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Pistol
gangs after Karuna in Colombo They checked in en masse to a hotel in southern Colombo. Within hours a Police party raided the hotel. They checked their identities and learnt the men, women and children were all from Batticaloa district. There was very little the highly excited Police team could do for those men and women had not committed any offence. So the Police party left. But that Police raid caused enough damage to Karuna's close supporters who had helped him in the campaign against Tiger leader, Velupillai Prabhakaran. Men deployed by Pottu Amman, intelligence wing leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) soon learnt of the presence of these fleeing families. As they checked out of the hotel, a cat and mouse game began. Tiger guerrilla intelligence wing cadres and pistol gangs that are swarming the City, are now on the hunt for them. The City may once again become the killing ground for them, much the same way these gangs hunted down and eliminated informants of the Army's Directorate of Military Intelligence. This was soon after the ill advised Police raid on the Army's Safe House at Athurugiriya. The Ministry of Defence was right when it said on Thursday that Karuna had not been escorted into the City by armed Security Forces personnel. They had no hand. Nor did the former LTTE Batticaloa-Ampara leader flee along the Manapitiya, Polonnaruwa, Minneriya route to Colombo stopping at wayside restaurants to dine. Karuna and his close aides came through a route north of the City. Boarding a fleet of luxury vehicles for the journey after his ignominious defeat at the hands of Mr. Prabhakaran's men, Karuna did not simply flee the Batticaloa district. He did so only after destroying a stronger military machine he had built in this district for Mr. Prabhakaran. The strengthening of the LTTE military capability to newer heights had begun soon after then Prime Minister; Ranil Wickremesinghe signed a Ceasefire Agreement with the LTTE. During the period of the CFA, the Tiger guerrillas had embarked on an intensive programme both in the North and East to recruit more cadres and rearm them with more sophisticated weaponry. That is not all. For the first time they set up "Law Courts," "Police Stations" and "tax collection" machinery in the East besides other measures that go to constitute a separate "civilian administrative infrastructure." When the developments were reported in these columns in The Sunday Times both then Premier Wickremesinghe and his Cabinet colleagues launched a campaign against the media for what they called trying to sabotage the peace process. Most outspoken was former Cabinet Minister, loquacious Rajitha Senaratne who appeared on TV talk shows to defend the LTTE and say no such thing existed. Journalists were asked to "toe the line" or face humiliating reprisals. The unbridled arrogance was so high, even parliamentary privilege was to be used to execute some of these reprisals. The Karuna saga exposed not only their hollow campaign but also their silly notions. Soon after he chose to go his own way, Karuna ordered the shutting down of these "Police Stations, Law Courts" and stopped the collection of "taxes." Lands seized from Muslim businessmen were returned. These and other developments came as proof that whilst the previous UNF Government chose to ignore and whilst their leaders denied, the LTTE had built up a stronger military and political machine. They had also won greater international acceptance and respectability. And last week, before beating a hasty retreat to the South, Karuna disbanded the 6000 strong LTTE in the East. The real strength was around 6,500 but 500 of them are now in custody in the Wanni. When the Ceasefire Agreement was signed, the LTTE strength in the district stood at only a paltry 2,000. It was Karuna who had raised the additional strength, including child cadres, put them through training and made a stronger force. After the disbanding, at least a 1500 of Karuna's men had entered Security Forces controlled areas. A further 750 had moved into areas held by the Police Special Task Force (STF). Bhavan, number two to LTTE's Peace Secretariat head, Pulithevan, handed over a 100 child cadres to the UNICEF - a move that was to convey that it was Karuna who was responsible for their recruitment. There were also reports of some of Karuna's cadres moving around in the jungle areas surrounding Batticaloa district. Security Forces and Police have been alerted to the possibility of them crossing the Trikonamadu jungles and entering the Polonnaruwa district via the jungles where the Somawathiya Chaithiya is located. Earlier Karuna enjoyed Mr. Prabhakaran's confidence so much that he sent 500 specially trained eastern cadres to the Wanni to protect him. This came months after the ceasefire when a claymore mine was detected in close proximity to the house where the LTTE leader's wife, Mathivathani lived. The