pockets of LTTE cadres from the area.

The move by the Security Forces also boosted the confidence of the civilian population in Muttur who are now resettling in the area after a month long displacement from their habitats due to LTTE offensive operations on August 1 and also for the development activities that are to be taken place in Sampur.

The Security Forces also captured the controversial Manirasakulam LTTE camp which was built in violation of the CFA under Security Forces control.

As Security Forces were clearing all LTTE threats towards them the LTTE continued with its tactics to demonstrate the Security Forces as the protagonist of all CFA violations urging the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission to visit Security Forces Forward Defence Lines in Jaffna.

It was not certain as to why Thamilselvan made such an appeal from the Truce Monitors under present conditions as the LTTE continued its artillery and mortar towards Jaffna FDLs.

The narrow escape of the media team from Colombo close to Muhamalai FDL was the most recent example that demonstrated the insecurity prevailing at the FDL in Muhamalai.

The request from Thamilselvan also come at a time the LTTE was concentrating their artillery and mortar fire towards the newly established FDLs in Muhamalai and also at a time LTTE was complaining that Security Forces are poised to launch a major offensive in Jaffna.

Secretary General of the Secretariat for Co-ordinating the Peace Process Dr. Palitha Kohona conveyed to the Nordic Truce monitors the difficulty they were facing to arrange a visit to FDLs in Jaffna vis-a-vis the security of the truce monitors.

It seems to be a timely decision by the Government as the LTTE action to breach the Security Forces defences in Muhamalai, Kilaly and Nagarkovil caused heavy fighting on Wednesday.

The Security Forces in the FDLs in Muhamalai and Kilaly in the face of heavy volumes of artillery fire directed towards them had to move out of their defences to neutralise the LTTE gun positions in Pallai area and also to chase away the LTTE cadres who made a desperate attempt to breach defences in the area.

Heavy fighting broke out in the area at 6.15 am on Wednesday compelling the troops from the 55 division in Ussan and from the 53 division to retaliate the LTTE fire power directed from Pooneryn and Pallai areas.

Sources said that LTTE had directly focused their 122 mm and 150 mm artillery guns toward the ground troops who were chasing out the LTTE cadres attempting to breach the defences in Muhamalai and Kilaly.

The Air Force and the Navy assisted the Ground troops blocking the LTTE reinforcements toward the area and engaging the LTTE artillery and mortar positions in Pallai and Pooneryn.

According to sources LTTE faced severe blows in the confrontation in the FDLs of Muhamalai, Kilaly and Nagarkovil as more than two hundred of their cadres perished in the battle.

The claim of the Security Forces was proved on Wednesday that the LTTE was engaged in a provocative act by directing continuous artillery fire towards the Muhamalai FDL as they put the death trap for more than 100 soldiers who went ahead of the FDL to drive out LTTE cadres out of their defences.

At the final count following Wednesday encounter in Jaffna FDLs the Army declared that 55 of their soldiers were killed and an entire company consisting of 78 soldiers were missing while more than 225 soldiers were declared as Wounded in Action.

The LTTE too suffered heavy in the encounter as 200 of their cadres were killed while large numbers have been declared casualties.

The saga at FDLs in Jaffna on Wednesday confirmed that the LTTE while pointing accusing fingers at the Security Forces had gathered their fire power in Pooneryn and Pallai area with the sole intention of blowing up its military image to have better bargaining power at the peace talks slated for October 28 and 29 in Geneva.

But the international community has not forgotten how the LTTE engaged in provocative acts by killing more than 60 innocent civilians in Kebithigollewa and attempting to blow up unarmed troops carrying vessels Jet Liner and Pearl Cruiser II.

More interestingly the international community will never forget the hardships the civilian population are now undergoing in the North and East due to inhumane acts of the LTTE.