The Sunday Times The Situation Report

3rd December 2000

Security forces gearing for crackdown on LTTE

Prime Minister, Ratnasiri Wickremanayake, had last Wednesday evening returned to his residence at Stanmore Crescent, now a high security zone that remains sealed off from public access in view of many a VIP abode being located in the area.

That evening the telephone rang. An aide rushed to him to say it was a call from London. President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, had been calling him regularly since she arrived there on November 24 to talk on matters relating to affairs of State. That evening she had a special message for Premier Wickremanayake – swear in Minister Anuruddha Ratwatte as Deputy Minister of Defence. She also wanted Prof. G.L. Peiris sworn in as the Deputy Minister of Finance. Unlike earlier, the latter did not receive the Planning portfolio leading to reports that Minister S.B. Dissanayake would be sworn as Deputy Minister to hold that subject.

The very next day, Premier Wickremanayake swore in Ministers Ratwatte and Peiris as Deputy Ministers of Defence and Finance respectively. He was not aware of the reason for the sudden directive from London. It came just six days after he was sworn in by Speaker Anura Banda-ranaike, as acting Minister of Defence. From that day, Mr. Wickremanayake has been in touch with security forces commanders almost on a daily basis. The focus will now shift to Minister Ratwatte.

Despite many reports to the contrary, the fact that Minister Ratwatte would be re-appointed Deputy Minister of Defence, remained a reality since the outcome of Parliamentary elections on October 10, as revealed in these columns periodically. However, the fact that the re-appointment came all of a sudden, on a telephone directive by President Kumaratunga from London, has raised many an eye brow not only in the defence establishment but also in political circles.

Even the main opposition United National Party, which has remained subdued and inactive since the Parliamentary elections, rose to take exception. Its former General Secretary and now Assistant Leader, Gamini Atukorale, described it as a "slap in the face of democracy." He said there were charges against Minister Ratwatte and his sons. President Kumaratunga had declared those who faced such charges would not get

key posts, he pointed out.

Notwithstanding that official position of the UNP, some of its MPs had shaken hands with Minister Ratwatte and congratulated him on his victory at the polls. That came in the lobbies of the Sri Jayawardha-napura-Kotte Parliamentary complex. Perhaps that is also in keeping with finer democratic traditions.

It was only last week I reported in these columns the reasons for a delay in Minister Ratwatte's re-appointment as Deputy Defence Minister. A highly placed Government source said second thoughts arose over placing the Police Department, or the law and order machinery, in his hands. This was particularly in view of Minister Ratwatte's controversial election campaign in the Kandy district.

Why did President Kumaratunga change her mind, six days after entrusting the subject of defence to Premier Wickremanayake, before leaving for London ? There were all forms of speculation in People's Alliance circles with even some Ministers, who believed he would not be re-appointed, finding it difficult to believe Thursday's swearing in.

Whatever the reasons are, Minister Ratwatte's re-appointment as Deputy Minister of Defence, comes at an important phase of the ongoing separatist war. It is further supplemented by the fact that President Kumaratunga's return to Sri Lanka would be delayed by at least two or more weeks. Even if the country has seen the dawn of a peace offensive, with LTTE leader, Velupillai Prabhakaran's call for "unconditional talks" with the Government, just four months after the nation was put on a "War Footing," both sides are girding themselves for war.

Last Monday, in his annual "Heroes Day" speech, Mr. Prabhakaran declared that the LTTE was prepared for what he called unconditional peace talks. Yet, he insisted on "a process of de-escalation of war and the creation of a conducive climate of goodwill and normalcy in the Tamil homeland to facilitate such talks" – demands that undoubtedly are pre-requisites or pre-conditions. He also made it clear "whatever the challenges we have to face, regardless of the obstacles we must overcome, whichever force opposes us, our liberation movement is determined to liberate Jaffna."

The man who is now holding sway in Jaffna, Douglas Devananda, leader of the Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP) and Minister of Development, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction of the North and Tamil Affairs (North and East), reacted angrily to Mr. Prabhakaran's statements including severe criticism on his party.

His interview with The Sunday Times appears on this page.

Whilst making his call for "unconditional peace talks," Mr. Prabhakaran has stepped up his military campaign against the security forces. Some efforts were thwarted after the plans were discovered.

One such case was at Chilaw where a 10 kilo bomb being transported to an unknown location, was found by the Police on November 25.

