STF confident of meeting LTTE threat in East

A series of hit and run attacks in the east, particularly directed at the renegade Karuna faction has prompted Army headquarters to review security measures in place to meet the LTTE challenge.

The army top brass has expressed serious concern over what a security official called an alarming increase in LTTE activity. LTTE infiltrators have claimed the lives of a dozen Karuna loyalists in the recent past.

Military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said that action was being taken to neutralise the threat. "They are operating in small groups trying to cause panic," he told News-lanka yesterday. He speculated on the possibility of the presence of sleepers awaiting orders to launch operations.

With the army pulling out bulk of the infantry and support units for operations on the Vanni front, the Special Task Force (STF) has had to play a pivotal role in anti-insurgency operations in the East.

STF Commandant DIG K. M. L. Sarathchandra told News-lanka that the LTTE was making a desperate bid to make its presence felt in the East.

He said some of the infiltrators had been killed and their arms, ammunition and equipment recovered in operations carried out by his troops. A confident STF chief said that the LTTE wouldn’t be allowed to exploit the situation.

"We are on a heightened state of alert and will do everything possible to destroy them," he said.

Responding to our queries, he said that the LTTE had launched a major false propaganda campaign to deceive the Tamil Diaspora and people living in the South. He said that reports on several successful LTTE attacks on the STF had been posted on the pro-LTTE Tamilnet in the recent past. But nothing could be more ridiculous than the claim that the Jayanthan Brigade killed ten police commandos and wounded two at Koappaaveli on the Badulla road on November 4. TamilNet also claimed that the STF had lost three personnel two days later during a 30-minute confrontation in the Panama area.

The STF chief said that LTTE propagandists had based the two false reports on actual confrontations between LTTE cadres and his troops. "We didn’t lose any personnel although police commando Bandara received gunshot injuries during the second encounter," he said. According to him, the LTTE had lost one cadre identified as Satyamurthi.

The LTTE claimed that one of their units Friday (November 7) had killed four Sri Lankan military personnel including three police commandos and wounded two police commandos at Kohilaela, Tampitiya in the Ampara District whereas the victims were two Civil Defence Force personnel and a policeman providing security to farmers, he said.

He said that over 500 fresh commandos would be available for deployment in a few months. He said that the STF was deployed in the Ampara and Batticaloa Districts and a section in Yala. By end of this year, the STF would take over the entire Yala, he said.

Hora’ Police

The Police Headquarters Friday assured immediate disciplinary action against some personnel of the Siyambalanduwa Police Station with regard to their alleged failure to act against five persons from Galamuna area who were caught with some invaluable ancient artefacts in August, with the Policemen themselves pocketing the same items.

ASP Neil Hettiarachchi, of the Crime Division told The Nation, that though there had been department lapses when it came to Police functions, they were not trying to hide anything or whitewash any wrongdoers.

Several accusations were made against the Siyambalanduwa Police in connection with the finding of a small box full of jewellery believed to have belonged to Queen Sugala of the Polonnaruwa period, while the four persons were clearing a sugar cane cultivation of weeds and the subsequent recovery of these items by the area Police without either producing the youth or the jewellery in court.

Responding to further charges that the investigations conducted by Police Headquarters into the incident were also covered up, ASP Hettiarachchi said, instructions had been given to Moneragala Division, SSP G.D.A.K. Senaratne, who is legally responsible in carring out an investigation, to see whether these Police personnel have acted dishonourably in handling the case and whether there have been any department lapses. They will also send a report to the SSP Moneragala mentioning the necessary actions that should be taken against the Policemen involved.

However, contradicting the Crime Division ASP’s statement, SSP Senaratne, sounded highly agitated, when asked about the case. “Why are you asking me? There is a Police Spokesman. Go and ask him or the people at the Crime Division who had given several statements to the papers. There are some officers in the Police who like to see their names in the paper, but I have no such interest,” SSP Senaratne said.Commenting further he insisted, “This is not relevant to me, so don’t ask me. The Crime Division should make suggestions about what disciplinary action should be taken, as they handled the inquiry and they should give instructions to the Siyambalanduwa Police.”

