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Chop
for Army, choppers for LTTE Since then, cadres loyal to the Wanni leadership have been fighting bitter gun battles with the renegade faction causing deaths and injuries to those on both sides. Banu was moved into the Batticaloa district after his predecessor, Ramesh was found to be wanting. The helicopter then took off from Batticaloa and headed northwards. Some twenty minutes later, it landed in Sampur in the Trincomalee district. This village alongside Kattaiparichchan and Mutur overlooks the Trincomalee Harbour. It is here that the Sri Lanka Navy has repeatedly complained to the Ministry of Defence of a guerrilla military build up. The Navy fears that mortar positions along the Sampur coast together with other encampments could be used to effectively block movement of their vessels in and out of this strategic harbour. That would mean a virtual blockade of troops and supply movements to the Jaffna peninsula. Boarding the helicopter there was Sornam (Soosaipillai Joseph Anthonydas) military wing leader for Trincomalee and colleagues Sudaroli and Ragulan. Sornam was moved to Trincomalee to replace Pathuman (Sivasubra-maniam Varathan), a close associate of Karuna. Since the latter broke ranks, Pathuman was relieved as military commander of the Trincomalee district. The SLAF helicopter was airborne again with six guerrillas on board. It later touched down at the Central College Grounds in Kilinochchi. By then, the top level consultations between Norwegian facilitators and LTTE leadership to carry the peace process forward had ended in the Wanni. That was on Thursday. It was thereafter that the Secretariat Co-ordinating the Peace Process (SCOPP) received a request from the LTTE ( through the Norwegian Embassy in Colombo) for a helicopter. Their leader Velupillai Prabhakaran had summoned a meeting of "area commanders" and the presence of the military leaders for Batticaloa and Trincomalee was felt essential. It is a known fact that Tiger guerrilla cadres are still battling renegade factions in the Batticaloa district. It is through the Trincomalee district; across the Verugal River that re-inforcements have been pumped to guerrilla controlled areas in Batticaloa. The recent weeks have seen a further strengthening of the LTTE's military muscle in the area. It is in this backdrop that Mr. Prabhakaran spoke to his military commanders on Friday. Also on hand was his close confidant and chief negotiator, Anton Balasingham. It was only on Thursday Mr. Balasingham declared at a news conference in Kilinochchi "we have conveyed a message to her (to President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga) on how to take the peace process forward." Having made the LTTE's position clear to Norwegian facilitators, he boarded a Sri Lanka Air Force helicopter together with his Australian born wife Adele and another described as a Special Assistant. They arrived in Colombo yesterday morning and later boarded a London bound flight. Before his departure, Mr. Balasingham met with Norwegian Special Advisor, Erik Solheim at a waiting room of the Bandaranaike International Airport. There Mr. Solheim briefed Mr. Balasingham on President Kumaratunga's response to the LTTE's message. There was a mild diversion when two Norwegian security officers wanted to enter the airport area with their weapons. They were advised to leave their weapons which they readily obliged. Thereafter they were allowed entry. Although Mr. Balasingham told Thursday's news conference the Norwegians "have told us not to speak about it (the proposal to take the peace process forward) to the press until they discuss it with the Sri Lankan President, the details began to trickle. This was soon after the leader of the Norwegian team, Foreign Minister, Jan Petersen briefed President Kumaratunga. The Sunday Times learnt that the LTTE's latest proposal "to take the peace process forward" entails a request for President Kumaratunga to make a public statement. That no doubt is to set out the UPFA Government's categorical position incorporating a southern consensus. This was in return for a Tiger guerrilla response. The LTTE has insisted on an Interim Self Governing Authority. But hitherto she has steered clear of the ISGA in her negotiating stance offering to discuss only an "interim authority." If the official response is any indication to go by, President Kumaratunga declared her Government will "remain in close contact with the Norwegian facilitators on the question." The "question" is referred to in the official statement as "the LTTE views on the steps to be adopted towards the resumption of direct negotiations with the Government of Sri Lanka." The Sunday Times Political Editor deals with this aspect and the latest Norwegian peace efforts in his column on the opposite page. The airlifting of both Banu and Sornam in a Sri Lanka Air Force helicopter brings to the fore an important issue - whether the Government, or for that matter, the Peace Secretariat has a criteria on the issue of helicopters to the LTTE. When the present UPFA leaders were in the opposition, they strongly criticised the previous United National Front government for making available helicopters. Then, it was largely for LTTE leaders to arrive at the Colombo airport to board flights to travel abroad. However, soon after being voted to power, the UPFA has not only followed this practice but also continued to allow requests for helicopters to ferry guerrilla leaders from the east to Kilinochchi for meetings. Even if the visits of Banu and Sornam were directly related to the peace process, which does not seem to be the case, there have been occasions when such flights were for other reasons. One such example is the use of an Air Force helicopter to bring to Kilinochchi the one time LTTE "military commander" for Batticaloa, Ramesh. This move saw him being relieved of his functions as the "military leader" in the district and the appointment thereafter of Banu. In this instance, the Government used an Air Force helicopter to help the LTTE in one of their military tasks. Should they not have been called upon to pay for that trip? After all, the LTTE is known to be earning vast sums of money through "taxes"of all forms. Paradoxical enough, even the Government of Sri Lanka is contributing to these "taxes" and thus to a so called "LTTE" economy. An example is the state owned Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) which now pays a transport contractor to move fuel supplies to the North and East including military and police establishments. Earlier, fuel was denied to areas that were dominated by the LTTE. Fuel supplies to the northern Jaffna peninsula were by tanker from the port of Trincomalee to Kankesanthurai. The transport contractor's fee includes "taxes" imposed by the LTTE for using the Alpha Nine (A-9) highway. Similarly all business establishments in Colombo moving goods along the A-9 are required to pay "taxes" at LTTE check-points in Omanthai (the Wanni end) and at Muhamaial (Jaffna end). Besides raising revenue from these sources, the LTTE also imposes "taxes" on persons passing through their check-points on the goods they carry. An intelligence source estimated that revenue from local taxes to the LTTE would be anything between