Sri Lanka is still under threat - warns Defence Secretary

LTTE rump groups and pro-LTTE organizations are trying hard to achieve their separatist ideology in the country:

While this problem seems to be mostly international, we must realise there is a possibility, though a remote one at this stage, that terrorists will reorganize within this country. As mentioned before, one of the stated objectives of the LTTE-linked groups abroad is to encourage and facilitate the resumption of an armed struggle in Sri Lanka. There is ample evidence that members of these groups, as well as LTTE cadres who managed to flee Sri Lanka during the Humanitarian Operation, are consistently trying to contact various people within this country and encourage them to regroup militarily. We must not forget that there are also LTTE cadres who escaped detection and detention during the Humanitarian Operation, and are still at large in our society.

Unlike the detainees and surrendered cadres, these individuals have not undergone rehabilitation and their terrorist intentions may remain unchanged. Even among the cadres who were rehabilitated and reintegrated into society, there could still be some individuals who have not entirely given up their belief in militancy.

Although the power of the government to impede the activities of the LTTE-linked organizations abroad is limited, it has a much greater level of control within Sri Lanka. The Defence establishment is well aware of the potential threat of terrorism that continues to exist within this country. Action is being taken to guard against that potential threat becoming a real one.

National security

One of the primary ways to guard against the re-emergence of terrorism is the strengthening of our intelligence network. Intelligence is a critical tool in the fight against terrorism. During the Humanitarian Operation, numerous attempts to set off bombs in civilian areas and attacks on political targets were foiled through the work of our intelligence services. I have confidence that the regrouping of armed cadres and the re-emergence of terrorism can be similarly curtailed through these services. At the same time, it is of critical importance that the Security Forces maintain a strong presence in areas that were traditionally used by the LTTE for terrorist activities.

Unfortunately, there are some parties even within Sri Lanka that question why the Defence establishment continues to be so large and why so much money is allocated in the national budget for the Defence Ministry. These parties seem to have forgotten the lessons of the recent past. We all know how the LTTE sprang up from being a small group of armed militants into one of the world’s largest and deadliest terrorist organizations within a short number of years. At its peak, the LTTE had more than 30,000 cadres, and had an extremely sophisticated land fighting force, a deadly naval wing and a fledgling air wing. During the terrorist war the LTTE waged against this nation, approximately 30,000 military personnel lost their lives, more than 25,000 became disabled and many thousands of civilians perished at its hands.

The LTTE was a deadly threat, and it is only two and a half years since its military arm was defeated. We are very much aware of the efforts being undertaken in the international arena by the LTTE-linked groups to keep the separatist cause alive. The regrouping and reorganizing of terrorists within Sri Lanka is still a threat to our national security. It is only logical that the government takes every precaution it can to guard against it. Maintaining a sizeable Army and establishing camps in strategic locations throughout Sri Lanka is essential. This is particularly true of the jungle areas in which the LTTE established camps, and through which it conducted its terrorist operations against our Security Forces.

Similarly, we are aware that one of the greatest strengths of the LTTE was its ability to smuggle weapons acquired through funds raised abroad into Sri Lanka through the sea. The LTTE was the only terrorist organization in the world to develop an offensive air capability. It acquired this strength through light aircraft smuggled into Sri Lanka by way of the sea. In addition, it also smuggled in surface-to-air missiles, surface-to-surface missiles, artillery guns, heavy and medium mortar, armoured vehicles and enormous amounts of ammunition and explosives through the sea. To guard against the possibility of such things happening again, as well as to prevent other criminal activities including human trafficking, drug trafficking and also to prevent piracy in this region, it is essential that the capabilities of the Sri Lanka Navy be strengthened to enable it to dominate the sea.

Emergency regulations

In sum, even though the war ended two and a half years ago, there is still a need for the continued existence of a strong military within Sri Lanka. This is a fact that the vast majority of Sri Lankans are more than happy with. However, it is also a fact that a handful of people and groups with vested interests exploit in the political arena. They use the existence of a large military within Sri Lanka to manufacture claims about the 'militarisation' of this country. The thrust of the complaint is that the military has a pervasive influence on day-to-day affairs, particularly in the North and East. This is a wilful distortion of the actual picture.

It is true that the civilian administrative system was not fully functional in the immediate aftermath of the Humanitarian Operation. Therefore, for a short period of time after May 2009, the military stepped in to fill the breach and assist in administrative activities which are carried out by civilians. However, now that the situation has normalised and the civil service is back in place, the military is no longer involved in administration. Even when it comes to the upholding of law and order, the role of the military has been drastically curtailed with the lifting of the emergency regulations. Day-to-day law and order activities have been completely entrusted to the Police. The claim that the military is involved in every aspect of day-to-day life in the current context is a gross misrepresentation of reality.

It must also be emphasised that, as a sovereign state, Sri Lanka has every right to set up military establishments in any part of its territory. The role of the military is ensuring the safety, security and sovereignty of this country. To do this, it must be ready to face any force that threatens the nation, whether internally or externally. That is why it is essential that military establishments, whether Army, Navy or Air Force, should be positioned in strategic locations. There are military establishments in every part of Sri Lanka. There are camps not just in the North and East, but also in the South, the hill country and in Colombo. The claim that this represents militarisation is pure nonsense.

To be continued