Army officers deplore Sripathi's comments

COLOMBO: The Security Forces yesterday questioned whether they had unearthed the biggest weapons haul belonging to the LTTE from a 'desert' as mentioned by former Minister Sripathi Sooriyaarachchi, belittling their achievements in the East.

Speaking to the Daily News on the condition of anonymity, some high ranking Army officials said it was ridiculous to hear such statements from a former Minister who spoke in a completely different tone in the past.

"I doubt whether he is blind to talk like this since the entire world saw how thousands of civilians fled Vakarai. Did they abandon a desert ?," a senior Army official queried.

"We were able to capture the biggest haul of weapons from Vakarai and Kathirveli. We are still unearthing a large number of weapons including artillery guns and mortars.

"If someone tries to belittle these achievements he does not know the history of this conflict," he added.

Another Army officer who also spoke to the Daily News on the condition of anonymity questioned as to how Security Forces were able to kill more than 700 LTTE cadres if they captured a 'desert'.

"We know we should clear Mullaitivu and Kilinochchi. But we should do it step by step, not in the manner suggested by former Minister Sripathi," he added.

A field commander of the East said the former Minister should understand the strategic importance of the East before making such foolish comments to the press.

"He should first know that Trincomalee has been suggested as the capital of the imaginary Tamil Eelam. If someone says that the East is not important for the Security Forces it demonstrates a lack of knowledge of the subject," the Army officer added.

Before making such foolish statements Sooriyarachchi should understand the humanitarian background which compelled the Security Forces to undertake military operations in the East, he noted.

"If former Minister Sooriyaarachchi says things like this we cannot imagine what sort of statements the LTTE would issue in the near future.

The statement by the former Minister goes beyond the statements issued by the LTTE political wing leader S.P. Thamilselvan after the Security Forces captured Sampur," the Army official added.