LTTE no longr have qualitative edge in the battlefield- strategy page

The US based military strategy website, Strategy Page said, The LTTE attacks against the offensive campaign by the Sri Lankan security forces in their Northern stronghold so far failed , unlike during the last five to ten years, because the LTTE troops do not have a qualitative edge in the battlefield any longer.

In an analytical piece the website in a December 30 issue said, attempts to push back the army with the LTTE's best soldiers left failed as "the soldiers stood their ground and stopped the LTTE attackers. That didn't happen 5-10 years ago, and is one reason why the LTTE are on their last legs. The rebels no longer have a qualitative edge on the battlefield." The website also added, "There are only a few bits of coastline where the LTTE can land stuff, so it's easier for the navy to catch the smuggling attempts."

The website said, LTTE defenses consist of recently recruited fighters holding out in recently built bunkers. The morale of the LTTE fighters is rapidly declining, as is their battlefield effectiveness, the website warned. The following is the full text of the comment:

"The navy blockade continues unbroken, despite desperate LTTE attempts to ship weapons and munitions in. There are only a few bits of coastline where the LTTE can land stuff, so it's easier for the navy to catch the smuggling attempts.

"The fighting around the LTTE capital of Kilinochchi is apparently attracting the best fighters the LTTE has left. That's because some army units have been hit with well prepared and led counterattacks. These were attempts to push the army back, but these offensive operations failed. Sometimes there were heavy army casualties, but the soldiers stood their ground and stopped the LTTE attackers. That didn't happen 5-10 years ago, and is one reason why the LTTE are on their last legs. The rebels no longer have a qualitative edge on the battlefield. "Advancing troops have captured an LTTE airstrip, hidden under nets and foliage. The army is advancing up the east coast, past the town of Mullaitivu, and down the east coast along the Jaffna peninsula. The LTTE defenses consist of recently recruited fighters holding out in recently built bunkers. The morale of the LTTE fighters is rapidly declining, as is their battlefield effectiveness.

"The government is also getting more information on the day-to-day whereabouts of LTTE leader Velupillai Prabakaran. The air force is bombing these locations, hoping to kill or wound Prabakaran (whose death would be a major blow to the LTTE). In any event, the army believes they will have Prabakaran, dead or alive, with six weeks. While there's always a chance that Prabakaran will flee the island and attempt to keep up a terror campaign from exile, that is considered unlikely. Sri Lankan diplomatic efforts have gotten the LTTE declared an international terrorist organization, and it's unlikely any nation would allow Prabakaran to operate within their borders."

(By Walter Jayawardhana)

Troops closing in on Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu

by Ranil WIJAYAPALA

Intense fighting broke out on December 16 with the Security Forces launching their final battle to capture Kilinochchi and Paranthan. It continued for the past ten days in the same breath as troops expanded their positions along the Tiger earth bund despite some drawbacks due to intense counter attacks by the LTTE.

Both sides exchanged heavy artillery and mortar shelling as the battlefront took a new turn, most probably due to renewed fire power of the LTTE. But troops managed to advance into Tiger territory amidst all these obstacles with improved weather conditions. This enabled the troops to face the battle in a relatively better environment compared to the situation that prevailed last week.

What is most significant is that, Task Force I troops under the command of Brigadier Shavendra Silva continued to take the upper hand in the Paranthan front expanding the 1.5 kilometres stretch of the earth bund they captured on December 16 in the North of Pooneryn-Paranthan road to more than three kilometres as of yesterday effectively foiling all Tiger counter attacks to recapture it.

Troops braved the flooded and muddy terrains in the Paranthan front adjoining the Jaffna largoon front to expand their positions along the earth bund towards Pooneryn-Paranthan road whilst columns of troops advanced more than three kilometres ahead of the Tiger earth bund and captured Sinnaparanthan, one of the important locations ahead of Paranthan.

Troops attached to the 11 Sri Lanka Light Infantry Regiment under the command of Kithsiri Ekanayake and 17 Gemunu Watch under the command of Lt. Colonel Kottawatta achieved this victory whilst troops of the 8 Gemunu Watch under the command of Lt. Colonel Vajira Welagedara expanded positions on the ditch cum earth bund towards Adampan south of Pooneryn-Paranthan road.

With this move the Paranthan AG office area came under control of troops that are some six kilometres West of Paranthan junction.

The capture of Sinnaparanthan area is vital for the troops as it opens the gateways towards Paranthan, Kilinochchi and even towards Elephant Pass which are vital locations for the LTTE at present.

Troops of Task Force I are now operating in the same area they were operating in 1997 during the Sath Jaya operation to capture Kilinochchi from the Tigers. Therefore, every move by the Task Force I troops between Kilinochchi and the Jaffna peninsula is vital as they are moving to grab the neck of the Tiger territory that links the body and the head through vital arteries across Paranthan.

As troops were consolidating their positions in Sinnaparanthan which was captured on Tuesday LTTE launched a massive artillery and mortar fire towards the area on Wednesday morning commencing from 5.30 a.m. in their bid to recapture the area. But this attack was effectively foiled by Task Force I with close support given by the Sri Lanka Air Force and directing barrages of artillery and mortars into Tiger positions compelling the Tiger cadres who arrived to recapture the earth bund leaving behind their wounded.

The artillery radars at Task Force I detected three 130 mm artillery guns located in Iyakachchi area that were directing fire towards the defences of the troops whilst 122 mm artillery and 120 mm mortars were falling to the front from the North of Kilinochchi.

It was a clear indication that the LTTE had received fresh stocks of artillery and mortar rounds to intensify their thrust towards the advancing Security Forces. It is apparent that they have managed to unload a significant stock of artillery and mortar on board the medium size Tiger vessel that was destroyed in the sea off Mullaitivu by the Sri Lanka Navy last Saturday morning.

Therefore, it is vital for the Sri Lanka Navy to intensify the patrolling in the narrow stretch of Eastern seas now available for the LTTE to smuggle arms and ammunition into their territory.

Though the LTTE tried to display their massive fire power it seems they have failed to muster the manpower needed to launch counter attacks to recapture the terrain now dominated by the troops. It was because massive number of Tiger cadres fell victim to the Security Forces over the past one week in their bid to fight back the Security Forces.

In the Paranthan front alone troops managed to kill at least 15 Tiger cadres a day by launching assaults on their bunker lines and taking sniper targets.