discovery caused suspicions on personnel providing security to the LTTE leader and led to the sacking of Mr. Prabhakaran's bodyguard, Aimer Gadaffi. Later, the 500 strong guerrilla team was deployed on the guerrilla frontlines at Nagerkovil. Soon after the stand off between Mr. Prabhakaran and Karuna, the men were demobilised and taken into custody. They still remain in the Wanni. Karuna and his men in a pre-withdrawal frenzy embarked on a course of destruction and demolition. They destroyed a large stock of 120 mm mortar launchers that had been smuggled in during the ceasefire. They blasted ammunition dumps. They piled small arms and set fire to them. They also blasted underground bunkers that had come up surrounding some of the important bases. These bunkers which had included concrete shelters for hide outs had been built much after the ceasefire. Also destroyed were large quantities of 81 mm and 82 mm mortar launchers. Fuel dumps were set on fire. Now that he had evicted Karuna and his men from the Batticaloa district, the biggest task for Mr. Prabhakaran appears to be to fill the void - re-build the military machine in the Batticaloa district. This is exactly what he has begun doing. He is pouring in cadres and military hardware to establish bases in three important zones in the northern, central and southern parts of the Batticaloa district. Similarly, with the presence of Bhavan, new LTTE political offices are also being established in Security Forces controlled as well as uncontrolled areas. On Friday, there were tense moments when more than 200 guerrilla cadres from the Wanni moved into the Batticaloa district. A senior Army official said their intervention could have sparked off "Eelam War 4." He said "hence we acted with great restraint although the movement was not in accordance with the Ceasefire Agreement." In other words, the LTTE had not obtained permission for the move. Intelligence sources told The Sunday Times large quantities of mortars (120mm, 81mm and 82 mm) were being moved into Batticaloa district. They say there were also moves to shift some pieces of 122 mm artillery which the LTTE had acquired during the ceasefire period and stockpiled in the Wanni. Cadres arriving in the Batticaloa district from Wanni were being issued new weapons and ammo dumps were being hurriedly set up in uncontrolled areas. Soon after the LTTE leadership in the Wanni regained control of the Batticaloa district, the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) re-activated their duties. The head of mission, retired Major General Trond Furuhovde met with Security Forces and LTTE leaders for a discussion during which he declared he would be visiting the region every month. Similarly area commanders of the Army led by Brigadier Vajira Wijegunawardena, officiating GOC of the 23 Division also met with Batticaloa-Ampara district leader Ramesh and his area leaders. The meetings were aimed at restoring normalcy, a precursor to the early resumption of peace talks between the LTTE and the newly elected United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) of President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga. But such talks still appear to be a long way off for both the Norwegian facilitators and the UPFA Government have to take stock of many matters. Norway's Ambassador to Sri Lanka Hans Brattskar has left for Tokyo for a regional meeting of heads of Norwegian missions in the Asian region. He is also expected to apprise Japanese Government officials on the current state of the peace process and the policy objectives of the UPFA Government. In fact, the UPFA's Foreign Minister, Lakshman Kadirgamar, has declared publicly that he sees a bigger role for India in the ongoing peace process. However, how such a role would juxtapose itself in the ongoing Norwegian facilitation has not yet been made clear. The Sunday Times has learnt from authoritative sources that the Tiger guerrilla leadership in the Wanni has also sought clarification on this matter. They are keen to ascertain whether this meant that the UPFA wanted a change in the character of the ongoing peace process and whether it sought to marginalise Norway's role. Besides the resumption of the peace talks, the newly elected UPFA Government does not appear to come to grips with the new security realities arising from developments in the East. In fact the mandarins in the higher echelons of the Ministry of Defence have been caught unawares by developments arising out of Karuna's ouster in the Batticaloa district. A fall out they have been forced to deal with is the problem of internally displaced families from Kathiraveli, Vakarai and adjoining areas. They were all housed in a school in Mankerni. Former Presidential Secretary Kusumsiri Balapatabendi was assigned an Air Force helicopter last Sunday to fly to Trincomalee and Batticaloa to attend to matters relating to these displaced persons. With normalcy returning in the district after