Defence Secretary opens monument in memory of War
Heroes:
Worldwide op to destroy Tiger network
*Military officers appointment to foreign service bears fruit
*Malaysia supporting Government
Sandasen MARASINGHE in Jaffna
Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said yesterday the Government
has initiated a massive intelligence operation to eliminate the
international LTTE network.
He said the international LTTE network was misleading the Tamil
community across the world distorting the real situation in the country.
Defence Secretary Rajapaksa told the media after a ceremony to open a
monument at Elephant Pass erected in memory of war heroes who sacrificed
their lives to eliminate the terrorism from the motherland, that the
government would initiate the operation in coordination with
intelligence services of other countries to make those governments and
the Tamil community aware of the real situation.
He expressed hope that more than 50 percent of the international LTTE
network would collapse by making the international communities aware of
the real situation of the country.
Secretary Rajapaksa said with the same objective the government has
decided to appoint senior high ranking military officers as ambassadors
and to such offices in the similar capacity where LTTE activities were
prominently in action.
He said the appointment of the military officers to the foreign
service had proved successful.
Citing an example, he said the attitude of the Malaysian government
and Tamil community there has changed after a Major General was
appointed the Sri Lankan Ambassador. The Malaysian government had
offered to support the Sri Lankan Government while the Tamil community
had offered to invest in Sri Lanka, he said.
The Defence Secretary said the government has identified three main
organizations across the world including the Global Tamil Forum that
funds the LTTE network.
The majority of the Tamil community living all over the world was not
pro LTTE but there were very little who attempt to reinvigorate LTTE
terrorism. The issue was that the voice of the few pro LTTErs was so
strong, he said. Secretary Rajapaksa said the government should not
allow them to rejuvenate LTTE terrorist organization likewise it
initiated as a small organization in late 70s and early 90s and
developed to be the most ruthless terrorist organization in the world
later. The intelligence operation was of paramount importance, he said.
The three Forces commanders and high ranking military officers were
present. |