As troops of Task Force I are heading towards paranthan, troops attached to the 57 Division under the command of Major General Jagath Dias also made a significant improvement in the battlefront facing Kilinochchi.

If there were any lapses on the part of the Security Forces during the battle that erupted on December 16 and during the subsequent counter attacks the troops attached to the 57 Division too managed to recapture the Tiger earth bund after the fresh combined operation launched by Task Force I and the 57 Division on December 22.

The 571 Brigade overcame Major drawbacks during the December 16 offensive, capturing two kilometres of vital section of the earth bund facing the West of Kilinochchi on December 22. 571 Brigade is now under the command of Lt. Colonel Harendra Ranasinghe who earlier acted as the Colonel General Staff of the Task Force I. He filled the vacancy created by the appointment of Colonel G. V. Ravipriya as the Commander of the Mannar Area Headquarters. Monday’s assault on the Tiger defences on the Kilinochchi front turned into a debacle for the LTTE as troops of the 571 Brigade managed to capture two kilometres stretch of the earth bund with minimum number of casualties but causing maximum casualties to the LTTE.

At 5.30 a.m. on Monday troops attached to 9 Gajaba Regiment under the command of Lt. Colonel Chandana Somaweera 4 Sinha Regiment under the Acting Command of Major Wasantha Hewage and the 12 Sinha Regiment under the command of Major Weerasinghe (Second in Command of the Sinha Regiment) launched this massive assault on the Tiger earth bund backed by Air Force fighter jets and helicopter gunships.

Within one hour they captured two kilometres stretch of the earth bund which is located just five kilometres west of Kilinochchi centre. They went on to consolidate their positions foiling all the counter attacks launched by the LTTE killing at least 50 Tiger cadres ahead of their defences.

As of yesterday, troops were in the process of clearing the area ahead of them as LTTE failed to even evacuate the casualties and dead bodies from the area.

The troops attached to the 572 Brigade under the command of Lt. Colonel Dhammika Jayasundera also moved ahead of the Tiger earth bund to establish their defences ahead of the earth bund during the December 22 attack.

The troops attached to the 574 Brigade under the command of Lt. Colonel Senaka Wijesuriya operating in the South of Kilinochchi also caused heavy damages to the LTTE but did not hold the earth bund.

The earth bund captured by the 574 Brigade on December 16 was recaptured by the LTTE last Saturday in a massive counter attack on the troops operating there. Though troops had to give up the earth bund intercepted radio transmissions have confirmed that 24 hardcore Tiger cadres were killed and 30 others injured during the fierce battle.

Therefore, after ten days of intense battles the Security Forces have once again taken complete control of the battle in the Kilinochchi and Paranthan battlefront strengthening their future moves to capture the de-facto Tiger capital Kilinochchi.

Yet it is not an easy task for the Security Forces as Tigers are preparing for a do or die battle in Kilinochchi deploying their hardcore cadres to the front.

Therefore, fierce battles are expected on the Kilinochchi front as they move further towards Kilinochchi which is a matter of only a few moves for the troops operating in the edges of build up area.

The LTTE is on the back foot with depleted ranks which is a drawback to hold their positions in Kilinochchi and Paranthan against the full strength of the troops.

As the main battle continues in the edges of Kilinochchi, the newly formed Task Force IV under the command of Colonel Nishantha Wanniarachchi, managed to capture Nedunkerni in the South of Oddusudan taking a vital area in the Mullaitivu district.

The Task Force I troops linked with the Task Force II troops under the command of Brigadier Rohana Bandara in Nedunkerni area. Once Task Force IV troops links up with the 59 Division troops now operating just four and half Kilometres South West of Mullaitivu, it will create the biggest ever front against the LTTE from Jaffna lagoon to the Mullaitivu coast. As of yesterday, the 59 Division troops managed to take Mulliyavali village and Thanniattu villages South West of Mullaitivu after capturing three defence lines created by the LTTE to stop the troops advance towards Mullaitivu.

Troops of the 7 Gemunu Watch battalion under the command of Lt. Colonel Chaminda Lamahewa took control of the Thanniattu village by Thursday evening. The area is now being cleared as it was infected with booby traps and mines.

Amidst these progresses the Task Force III, operating under the command of Brigadier Satyapriya Liyanage, also captured second airstrip of the LTTE North of Ampakamam in the East of A-9 road and South East of Iranamadu.

The troops of the 632 Brigade under the command of Lt. Colonel Subhashana Welikala achieved this victory and are heading towards the main airstrip of the LTTE located East of Iranamadu tank marching through a booby traps and land mined stretch. These moves will definitely pave the way for troops to reach the areas where the LTTE is keeping innocent civilians as hostages. Though the number of civilians fleeing from the Tigers saw a significant increase, a large number of civilians is yet to be freed by the Security Forces.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa made a fervent appeal to the LTTE to release these innocent civilians giving an indication that the LTTE would be proscribed if they do not adhere to this request.So, it is obvious that exactly a year after withdrawing from the ceasefire, the Government is heading towards proscribing the LTTE if they continue to harass the Tamil civilians further.

The year which is going to dawn next Thursday, would be a challenging one for the Security Forces.

The increased support of the common masses is vital at this juncture of the war against terror as they are the real strength behind the Security Forces’ victories.

Courtesy : http://www.sundayobserver.lk

Terrorists to face another shocking maneuver from Army 59 Div

Troops of Sri Lanka Army 59 Division are in the process of making another shocking maneuver on the battlefield dragging the LTTE further closer to its certain defeat. Battlefield reports reveal that troops of 593 Brigade are steadily marching towards North of Mulliyawalai, entering into the jungle area lying between Puthukkudiyiruppu and Mulliyawali.

Heavy clashes have been reported between Army infantrymen and the terrorists in the North of Mulliyawali from 9 AM to 2.30 PM on Monday (Dec 29) as troop extended their forward boundaries further northwards. Intercepted terrorist radio transmissions have confirmed heavy damages to the terrorists during these clashes.

Meanwhile, troops of 592 Brigade operating in the western flank of the 593 Brigade has made further headway on their flanking movement. Infantrymen of 12 Sri Lanka Light Infantry (12 SLLI) and the 14 Gajaba Regiment (14 GR) attacked terrorist groups in the North of Karurelankandal and Kulamuripu areas during daytime yesterday as they extended their forward boundaries further northwards of the A-34 road (Mankulam- Mullaittivu)

Troops 591 Brigade engaged in a northward move along the Alampil- Mullaittivu road confronted with a group of terrorists in the South of Chilawatte area around 9, last morning.