H.M. Kusumawathie who initially brought the case to light and levelled charges against the Police said that four youth, amongst whom was her son, had gone to a sugar cane cultivation at Helamulla area in Galamuna, Siyambalanduva to uproot weeds on August 13 as manual labourers. Ajith (15) one of the five workers had unearthed a small box when he was digging weeds with a mammoty. They had found in the box nine precious stones along with seven rings and a pendant in which the picture of a lady was carved.

The five had distributed the valuables among themselves amicably. Suranga (21), son of Kusumawathie, had received three gems, two rings and the box they were found in. Dinesh Saliya (14), who was given a gem and a ring, had sold his gem believed to be worth more than Rs. 1 million for just Rs. 200,000 to a famous gem merchant at Kahawatte, Ratnapura through a neighbour. On the way back home, Dinesh had described the story to a relative in the area and this relative of Dinesh in turn had tipped off the Siyambalanduva Police about the find, citing the names of Suranga and Janaka (22).

According to Kusumawathie, when the Police visited their houses on August 30, Suranga had not been there as he had gone for an interview to join the Civil Defence Force. Unable to find the duo and not getting any information from other villagers the cops had gone back empty handed that day. A team of Police personnel with eight homeguards including IP Indunil of Helamulla Police Post, SI Sarathchandra, of the Intelligence Unit of Siyambalanduva Police have allegedly revisited the suspects’ residences the following day on 10 motorcycles. The cops had allegedly grilled Suranga for more than one and half hours and threatened to kill him if he failed to hand over the valuables to them, according to Kusumawathie. When she inquired why they questioned her son for so long, the cops had said that it was none of her business and they just collected some information as Suranga was to join the homeguards.

Complainant Kusumawathie said that Suranga had handed over all the valuables he had hidden in his aunt’s house to the cops, not knowing they were priceless antiques. IP Indunil had allegedly told Suranga that he would teach him a good lesson if he breathed even a word of it to anybody. Similarly, the Police had recovered the rest of the valuable stones and the jewellery and also collected Rs. 150,000 and the ring from Dinesh’s possession at gun point. Janaka had run away from the village when the Police arrived, but his share too had been seized by the Police.

She said, the four youth were summoned to the Police Station to record statements on September 4 and they were released after seven hours. None of the statements had been read out to the suspects by the Police and they had simply made them sign what was given to them. They had been ordered not to go out of their houses by the Police, Kusumawathie added.

Irked by the injustice meted out to them, Kusumawathie had then written a letter to the President on September 8, informing him of what happened to them, as these youth could not go out to even earn something because of the Police directive. Then she had informed OIC, IP Chaminda Rohana of the Police Unit set up at the Archaeological Department to tackle theft and destruction of artefacts

Only after OIC Chaminda and a Police team returned to Colombo after recording statements from relevant persons at Galamuna, under the instruction of SSP Amarasinghe, Director Crimes Division on September 14, that IP Indunil and SI Sarathchandra, had hastened to arrest the suspects the following day in connection with keeping artefacts.

About five days after their arrest, four persons, including Ajith’s father, were produced before the Moneragala Magistrate on September 16.

Kusumawathie criticised the arbitrary actions of the Police and said that innocent village youth were sent to remand prison, while the cops who took the artifacts and kept them illegally were free. She said Janaka had allegedly handed over his share to the Police through a Minister, soon after the incident and had pleaded guilty to the charges against him. The Moneragala Magistrate Court released him on Rs.50,000 bail on November 5. Suranga had surrendered to court through a lawyer on October 31. When the case was taken up in court on November 7, all five suspects were further remanded till November 14 and the applications submitted seeking bail for two of the suspects, who are students aged 14 and 15, were rejected by the court.