It was on board bus No 63-3486. Security forces also discovered a 15 kilo bomb at Manthottam near Vavuniya.

Last Tuesday, a land mine explosion killed seven civilians travelling in a bus at Herath Halmillewa, Kebetigollewa. On Thursday Tiger guerrillas exploded a landmine at Parayanankulam on the Vavuniya – Mannar Road killing two officers, seven soldiers and the civilian driver. Nine others were injured. The incident occurred when an Army bus was transporting soldiers who had returned after leave.

In another incident, around the same time on Thursday, at Nilaveli, near Trincomalee, four Naval ratings were killed and four more were wounded. How the incident really occurred is now being investigated by Naval authorities.

According to reports they have received, there are suspicions that a Navy truck would have been lured into a trap. As a goodwill measure, Navy trucks on routine chores are used to providing lifts to civilians who would otherwise have to walk several miles.

Initial reports say a civilian who had obtained a lift had wanted the Navy truck halted at a point at Kumburupiddy along the Kuchchaveli-Trincomalee Road. It was then that the Navy men had been ambushed and killed. The dead had all borne gun shot injuries.

There were also other reports that a deranged Naval rating shot his three colleagues and later committed suicide.

Last Friday, Police found five hand grenades and two torchlights filled with explosives at the Medawachchiya railway station. These were also meant for unknown LTTE targets.

If the security forces have conducted six offensives against Tiger guerrillas in the Northern Province so far, the recent weeks have seen them playing a defensive role.

They have thwarted many an attempt by the guerrillas to breach defence lines.

But a response by the security forces to the military campaign recently stepped up by Tiger guerrillas, particularly after the "Heroes Week," is very much a strong possibility. It's a matter of days than weeks, according to defence sources.

Hence, whilst talking peace, both sides are poised to battle it out. For the security forces, re-taking as much of the territory as possible from the LTTE in the backdrop of peace initiatives, has become an imperative requirement.

For the LTTE, it is not only important to hold the areas they have seized but also to go for more territory to enhance their bargaining power if and when negotiations commence. This, in every sense,is a war for peace.

LTTE has suffered political and military defeat in Jaffna: Devananda

The Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP) Leader and Minister of Development, Rehabilitation and Re-construction of the North and Tamil Affairs (North and East), Douglas Devananda, says that the security forces now have gained an upper hand in the Jaffna peninsula.

Despite the LTTE concentrating all its available resources in the peninsula, the moral support from the people of Jaffna and the military support of the international community ensured the success of the security forces, he told The Sunday Times in an interview.

Mr. Devananda spoke mainly on the recent "Heroes Day" speech made by LTTE leader, Velupillai Prabhakaran. Here are his responses to questions posed:

Q: In his annual "Heroes Day" speech, Mr. Prabhakaran, has offered what he calls "unconditional talks" with the Government. How do you view his call for "de-escalation and normalisation?" Are they not pre-conditions?

A. The conducive atmosphere called for by Prabhakaran casts certain doubts. If we read his speech carefully and assess it as a whole, several contradictions are noticeable. His desire for war and his inability to get over the feeling of enmity are very obvious in his speech. Anyway, let us give the benefit of the doubt to Prabhakaran and look forward to moving towards the next phase.

Furthermore, though it appears to some that Prabhakaran has climbed down from his original position, it is really not so, particularly when he ends his speech with the oft-repeated declaration "The Tigers' thirst is Tamil Eelam".

Q. You have repeatedly warned the Government to be cautious of talks with the LTTE. In the wake of the call for "unconditional peace talks" do you still say the Government should be cautious?

A. Yes, we would continue to caution the Government. Our past experience with regard to Prabhakaran and our assessment of his present activities make us wary of his real intentions. It is for these reasons that we would advise the Government to be cautious with Prabhakaran.

Q: In an obvious reference to the EPDP, Mr. Prabhakaran has called it "a treacherous Tamil group who made mockery of democracy by its electoral violence and fraudulence is also supporting this Government". What is your response?

A: Prabhakaran is not qualified to speak of democracy and people's wishes, since the term "democracy" appears neither in his thoughts nor in the dictionary he uses.

Q: Mr. Prabhakaran says "The deepest aspiration of our people is to live in dignity in a political environment where they could rule themselves…". Do you see this as forerunner to LTTE claiming self-rule in time to come?