Army 59 Division is currently operating closest to the LTTE's main military bastion in Mullaittivu town. The strategic focus of the Wanni counter terrorist operation shifted from the Kilinochchi front to the Mullaittivu front once troops gained total control over the western shores of the island. At present, LTTE terrorists are mainly confined to a right-triangular area edged by the A-9 road from the West, A-34 road from the South and the northeastern coastal belt stretching from Mullaittivu to Nagarkovil.

Police seek civilian cooperation

Police seek civilian cooperation to identify the alleged suicide bomber.

LTTE suicide bomb blast near Catholic Church ; 8 killed, 17 injured - Wattala

LTTE terrorists have carried out a suicide bomb attack near the sacred St Ann's church, Hekitta, Wattla in the north of Sri Lankan capital  this morning (Dec 28). According to  police sources, a male suicide bomber has exploded himself around 9 AM in front of the Civil Defence Force office on the church road.

Eight people have been killed and 17 others suffered injuries in the attack. An Army officer and 6 other CDF personnel were among those killed in the bomb blast. 13 CDF personnel and 4 civilians including a women  were reported injured due to the bomb blast.

The injured have been admitted to Teaching Hospital, Ragama and National Hospital, Colombo. Sources in the Ragama hospital said that 2 of the 10 injured admitted to the hospital are in serious condition.  Later, a CDF guard and a civilian who were among injured admitted to the National Hospital, Colombo had succumbed to injuries. 

According to eyewitnesses, the suicide bomber had exploded himself when he was stopped by the security personnel on guard from entering the CDF office. 

Navy destroys LTTE logistic Boat killing four LTTE carders North East of Point Pedro

Sri Lanka Navy destroyed an LTTE logistic boat killing four LTTE carders in the Northern seas 12 nautical miles North East of Point Pedro on the 28th of December 2008 around 0020 hrs.

Navy intercepted an LTTE logistic boat off Point Pedro at midnight and opened heavy fire destroying its fleeing attempt upon interception. Four LTTE sea tiger cadres were also reported to have been killed due to the fierce naval fire directed at the enemy.

Courtesy : Sri Lanka Navy

Air Force goes for terror leadership while army closing in LTTE HQ

Sri Lanka Air Force fighter jets have carried out air strikes this morning (Dec 27) targeting two locations frequented by terrorist chief V. Prbhakaran.

Air Force spokesperson Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara told defence.lk that the jets have targeted a hiding place of the terror chief located in thick jungle 1 km southeast of Vishwamadhu tank around 8.45 AM. Then, the jets have pounded a secret meeting place of the senior LTTE leaders located 1.5 km southeast Puthukkudiyiruppu at 12.45 PM, he said. The second target was also a boat modifying workshop of the LTTE, he added.

Speaking further, Wing Commander Nanayakkara said that the jets have launched another mission at 9.30 AM targeting a gathering of the LTTE cadres in the West of Iranamadhu tank bund. The air strike has been launched in support of the Army 57 Divisions and the Task Force 1 steadily marching towards Kilinochchi, the former administrative hub of the LTTE.

Meanwhile, Air Force MI 24 helicopter gunships have carried out two successful close air support mission for the Army 59 Division soldiers in Mullaittivu at  8.45 AM and 1.30 PM. According Wing Commander Nanayakkara, the helicopters have targeted an LTTE gathering detected 5 km South of Mullaittivu on the Mullaittivu- Alampil road. Ground troops have confirmed a destruction of a tractor transporting LTTE cadres in these air raid.

Army 59 division soldiers are in the process of dominating Mulliyaweli, Tanniyattu and Chilawatte areas, reveal the latest reports form the battlefield. Heavy clashes are reported in the Mullaittivu suburbs with the terrorists making a desperate attempt to defend their main military bastion.

According to the intelligence reports, the LTTE leader has been faced with a serious problem with finding a safe hiding place with the shrinking of his tyranny. The terror chief overwhelmed with fears for his life due to increasing threats from his own outfit as well as from the advancing soldiers is reportedly shifting his hiding place in quick successions.

Double blow to LTTE on 'boxing day': Mulliyawalai captured, Tanniyuttu under siege - Mullaittivu

59 Division troops have gained total control over the Mulliawalai township along the A-34 Mankulam- Mullaittivu main road Friday(Dec 26), following a fierce gun battle with LTTE that raged for over 36 hours, military sources said.

According to latest reports received from the battlefield, 16 Sri Lanka Light Infantry (16 SLLI) regiment troops have now gained total control of Mulliawalai, after breaking into the remaining LTTE resistance points in the area, yesterday (Dec 26).

Search and clearing operations are now under progress in the area, ground sources further said.

More information will follow.

Pottu Amman relieved of duties

Internal conflict among top Tiger leaders

The internal conflict among the

 top leadership of the

 LTTE came to a head recently when the Tiger Intelligence Unit (TOSI) and the Black Tigers (Karum Puligal)

 Chief

 Shanmugaligam Sivashanker, better known as Pottu Amman,

 was removed from the post by the LTTE Leader Velupillai Prabhakaran.

The differences among the Tiger hierarchy at the moment

 is similar to the internal

 conflicts that arose with the breakaway of its Eastern Leader Vinayagamurthi Muralitharan alias Karuna four

 years ago.

Pottu Amman had been

 replaced b

y another senior leader Rutnam Master, who is in-charge of Prabhakaran’s personal

 security as well as being the

 head of the LTTE’s Special Force – Radha Regiment and the Air Wing. His

 personal details are not available, as he has functioned as one of the most secretive operatives within the

 LTTE.

State intelligence units had uncovered that Pottu Amman,

 of whom nothing much is known about, had been removed by the LTTE Leader

 for failing to carry out any attacks on the military as well as VIP targets tasked to him in

 recent years. Among them were the assassination attempts on Army Commander Sarath Fonseka

 and Defence Ministry Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa. Two lorries laden with a large

 amount of explosives, that were recovered by the defence authorities were also among the failed attempts of Pottu

 Amman.

Wanted by the Interpol for terrorism, Pottu Amman has

 been a man of mystery within the LTTE even more than its Leader Prabhakaran. He headed

 almost all the operations outside the North

 and East and masterminded many of the suicide attacks

 against the country’s political leaders and anti-LTTE Tamil political party members as well as senior military officials.