She sighed: “We are poor villagers who cannot even afford to live, how can we afford to proceed with legal action. My innocent child is in remand with the other four. All the family members, including me, cannot go out to earn something as we are running here and there to obtain their release and to visit them. I was utterly discouraged by what Moneragala SSP Senaratne said when I was summoned on October 18. He said the Police have power to do whatever they wish and asked whether we can go against Police authority.

Meanwhile, The Nation learns that one of the homeguards, Amila serving under IP Indunil, who had allegedly been given a ring, collected from the suspects, had committed suicide. It is speculated that he took his life fearing that he would have to face consequences if he was exposed.

Army Commander’s term heading for extension

All indications are Army Commander Lt. Gen. Sarath Fonseka will be given a further extension of one year on reaching the age of 58 in December, in order to complete the job of bringing the LTTE to its knees, militarily.

Sources said that with the Army performing well on all fronts, there was no necessity to even consider changing its Commander, especially with the incumbent being held in high esteem by his fighting men.

This week saw some key positions in the Army changing hands. Master General Ordinance, Maj. Gen. Asoka Thoradeniya was moved to Army Headquarters with his retirement due on December 8. Eastern Commander Maj. Gen. Dhammika Liyanage succeeded as Master General Ordinance. Maj. Gen. Srinath Rajapaksa, the Commander of 51 Division assumed duties as Commander East. Commander of 21 Division Brig. Priyantha Jayasundera took over the command of 51 Division. Second in Command of 57 Division Brig. Senaka Wickramaratne assumed command of 21 Division. Col. Aruna Wanniarachchi who headed the 52-2 Brigade rose as Deputy Commander of 57 Division. These changes were effected by Military Secretary Maj. Gen. Deepal Alwis.

Army Headquarters Sources said soon 33 Colonels will be elevated to the rank of Brigadier. In addition, the Army Commander has ordered raising the cadre of generals in the force by four.

At least five senior major generals are scheduled to retire next year on reaching the age of 55, unless they are given extensions by the President.

Opposition gears for Budget fight

Opposition moves are underway to defeat the government’s Budget for 2009, although the government currently possesses a clear majority to have it passed with relative ease.

Against overwhelming numerical odds, the main opposition United National Party (UNP) vowed to defeat the 2009 Budget, claiming it had a moral obligation to do so on the grounds that the proposals are not pro-people.

Speaking to The Nation, UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake said despite the current numbers in Parliament which give the government a very clear majority with 117 MPs, with the combined opposition comprising only 107, the UNP considers it a number one priority to defeat the Budget.

However, the opposition has a tough fight on its hands, with the Wimal Weerawansa led National Freedom Front (NFF) likely to swing the government’s way during the Budget vote, bolstering the UPFA’s numbers to 128.

Meanwhile, speculation is rife that the main opposition and the SLFP Mahajana Wing led by Mangala Samaraweera are trying to win back a few UNP dissidents between now and the third reading of the Budget, but given the numerical odds, the opposition would require at least 20 additional MPs to stand a chance.

Asked how the UNP would garner the requisite numbers to pull off a Budget defeat, Attanayake responded that it would be done, although the details of the manoeuvres could not be revealed ahead of time. He said the TNA and the JVP had been very clear about voting against the Budget.

JVP Leader Somawansa Amarasinghe confirmed that his party has decided it will vote against the Budget. “We will support the vote for the Defence Ministry, but other than that this Budget offers no respite whatsoever for the people,” he said.

However, he admitted that the government had the necessary majority to get the Budget passed.
The government, meanwhile, expressed confidence that the Budget will pass with ease. “We do not have any doubts about the Budget being passed and we are absolutely sure there will be no difficulty in doing so,” said Leader of the House and Health Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva.