A: It is the fundamental right of every person to be free of domination. We too subscribe to that view. Military domination by the LTTE cannot be an exception to such a rule.

When the term "self-rule," used in conjunction with a "united Sri Lanka," it would not connote separation. Prabhakaran does not use it in that way. But the fact that Prabhakaran refers to ex-militant groups as "traitors" for reasons of giving up the demand for an independent state only confirm that he has not given up the demand for a separate state.

Q: Mr. Prabhakaran accuses President Chandrika Bandara-naike Kumaratunga of elevating what he calls a "Tamil quisling group to a high position in the North-eastern administration". What is your response to this charge?

A.This charge has been made on the self-assumed premise that the LTTE is the sole representative of the Tamils. On the other hand, we of the EPDP, have earned the democratic right to represent the Tamil people and we possess the capability to do so.

We have earned this right through the several elections held in the past. In contrast, the LTTE never faced a single election to prove its claim to represent the Tamil people. They have yet to prove their claim.

Furthermore, the LTTE called for a boycott of the last election, and subjected Jaffna to volleys of shells. Yet the people of the North-East boldly took part in the election in their thousands and rejected the path of the LTTE.

Our election manifesto had clearly spelt out that we stood for devolution of powers to the Provinces and sharing of power at the Centre. It is in keeping with that policy of power-sharing that we accepted a ministerial portfolio in the Central Government. We did not accept just any ministry. We took over a ministry that could speedily ensure a peaceful and normal life to our people.

Q: Prabhakaran says he was compelled to delay his advance into Jaffna as a consequence of what he calls "unilateral intervention by international governments who injected massive military assistance to the Sri Lankan military forces at a crucial time in the battle of Jaffna". Do you agree with this view?

A:The majority of the people of Jaffna Peninsula did not want the Peninsula to fall into the hands of the LTTE. This is proved by the fact that the people in LTTE- held areas in the Peninsula started moving out to Army-held areas. It is this desire of the people of Jaffna which prompted the international community to help the Sri Lanka Government militarily. It is very important to note that the Jaffna operations of the LTTE had resulted not only in a military defeat to the LTTE but a political defeat as well.

The LTTE had concentrated all its available resources in the Jaffna peninsula. Yet, the moral support from the people of Jaffna and the military support of the international community ensured the success of the security forces. The security forces now have the upper hand.

Q: Mr. Prabhakaran says sovereignty is not a divine right of a State and its is the people of Jaffna who has sovereign right over Jaffna. He says his movement is determined to "liberate" Jaffna. Do you agree with his view about sovereignty? Do you believe he can "liberate" Jaffna?

A: Jaffna is the heartland of the Tamil-speaking people of Sri Lanka. The fact that we of the EPDP have democratically established our sway over Jaffna has enraged Prabhakaran. He is therefore obsessed with the thought of Jaffna. Let us see what he did in Jaffna in the past. He got rid of his political opponents from Jaffna. He chased the Muslims out of the Jaffna Peninsula. In 1995, he forced thousands of citizens to move out of Jaffna to the Wanni with the LTTE. It is therefore amusing to hear Prabhakaran speaking about the sovereignty of the people of Jaffna.

Q: Do you believe the LTTE is sincere in reaching a settlement through peace talks?

A: We do not trust the LTTE. The past and present actions of the LTTE do not instil any confidence in us. But we will not in any way be an obstacle to any talks with the LTTE. We would however insist that the LTTE should prove its good intentions by simple actions.

The LTTE should permit the opening of a land route to Jaffna without hindrance. It should permit civilian air transport to Jaffna and sea transport of cargo to Jaffna without any hindrance. It should not interfere with the free movement of civilians between cleared and uncleared areas in the Wanni. It should put an end to killing of political opponents.

It should permit the Jaffna and Mannar Muslims to return to their homes. These are not pre-conditions. These are actions to prove the LTTE's good intentions.

Q: Mr. Prabhakaran has omitted any reference to withdrawal of security forces from Jaffna in his "policy" statement. Do you think this is a genuine concession?

A: Please read Prabhakaran's speech carefully. He has stated that he would militarily take back Jaffna at any cost. It is therefore not necessary for him to demand the withdrawal of security forces from Jaffna. He has clear plans to defeat them militarily.

Q: Has the Government of Norway kept in touch with the EPDP on their peace initiatives?

A: Well before meeting Prabhakaran, Eric Solheim visited us and had discussions on issues of concern.

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