 He is one of the most wanted by the Indian defence authorities for the assassination of former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv

 Gandhi.

The removal of Pottu Amman from the Intelligence Unit had

 been done in mid this year and soon after he had been sent to Muhamalai  for three months by the LTTE Leadership. It is

 revealed that he was called back to Mullaitivu by the LTTE leadership and had

 not been assigned for any work thereafter.

With the removal of Pottu Amman the effectiveness of the

 LTTE intelligence section had seen drastic come down. However, the LTTE leader did not publicise the removal of Pottu

 Amman as it would directly affect the ground level intelligence operatives, who have direct or indirect contacts with Pottu

 Amman. Since Pottu Amman’s removal, Rutnam Master had been overlooking the spy section of the organization alongwith the LTTE Leader

 himself. With the taking over, Prabhakran and Rutnam Master carried out successful attack on the Anuradhapura Air Force base, where a large number of

 military air craft were destroyed.

However, the second such type of attack on the Vavuniya Air Force base and the Wanni Security Forces

 Headquarters was a failure. Since then no successful attacks were carried out by the LTTE, except a few bomb

 explosions in public passenger transport buses.

Although the removal of Pottu Amman did not come to light for a long time, it had taken its toll

 on the ground level cadres in a bad way. The lack of ground

 support to carry out any attacks including suicide attacks were the main disadvantage of his removal. In recent times when LTTE suicide cadres had come to carry out attacks in the south

, they had not received support from LTTE sympathisers due to the tight security in the country as well as the heavy setbacks suffered

 by the Tigers in the battle field.

After receiving the training, suicide cadres travel from the Wanni without anything in their posession.

 When they arrive at the target areas, they have to be provided with accommodation, suicide kits, etc. by others who are assigned to handle them. But in the

 recent past there had been almost no one to provide such assistance to any of the suicide cadres. The recovery of

 explosives, suicide kits and ammunition in large amounts was a result of it.

Intelligence agencies also revealed that most of such

 agents, who provided accommodation, suicide kits etc. had fled the country with a large amount of money, that

 had been given to them by the LTTE.

Pottu

 Amman had joined the LTTE in the early 80s after a long stint abroad. His wife is from Sandiweli, near the Eastern

 University and they have two children-- a girl and a boy.  He is said to have been in charge of the LTTE camps in Tamil Nadu coastal areas during the early

 days of the LTTE.

In 1985 he was kidnapped by PLOTE cadres in Mahalingapuram, Chennai; and was released in exchange for

 Kannan, abducted by the LTTE.

Pottu Amman had been a threat to almost all second level leaders of the LTTE. Slain LTTE Political

 Leader S.P. Thamilchelvan, LTTE Sea Tiger Leader Soosai, then Eastern Military Leader Karuna were constantly complaining to the

 LTTE Leader about Pottu Amman and his activities, as these leaders eyed the second in Command position of the organization. Pottu Amman was virtually functioning as the

 second in command of the LTTE and used his ‘spy section’ to keep other senior leaders in check. Soon after the air strike on the LTTE Leader’s hideout

 in Kilinochchi, where Thamilchelvan got killed, it was suspected that the information

 about the whereabouts of Thamilchelvan had been leaked out to the

 military by Pottu Amman.

However, knowing these matters, Prabhakaran did not want to appoint any

 deputies for him.

Despite this development, Prabhakaran had virtually removed most of his senior commanders from their

 posts including Sea Tiger Leader Soosai and Swarnam for continuous failures in the battlefield. Though they are still in their posts, several other

 senior leaders have been appointed to overlook them.

‘Colonel’ Bhanu who was the Special Leader of the Charles

 Anthony Brigade and ‘Colonel’ Velavan, who was the Special Leader of the Impran Pandiya Brigade were also removed from their posts and deployed in the battle field.Soosai also

 failed several attacks on the Navy in the seas in the recent past. The Sea Tiger unit had lost a large number of cadres and boats as well.

Wanni battlefield

Following days of heavy and intense fighting between troops and the LTTE in the borders of the Kilinochchi town, west of Paranthan, Adampan, Nevil

, Puthumurrippukulam and Iranamadu, troops of the Task

 Force -1 now engaged in West of Paranthan, on Tuesday consolidated 300metres further southwards along the LTTE built earth bund cum ditch and

 captured an LTTE strongpoint, Sinna-Paranthan.

During the fighting over 20 LTTE cadres were killed and

 many injured. Troops have recovered five LTTE bodies, a similar number of T-56 assault riffles and an I-com set while

 consolidating defences in the area.

Troops faced stiff resistance from the LTTE in the battle in Sinna-Paranthan, which is located along the A-35 main road, 6km West of the Paranthan Township

.

With the battle closing on the LTTE’s administrative town of Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu, the LTTE leadership has called

 almost all the Sea Tigers to the battlefield. Most of the guns that were mounted on the Sea Tiger boats were also removed and

 brought to the battle front with the intensification of fighting.

According to intercepted LTTE communications ground cadres were ordered to put maximum efforts to prevent the military

 entering the Kilinochchi town.

However, the LTTE had hinted that they would lose Kilinochchi town and its

 adjoining areas. LTTE’s Political Wing Leader P.Nadeshan in a recent interview had said that

Even though Kilinochchi falls they would continue fighting.

Earlier, LTTE

 chief Prabakaran in mid-November assured to defend its main garrison town, while promising to stall the surging

 military offensives aimed at Kilinochchi. But now the troops had entered the northern part of the Kilinochchi town.

Secret operation to attack BIA revealed

 

Details of a covert operation to raid the Bandaranaike International Airport was revealed on the Christmas Day night, by a special intelligence team.

Accordingly, two LTTE suspects one from Vavuniya and Negombo had been arrested. They had told the defence authorities that while launching an attack using LTTE air craft, a simultaneous the ground attack was planned using more than 20 suicide cadres to raid the Airport and adjoining air force military complex, where the Kfir and Mig fighter jets are housed.

It is learnt that already some of those LTTE cadres for the attack had arrived in the Katunayake area. Their main objective had been to destroy air force fighter jets, that continuously target the LTTE military positions in the Wanni and to isolate the airport internationally.

The weapons and suicide kits for this planned operation had reportedly been brought to the Katunayake area already, according to the arrested suspects.

Police believe that several military items, including explosives and suicide kits that were recovered from Kimbulapitiya in Negombo had been brought to carry out the attack on the airport.