Rs 30 to 40 million per day. This has enabled the guerrillas to pay back large sums of money they expropriated from Tamil businessmen during the infancy of their armed struggle. This has also enabled them to pay monthly stipends to members of "Maveerar" or (Great Heroes) families, said the source. Funds for local operations including the maintenance of cadres before the ceasefire came largely from abroad, the source pointed out. This situation assumes greater importance in view of a Government directive to the Sri Lanka Army to drastically prune down official transport facilities to officer cadres. This ill conceived move, enforced without any proper study, has already angered a large segment in the officer cadres. They strongly view this humiliating move as nothing more than an unjust reward for all their contribution during a near two decade long separatist war. Their displeasure is confounded by the fact that no concerted or visible campaign has been launched in any other state sector to cut down on transport use. To the contrary it is on the increase. Since October 25, transport privileges of officers in the Army have been drastically reduced. This is said to be on the instructions of President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, (as Minister of Defence). A host of officers serving in one time operational areas in the north and east and wanting to travel to Colombo on leave or on official duty have been asked to make a request to the Director of Supply and Transport. They have been told to provide in advance the date and time of arrival. In terms of this directive, they have been debarred from using vehicles assigned to their appointments. These severe restrictions have been placed on the grounds that the Army has been given only limited financial allocations for 2005. The Army has officially declared that this "is due to the current financial situation in the country." But such financial constraints do not seem to affect the Government when it comes to helping the LTTE as is clear from the way they are allowed the use of helicopters. This is not only for matters relating to the peace process but also matters military where the LTTE is concerned. But where the Sri Lanka Army is concerned, officers who directed military operations against the LTTE in former operational areas, would have to book in advance if they have to come down to Colombo for an official purpose. They may even include military planning for future threats. If such official transport is not available, as the Army directive says, the officers will have to make use of "the Liberty bus service maintained by the Army or make use of public transport …" In other words, the Government is helping the LTTE in many ways. It is boosting their "economy" by making indirect payment of taxes. One case illustrated on this page is that of the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation. It is helping them to plan their own military strategies or execute them by readily offering Air Force helicopters. This is by no means to blame the Air Force itself for they are under orders to do so. But who benefits? The sum effect of all this is the strengthening of the LTTE. As for the Army, who were at the forefront of the war effort, it is a different story. The officers are made to feel they are no longer needed or are outcasts. The soldiers still wait for the arrival of most needed items like body armour, boots and banians among others. If the Ministry of Defence (together with the Interior and Mass Communications Ministries) were taken over just an year ago on the grounds that national security was deteriorating, it seems a different story now. It is a case of the military that is deteriorating whilst their protagonists are being helped to become much stronger. The last year has seen the LTTE emerge strong and various UPFA Government measures, though unintentional, have only gone to contribute immensely towards it. The fact that mandarins in the Ministry of Defence were grossly deaf and blind to these developments is no secret in the security establishment. Their worry is for how long more this deteriorating trend will continue. Some changes in the Ministry of Defence are expected when retired Major General Asoka Jayawardena, now Governor of the North-East Province assumes office as Secretary from December 1. The present incumbent retired Police Chief and now Chairman of National Savings Bank (NSB) Cyril Herath is to quit. Mr. Herath took over as Secretary on November 4, last year, soon after President Kumaratunga brought the Ministry of Defence under her control. He expressly wished to serve only for a period of three months but the Government's inability to find a successor led him to continue in office. On Friday night Mr. Herarth said his farewells at a dinner at his official residence. Among those taking part were Chief of Defence Staff and Navy Commander Vice Admiral Daya Sandagiri, Army Commander Lt. Gen. Shantha Kottegoda, Air Force Commander Air Marshal Donald Perera, Police Chief Chandra Fernando and Defence Ministry officials. The Army band was in attendance and Lt. Gen. Kottegoda drew considerable attention after he turned vocalist and sang Sinhala numbers. Perhaps he was delighted at the good news he received last Wednesday. A letter arrived at his office signed by Sunil Sirisena,Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Defence, informing him that his services as Commander of the Army have been extended until November, next year. It was only on November 6 that he became 55 years of age. An additional term of another year had been decided upon by President Kumaratunga. The extension of Lt. Gen. Kottegoda's service turns the spotlight on Major General Sarath Fonseka, now the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Army. With the impending retirement on December 9 of the Chief of Staff, Major General Chula Seneviratne, he will become the Army's number two. Maj. Gen. Seneviratne's retirement is upon reaching 55 years. However, Maj. Gen. Fonseka's stint in the new office beginning next month may turn out to be short lived if no further extension is granted. Maj. Gen. Fonseka is now on his third annual extension and is due to retire on April 2, next year. This is in keeping with a Government policy decision that no third annual extensions would be granted to any member of the armed forces in the rank of Major General or equivalent in the Air Force and Navy. However, Maj. Gen. Fonseka will only reach the age of 55 years on December 17 next year. The new Government policy restricting the extensions of office of officers in the armed forces will also see a large number of other officers retiring next year. The move will benefit many at the younger levels reaching higher ranks. On the peace front, the year seems to be set to end with a note of uncertainty. This is if no dramatic development is expected in the next seven weeks. On the military front, the continued weakening will only add to the Government's load of problems. Military preparedness has been neglected since the ceasefire. In the recent past, caring for the military’s welfare has been low priority. Both for the Government and the Ministry of Defence, there is an urgent need to get their act together. |
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