Mr. Prabhakaran's men taking over, the IDPs are now returning to their homes. But confusion still reins over matters relating to security aspects. Defence Secretary Cyril Herath has now won an extended term though he originally accepted the post only for a period of three months. He is still studying matters relating to recent developments which caught his Ministry by surprise. Even if his Ministry was awareof the build up both through land and sea for a confrontation in the Batticaloa district they were pathetically helpless. Last Thursday, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and Army Commander Lt. Gen. Lionel Balagalle flew to the Eastern Command Headquarters in Minneriya together with Vice Admiral Daya Sandagiri (Navy) and Air Marshal Donald Perera. Also in the team was Nimal Lewke, DIG Commandant, Police Special Task Force. There they discussed with Security Forces Commander (East) Maj. Gen. Nanda Mallawaratchi and Eastern Naval Area Commander Rear Admiral Upali Ranaweera the security situation in the Batticaloa district. Besides the question of internally displaced persons, measures that had to be adopted to ensure there were no problems in areas controlled by Security Forces formed the topic. Later, the team flew to Valachenai for a meeting with field commanders in the district. Earlier on Wednesday, the three service chiefs discussed the security situation in the East with UPFA leaders. In the absence of President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, who was then holidaying in Nuwara Eliya, those present were Foreign Minister, Lakshman Kadirgamar, Wimal Weerawansa (JVP), Nandana Gunatilleke (JVP) and Ferial Ashraff (National Unity Alliance). To his credit, it was Mr. Weerawansa who asked most questions, many of them incisive. That included one where he noted the inability of the Security Forces to tactfully use the clash to their advantage. That was without resorting to any impropriety or violating the ceasefire. Now that they had not been able to do so, he asked what they had for the future. If the former United National Front Government of Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremasinghe, has during the ceasefire helped the LTTE to increase its strength and build a stronger military machine during the ceasefire, the Ministry of Defence under the UPFA Government has helped them further. This was through their sheer inaction and lack of a positive strategy during the Prabhakaran-Karuna crisis. It is in this aftermath that the UPFA awaits for the resumption of the peace talks. Whether the LTTE is in a mood to accept a new UPFA policy for a greater Indian role in the peace process or to hold peace talks in Colombo remains a crucial question. It is only Mr. Prabhakaran who can provide the answer. But the UPFA defence establishment, in the absence of a Defence Minister or a deputy, led only by Defence Secretary Herath now finds itself in a peculiar position. They have lost any support or overtures made covertly by the Karuna faction. Perhaps accepting them would have been dangerous. But at the end, they have not only angered Mr. Prabhakaran who suspects that the Defence Ministry continued a covert dialogue with the Karuna faction. They also made him a stronger foe. Not many Sri Lankans are aware of the many covert moves made by Karuna and his aides to the UPFA leadership. At first the Karuna faction made overtures that it's four MPs in Batticaloa district and another from the Ampara district would support the UPFA in Parliament. Hardly could the offer be considered. Karuna was defeated by Mr. Prabhakaran. The Sunday Times has learnt from authoritative sources that a more shocking, if not surprising offer, came when Karuna realised that he was on the verge of defeat. He and his men offered to surrender to the Sri Lanka Army. Some even said they were prepared to join the ranks of the Army. But some of the higher ups in the defence establishment found the offers were fraught with serious dangers. Acceptance of them would mean the automatic end of the Norwegian facilitated peace talks. It was pointed out that the LTTE, which has insisted that the Karuna issue was an internal matter, would have first demanded that Karuna and those who surrender be handed over to them before any peace process could commence. So the matter ended there prompting Karuna to destroy the infrastructure he built for Mr. Prabhakaran. Now he had fled for safety to the South. Karuna's confidantes say some bureaucrats and their soldier buddies in the south let the renegade leader down. But he had no choice but to yet come to the south for safety. If that is true, it has happened in the hands of an establishment led by those who took over the subject of defence six months ago on the grounds national security is being endangered. Today, six months later, with a new UPFA Government in power, national security interests continue to be endangered. |
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