The attack had reportedly been planned to be carried out in a similar fashion as of the attack on the Anuradhapura Air Force base. The plan had been to send two LTTE light aircraft to the Katunayake airport to divert the attention of the defence authorities and launch a ground attack at that moment.

With this development, the security at the airport had been strengthened and the entering of Cars and Vans to the air port had been stopped. Action is to be taken to stop all vehicles entering the airport.

Courtesywww.dailymirror.lk

The Great Sacrifice

Free innocent Tamils or face ban - President to LTTE

President Mahinda Rajapaksa today(Dec 22) called on the LTTE that to release all innocent Tamils it is holding hostage, in bondage and using them as human shields, with the dawn of 2009, and allow them to come to the safe areas provided for them by the Government and the Security Forces.

Failure to do this would lead the Government to proscribing the LTTE with all its consequences for the terrorist organization and will ensure that 2009 is the true Year of Heroism for the troops and also see the wiping out of LTTE terrorism from the pages of history.

He said the only enemy faced by the people is the terrorism of LTTE, and that he will not agree to any ceasefire that will strengthen the LTTE in any form.

President Rajapaksa was addressing religious dignitaries, ministers, senior administrators and leading members of the private sector to thank them for the cooperation extended to the government in this year and to inform them of the progress of the military operations against the terrorism of the LTTE and state of the economy of the country. The meeting was held at the Presidential Secretariat, Colombo.

There is only one enemy in the country, and that is terrorism. The Sinhala people are not the enemies of the Tamils, as the Tamils are not the enemy of the Sinhalese. Separatism and terror is the enemy of all, be they Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims or Buddhists; Hindus, Christians and followers of Islam. All people should come together in unity to fight the savagery of terrorism.

He told the audience that the people of the country had given him and the government the strength top fight terrorism, and bring the LTTE to the weak position it is in today; the strength to free the motherland from the grip of terror.

"I will not agree to any ceasefire that will strengthen the LTTE in any form" he said.

"The New Year 2009 will be the fourth year with the country under my leadership. There will be very decisive challenges in 2009, to face which there will be the need for the widest unity among all people. 2009 will be the year when the country will be freed from the menace of tiger terrorism. Many evil forces will conspire to prevent the victory against terrorism, but we shall overcome them all. There will be many attempts to create division, crisis and unrest in the country, all of which are targeted at helping the cause of tiger terror. Attempts will be made to create a negative public mood in the battle against terror. But, we will face the biggest challenges and obstacles to make 2009 the Year of Heroic Victory against Terrorism," the President said.

He called on all political parties and forces to unite with the government to defeat terrorism and take the country towards development. This is the message as to the NFF that voted with the government in the last budget, to the JVP that helped me in the victory in the last presidential election and to all patriotic sections within the UNP, too, who should preserve the honour and dignity of their party by joining the government in the great patriotic tasks that lay ahead.

Courtesy: priu.gov.lk

Over 16000 Tamils in Jaffna protest against LTTE terrorism

Tamil civilians in Jaffna today (Dec 21) staged a massive protest against atrocities committed against them by the LTTE terrorists. According to the defence.lk special correspondent in Jaffna, over 16000 civilians marched peacefully from Kaithadi to Chawakachcheri this morning displaying banners and placards with slogans against the LTTE.

The protestors demanded the LTTE to let them live in peace and to free the Tamils held hostage in Wanni LTTE hiding areas.

One participant to the march speaking to defence.lk called the LTTE leader a coward, who is trying to save his life by hiding under shield of innocent civilians.

"All the civilians are in the view that the damaged caused to the Sri Lankan Tamils by the LTTE is irrecoverable. They say that the graveyards are the only achievement of the LTTE" said our correspondent.

"There were many elderly parents who called LTTE leader V. Prabhakaran, a curse upon Tamils that devoured generations of Tamil children" he added.

Meanwhile, the protestors took a special note of the support received by the LTTE from the Tamil Diaspora.

"There were many banners requesting the Tamils living aboard to stop funding LTTE and let the Sri Lankan Tamils to live in peace"

"'We are not pawns of your game of tribalism' was the message they wanted to convey to those who support the LTTE", said our correspondent citing the organizers of the protest.

Also, the organizers told defence.lk that the true voice of Sri Lankan Tamils is barred by LTTE hired hands in the international media. They added the world should recognize that the true aspirations of Sri Lankan Tamils have nothing to do with fanatic ambitions of the LTTE leader.

"Our protest will continue until the world realizes that Sri Lankan Tamils do not want to be a property of a terrorists outfit" they added.

Army Bags Nadunkerni ; TF4 scores its first battlefield victory

The latest offensive element of Sri Lanka Army, the Task Force 4 has liberated the Nadunkerni town, defence sources reveal. According to the sources, troops following a successful offensive (Dec 20) launched last morning has wrested total control of the town which was under terror clutches for years.

In the line of duty - 2

Successive air strikes rattle LTTE Wanni defences: Retreating sea tigers suffer heavy casualties

Sri Lankan Air force fighter jets made 7 successive air strikes targeting LTTE defences and strategic locations in Wanni, since early this morning (Dec 20), as military sources confirmed heavy damages to terrorists. Heavy payloads were dropped with precision at identified LTTE positions, Air force sources said adding that the sorties were launched in support of Navy and the advancing Task Force -1 and 57 Division troops at the Wa​nni battlefront.

SLAF MIG and K'Fir jets roared in the Eastern Mullaittivu skies since 4.30a.m., as close-combat air strikes were taken at sea tigers who were fleeing for shelter after withdrawing from a pre-dawn major sea battle with Navy off Mullaittivu today. An LTTE arms carrying vessel and 4 attack craft were reported destroyed in the sea confrontation with Navy this morning.

Another air strike was launched at terrorists, 3km North of the Mullaittivu lagoon at around 5.30a.m., Air force Spokesperson Wing Commander Janaka Nananyakkara said.

Meanwhile, the Air force strikers made more decisive bombings at terrorist strongpoints located East of Iranamadu junction at 7.20a.m., and 7.50a.m., respectively. At 8a.m., the jets raided another LTTE bunker line located west of Parantan supporting the surging TF-1 infantry battalions.

Later, the Air force jets made two successive air sorties, West and Southwest of Kilinochchi at around 2.30p.m, the Spokesperson further said.