TN Muppet show

The jingoistic comedies staged recently in Tamil Nadu to express 'solidarity' with Sri Lanka's "Eezham Tamils facing genocide" throws light on a truth unpalatable to the island's self-styled peace-makers and anti-war crusaders. It is that as long as the likes of the LTTE proxy, so-called Tamil National Alliance, the loony Left and sections of the Tamil-owned media here do not want to sever their political 'umbilical cord' with the 60 million Tamils across the Palk Strait the large majority of Sinhalas will consider themselves – rightly or wrongly – a besieged community. And that will never be conducive to genuine goodwill among communities no matter what political solutions are imposed on the country.

The roots of this siege mentality may be traced back to the time when the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) won a majority of seats in Tamil Nadu - then the State of Madras – defeating the Congress Party in the Indian General Elections of February 1967. According to Sri Lankan Historian, the late Professor Tennekoon Wimalananda, Madras State's then Chief Minister K. Bhakthawaksalam – conceding defeat - said that the DMK victory would mark the beginning of a pestilence that would spread throughout the Madras State. As far Sri Lanka is concerned Bhakthawasalam was prophetic.

If we are to refresh our memory, DMK sprang up primarily as a movement against Brahmin supremacy and caste discrimination in South India. Then known as Dravidar Kazhagam or DK, its founder Periyar E.V. Ramaswamy – better known as E.V.R. – belonged to the launderers' caste. The movement led to the formation of DMK as a political party under C.N. (Conjeevaram Natarajan) Annadurai, popularly called Anna. He was Tamil Nadu's first non-Congress Chief Minister. In fact it was during his term (in 1969) that Madras State was renamed Tamil Nadu.

The Tamil nationalist theme in the writings and speeches of DK and DMK leaders attracted many scholars, teachers and students who became members or sympathizers of DK and DMK. After the 1967 election victory Anna invited Tamils from Fiji, Mauritius, Malay Peninsula, Mombassa, Tanganyika and Sri Lanka to a conference held to discuss the formation of a World Tamil Movement. The Sri Lankan delegation to this conference comprising 234 members was considered as the largest delegation. Federal Party stalwart M. Thiruchelvam QC was given a special place at this 'cultural' conference.

LTTE leader Prabhakaran's lament that 80 million Tamils the world over have no independent state of their own has roots in the ideas raised at this conference.

DMK wanted to strive for an independent Tamil Nadu (Tamil Homeland) with the eventual creation of a Dravidian Federation called "Dravida Nadu" (Dravidian State). But DMK was compelled to abandon its "independence for Tamil Nadu" demand in 1963 immediately after the Indian Parliament passed the 16th Amendment to the Indian Constitution that banned advocates of separatism from running for public offices. (Ironically in Sri Lanka, the TNA - which openly expresses support for the separatist LTTE terrorists - are still in Parliament despite having blatantly violated the pledge given to defend the unitary State when being sworn in as MPs)

The Dravida Nadu idea ended up as a day-dream since there was hardly any support for it from the other three South Indian States –Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala. And DMK failed to fulfill the promises it gave the people in the 1967 election campaign. The party was unable to bring down the price of varieties of grain or increase the water ration given per person in that parched land. So in order to save its crumbling image the DMK diverted public attention to Sri Lanka. The movement hoped to spread their tentacles to the island's Eastern, Central, Uva and Sabaragamuwa Provinces through plantation Tamils. It seemed as if the DMK considered Sri Lankan Tamils the way Hitler looked at Sudeten Germans – all part of one nation.

ir Force Fighter jets destroy two Sea Tiger bases

Sri Lanka Air Force fighter jets launched precision air strikes targeting two key LTTE Sea Tiger bases located on the Vettalaikerni coast, Northeastern shores in the island this evening (Nov 3).

Air Force spokesperson Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara speaking to defence.lk said that the air strikes were launched around 6 PM.

He said, the first air strike was taken at a Sea Tiger base located in the Kadaikadu area , 3 Km west of Vettaliakerni at 6.05 PM. The targeted terrorist base has caught in flames , he added citing air intelligence reports.

Speaking further he said that the second raid was raid was taken at Sea Tiger base located 1.5 km west of Vettalaikerni.