Navy destroys LTTE Logistics Vessel carrying War-like Materials North-east of Mullaithivu

Sri Lanka Navy destroyed a medium-size LTTE logistics vessel carrying a large quantity of war like materials seventy (70) Nautical Miles North-east of Mullaithivu during the early hours today (20th December 2008). The Navy also intercepted a cluster of LTTE boats and destroyed four enemy attack craft, which were abortively attempting to support the enemy logistics vessel, in a separate confrontation off Mullaithivu.

The medium-size enemy logistics vessel had been detected by the Navy's Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) on surveillance mission in deep sea around 0130 hrs and subsequently, the Navy's patrol craft were deployed to intercept and destroy the enemy logistics vessel which was approximately 30 - 40 meters in length. In the ensuing naval fire that lasted for around 30 minutes, the enemy logistics vessel was completely destroyed. It is believed that the enemy vessel was carrying a large quantity of war like materials to the LTTE since it sank engulfed in a ball of fire under the heavy naval fire.

Four more LTTE attack craft, which were fleeing after having been abortively attempted to provide support to the enemy vessel, were also intercepted and destroyed by the Navy off Mullaithivu in a separate confrontation.

Courtesy : Sri Lanka Navy

Two LTTE sea tiger leaders killed in air raids

Two LTTE sea tiger leaders were killed in an air attack launched by the SLAF MI-24 helicopter gun ships targeting LTTE boat movement this morning, 19 December.

Air Force sources confirmed citing Electronic Warfare sources, two woman LTTE sea tiger leaders, Suhandini and Siran, were killed in the air attack launched around 11.45 am targeting LTTE boats in Kilaly lagoon area.

One LTTE boat was completely destroyed while several others sustained damages due to the bombardment, Air Force spokesperson, Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara said.

In the line of duty

Troops secure LTTE defence northwest of Kilinochchi

Troops of the Army 57 Division and the Task Force 1 secured the LTTE built earth bund cum ditch in the West Paranthan and Northwest of Kilinochchi completely by this afternoon (Dec 17), defence sources said.

According to the sources fierce battle commenced last morning (Dec 16) between troops and the terrorists lasted until this morning as troops finally thwarted the LTTE's counter offensive. During the subsequent search operation launched in the area troops found 15 bodies of LTTE cadres along with large quantity of arms and ammo, the sources added.

The counter terrorist operations are continuing.

Fighting erupts in fringes of Kilinochchi, Northern FDLs: 120 terrorists killed, 250 injured

At least 120 LTTE terrorists were killed and over 250 reported injured during intense battles ensued between troops and LTTE, West of Paranthan, Admapan and Iranamadu at the Kilinochchi battlefront, Tuesday (Dec 16).

According to latest military reports, the Task Force 1 and 57 Division troops have also gained control over a 5 km stretch of the LTTE built earth bund cum ditch, west of Paranthan and Kilinochchi. Troops are now consolidating defences in the area, military Spokesperson Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said speaking to defence.lk.

Heavy fighting broke out at the outskirts of Kilinochchi and Northern FDLs since early this morning (Dec 16) as military offensive divisions commenced mounting artillery and heavy mortar attacks at identified terror locations, shifting the Wanni battle phase into a decisive stage, military sources said.

Meanwhile, LTTE heavy gun locations and terrorist concentration positions were targeted in the attacks, as military said that terrorists manning defences south of A-9 at Kilaly FDL were left in total disarray. According to military reports, 25 soldiers have laid their lives, 10 reported missing and 160 others injured during the days fighting.

Separately, 57 Division troops have entered the Chorikenkulam vilage located 7km West of the A-9 main road, military sources further said. Troops have also uncovered 2 LTTE bodies along with 2 radio communication sets, a multi-purpose machine gun (MPMG) and a T-56 assault riffle while consolidating positions South of Iranamadu this evening.

Air assaults at LTTE reinforcements: Boat confirmed destroyed- Kilaly

An LTTE attack craft was confirmed destroyed and many other boats damaged after air force MI-24 helicopter gunships made close-in-air combat assaults at an LTTE boat movement in the Kilaly lagoon, Tuesday (Dec 16) at around 6.10 p.m.

Identifying an LTTE boat movement with reinforcements towards Paranthan from the non-liberated Elephant Pass area, the MI-24 helicopters continued engaging the boats forcing terrorists to abandon the mission, Air Force Spokesperson Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara said speaking to defence.lk.

The air assaults were launched in support of the advancing TF- 1 troops, he further said.

Barriers for the equal education in the North

The advancing troops of Kilinochchi have reached to the Technical collage for Higher education which was affiliated to the University of Jaffna built by the ministry of Education and Higher education with the aim of educational upliftment of the Tamil students in Kilinochchi, Mulathivu, and Poonarin. The technical collage consisted of a well equipped auditorium, hostel, and laboratories with the extent of 100 acres which can accommodate more than 5000 students. With the grate intention of giving equal education for all irrespective of ethnicity, the government has established this institute in the North. Unfortunately no any academic year could be started as the Terrorists had been using this valuable place for their military and administrative purposes till the government troops captured it.

LTTE, as a ruthless terrorist outfit has shown its vision clearly by using this precious property of the Northern students as a military camp. LTTE is known to be one of the notorious terrorist groups in the world which uses child soldiers in combat. If such educational institutes operate in this area, terrorists will definitely encounter a scarcity of soldiers and it will be a huge problem for their existence.

Education is a fundamental right for every human being but LTTE terrorists are human right violators .They have been fighting with the aim of Mono-ethnic separate home land. But purposely V.Prabhakaran destroyed the right of education of students in north and east by activating such terrible things. V. Prabhakaran expects only the war and never knows the value of the education as he never got it. Though the Sri Lankan government is trying to give equal education for all, the terrorist leader always tries avoiding his people from getting free education as his only intension is the war.

LTTE use child soldiers for the battle field and child soldiers have become the symbol as a way of continuing LTTE militarization, but Sri Lankan government has never used child soldiers for the battle. Security forces and government always stand surety for security of the innocent school children. According to the sources, Tamil school children in North are being trained for the battle during the school hours, and they are recruited to the dying terrorist outfit by force. They all pray for the free world with out war.

Today we can see plenty of child right organizations and we have a problem whether they are aware of this dangerous problem of child soldering which occurred in the North of Sri Lanka.

This is the time for all nations to pay attention to the reality of this common enemy that threatens the survival of society based on respect of the freedom and dignity of humans.

Snipers deployed in 57Div gun down terrorists - Kilinochchi

Army snipers deployed in 57 Division have engaged a few targets ahead of own defence line through out yesterday, 15 December.

According to the military report received from the forefront said three targets were taken in general area south of Adampan between 9.30am - 6.00pm yesterday while another two were taken south of Iranamadu area around 10.15am.

No force can reverse our military victories - President

(By : Ranil Wijayapala in Ambepussa)

President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday reiterated that no force can reverse the unparalleled victories achieved by the Security Forces against LTTE terrorism as they are fighting a war setting an example to the entire world without facing a single drawback since the Mavilaru battle to the Wanni liberation operation. He made these observations while participating at the annual War Heroes Commemoration ceremony of the Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment yesterday at the Sinha Regiment Headquarters in Ambepussa.

President Rajapaksa participated at the event along with Presidential Secretary Lalith Weeratunga, Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and the Army Commander Lt. General Sarath Fonseka who is also from the Sinha Regiment.

"I don't think there is a single battle in the world parallel to the battle fought by our Security Forces at present in which they secure victory after victory without facing a single drawback", the President added.

He also observed that the country has been fortunate enough to get a General in the calibre of Lt. General Sarath Fonseka.

He said the forward march of the valiant troops could not be stopped by the chemical weapons, air raids, earth bunds and monsoon rains. The common masses of the country show their affection and love towards these War Heroes in whatever possible way they can, but some media personnel are publishing articles discouraging and de-motivating Security Forces personnel. He further said that the common masses of the country have realized the genuine objectives of the Government in launching this war against terrorism. "Our objective is to bring prosperity to the North in the same manner we did in the East ", the President remarked.

'Prabhakaran is to face trial for his insensate crimes', says TMVP leader

( By: Walter Jayawardhana)

Former Comrade in arms of Prabhakaran, Vinayagamoorthy Muralidaran alias Karuna Amman said that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) leader is at his last gasp in Kilinochchi and he is about to be punished for all his cruel and insensate crimes.

Interviewed by the Independent Television Network (ITN), the TMVP leader and member of the Sri Lanka Parliament said, "Prabhakaran refused to listen to me and the late LTTE ideologue Anton Balasingham when we disagreed openly and many others in the LTTE dared not disagree with him like that in fear and only criticized him behind his back."

MP Muralidharan said he had raised the question of the Rajiv Gandhi assassination and the attack on the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy with Prabhakaran. When he said those acts did not really help the LTTE and created lot of opposition all over the world against the movement, Muralidharan said, the LTTE leader's simple explanation was that those had been done without his knowledge. MP Muralidharan said nothing happened in the LTTE without Prabhakaran's knowledge and he was simply lying.

The TMVP leader said "it was a historical blunder that the United National Party leader Ranil Wickramesinghe signed a Ceasefire Agreement with Prabhakaran since he signed it at a time when the LTTE was weakest in its cadre strength and its weapons power. The LTTE used the Ceasefire to fundraise, import arms and ammunition and recruit cadres by force."

He said some people who are hailed as LTTE leaders in the media like Nadesan, Daya Master and Susai were not powerful men and mere figures of no importance and Prabhakaran did not care two hoots for them and for what they thought. In fact, Susai, the leader of the 'Sea Tigers' did not know at all know to fight on the land and there was no reason to respect him, he said.

He said, the late Anton Balasingham told Prabhakaran on his face all what he (Karuna Amman) had told the LTTE leader but Prabhakaran refused to listen to him either, as the LTTE leader was an obstinate Fascist dictator.

The other person who expressed his disapprovals on the face of Prabhakaran on various matters was "Mahattaya" Mahendraraja and he and his friends in the movement had to die unfortunate deaths, MP Muralidharan said.

Looking back how he joined the LTTE, MP Muralidharan said he was a bright student, like all other siblings in his family and studying in a bio science Advanced Level class with the ambition of becoming a doctor one day when in 1983 the LTTE killed 13 soldiers and as a backlash the Black July of killing innocent Tamil civilians occurred.

He said the killings were used to recruit young people to the LTTE and he went to help those hundreds of Tamil civilians who became homeless and flocked to Batticaloa. He said he joined the LTTE and went to India to get the military training. The TMVP leader said he did not resign from the LTTE over personal problems but over disagreements over pure terrorism practiced by the group like the Rajiv Gandhi assassination. When he went to Oslo as a member of the peace talks, he said, Prabhakaran told him not to agree to any solution, but to drag the talks to five more years pretending to be interested in peace, so that he could raise funds, recruit cadres buy arms and fight back. If he had agreed for any solutions great amount of international funds were available to develop Northern and Eastern Provinces of Sri Lanka to raise the standards of the Tamil people and Prabhakaran was least interested in those things, MP Muralidharan alleged.

He said when he got out of the LTTE he did not have any political ambition and only afterwards he thought of a political career after President Mahinda Rajapaksa invited him to do so. He said there had been no other leader who had faced this problem fearlessly like President Mahinda Rajapaksa before and if he had been in power in 1983 no crisis of this nature would have ever occurred in this country. He said during his 22 years of career as a fighter he had never met a straight and brave decision maker like President Mahinda Rajapaksa. "I am 100 percent sure that President Rajapaksa would end the war and solve the North-East problem", he said.

He said he left the LTTE with 6000 cadres because LTTE was clearly showing signs of a terrorist movement and it had ceased to act as a liberation struggle as they believed. It was killing innocent Sinhala civilians, attacking places of worship of all religions, and chased out Muslims from Jaffna after confiscating all their belongings.

He also asked others of the LTTE to get out of the quagmire like Paduman of Trincomalee but it was difficult for anybody to escape from Wanni.

Recalling Ranil Wickramasinghe's Ceasefire days Muralidharan said the UNP leader went into this agreement also at a time terrorism was at its weakest point in history due to 9/11. Since it allowed the LTTE to travel anywhere in the country it started transporting bombs all over the place. In the guise of fishing LTTE boats brought into the country tons of arms and ammunition freely, he said. " Prabhakaran enjoying the privileges destroyed the whole Tamil culture. Although it was prohibited to marry under the LTTE when he wanted to marry the marriage ban was lifted. More than the innocent Sinhalese he killed Tamils. He is one of the worst terrorists in the world."

He said the truth about Prabhakaran is known to the Tamil people. He could not easily recruit cadres during the ceasefire days from the Northern Province. That's why he had to depend on the Eastern Province for his cadres. He used the Wanni people by kidnapping and recruiting them by force.

MP Muralidharan said it was true that with some Tamil democratic parties and his TMVP had differences due to separate political agendas. For instance, his party was opposed to linking Eastern Province with the Northern Province like some other Tamil parties. But he respected the different views, the TMVP leader said. He said he was for linking Northern and Eastern Provinces on cultural matters alone. He said he invites Prabhakaran to lay down arms and come and join the democratic main stream like him.

He said the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) did not represent the Tamil people in Sri Lanka and they are a proxy party of the LTTE. He said he was instrumental in forming the party when he was in the LTTE. The TNA MP's could not speak without the approval of the LTTE. The elections of the MP's were not free. They were elected under the threat of the terrorist group, Muralidharan said. People were under intimidation by the LTTE to elect them, MP Muralidharan further pointed out.

At the next general elections, he predicted, he was sure the TMVP would be able to bag 8 seats and the TNA none.

He said unprecedented development work has been started in the East. They are seeing development work not even dreamt of during the last 22 years in the area, the TMVP leader said.

He said the final military victory of the Sri Lanka security forces is now certain. Meticulously planned by the Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa, and efficiently implemented by Army Commander Sarath Fonseka Sri Lanka is on the verge of final victory , MP Vinayagamoorthy Muralidharan said.

LTTE suffer heavy damages in Air Strikes - Kilinochchi

The LTTE terrorists have suffered heavy damages in the string of air strikes launched by Sri Lanka Air Force fighter jets at the Kilinochchi LTTE defence line since this morning (Dec 13).

According to Air Force spokesman Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara, nine air strikes were launched at the LTTE strongholds in the Kilinochchi and Paranthan area since 6.30 AM to 3 PM.

He said citing operational sources that a senior female LTTE leader was killed in the air strikes.

Troops capture Terumurikandy junction - Kilinochchi

Troops of 57 Division on multi-pronged offensive towards LTTE's main administrative base, Kilinochchi built-up, have reached to a significant milestone gaining control over the strategically vital Terumurikandy junction last evening, 10 December.

According to the defence sources in battlefront, military formations attached to 57 Division advanced from north of Kokavil and east of Akkarayankulam gained total control over the Terumurikandy junction located 4 Km south of Iranamadu.

LTTE terrorists who have given stiff resistance on advancing troops, unable to hold the strategically important Terumurikandy junction as security forces launched combined ground and air assaults targeting enemy defences. Scores of LTTE cadres were killed and many others reportedly sustained injuries during the intense fighting reported in the area for last two days, defence sources said.

Troops continue their march towards Kilinochchi.

Tamil Nadu sleeps while deadly serpants breed under the pillows

As Mahatma Gandhi had said, India and Ceylon can't afford to quarrel each other. It is more true in respect of Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka. My humble request to everybody on either side of the Palk Strait is to help to solve the problem by good-will and persuasion and not by confrontation. It is necessary for everyone on both sides to be cautious in all what they say and do. The good gesture of the "Q" Branch of the Tamil Nadu Police and the Indian Navy in detecting several tons of material used for the manufacture of bombs is highly appreciable and demands co-ordination between both Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu.

Sri Lankan Tamils are so unfortunate that Tamil Nadu, confused and infuriated by the false propaganda of the powerful pro-LTTE forces, shirked its responsibility of safeguarding them and had gone a long way to the point of no return. All the recent agitations and various actions taken by Tamil Nadu had only helped the LTTE, to the detriment of the Sri Lankan Tamils. The grave blunder of Tamil Nadu is, acting without sending a Fact Finding Mission to Sri Lanka during this hard period or inviting a delegation from Sri Lanka to know from them of the ground situation. If Tamil Nadu refuses to see reason and continue to be adamant in inviting trouble, nothing can be done.

Unfortunately, although there are many who want to protest, no one is prepared to come forward to prevent

A mass execution of villagers by the LTTE in late 80s

 the handful of local and Sri Lankan personalities from misleading the entire Tamil Nadu exposing it to grave risk to life and property. Everybody in Tamil Nadu is unmindful of how fast this risk is spreading into the other States in India. Perhaps the bitter memories of Hon. Rajiv Gandhi's assassination is gradually fading away in their minds. Tamil Nadu cannot easily forget how his remains were recovered in pulp. So were Sri Lankan President R. Premadasa's and the Presidential candidate Hon. Gamini Disanayake's and several others with him, some of whom were ministers. In a number of clay-more mine attacks and bomb-blasts, thousands of bodies were recovered in parts, that includes those of ministers, service personnel and thousands of innocent civilians, Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims.

The Central Bank bomb blast in Colombo some years back took many lives, almost similar to the Mumbai disaster but with less deaths and more injured. A clay-more mine targeting a bus, from a remote village carrying a full load of school children, patients and officers, going for work to the town, left about 65 dead and a similar number injured. A suicide bomber took the life of two bus load of Navy personnel numbering more than hundred. The Defence Secretary, the Army Chief, some top ranking service personnel and many others had narrow escapes. I hope that no one in Tamil Nadu will ever want these incidents to take place in Tamil Nadu. These are a selected few of the very many such incidents.

LTTE terrorists blasted lorry bomb in front of the Galadari hotel killing many civilians in 1997

Not the children of LTTE Leaders, only children of poor parents, compulsorily recruited by the LTTE, had been used as suicide bombers. Even pregnant women had been used for this purpose. More than 20, 000 Tamil youths boys and girls, compulsorily recruited children of poor parents had been sacrificed at the battlefront till last year. It should be much more today. Every day the LTTE is sacrificing at the battlefront young boys and girls newly recruited and with hardly any training. Their methods of torture of civilians who defy them or object to the recruitment of their children by force or the escapees from their training camps are unheard of in any civilized society. What have Tamil Nadu done to save these innocent Tamils from the LTTE torture camps? The people of Tamil Nadu can't forget the detection of 5000 or more hand-cuffs in Coimbuttur, ready for supply to the LTTE, many years back. We Sri Lankans are grateful to the Tamil Nadu Police and the Indian Navy for the recent detection of several tons of material used for the manufacture of bombs, meant to be transported illegally to the LTTE in Vanni. I need not point out as to what type of danger Tamil Nadu will have to face, by promoting an organization like the LTTE.

A lot had been said and written by me about the atrocities of the LTTE and how the LTTE had been treating

A mass funeral following a village massacre by the LTTE in early 90s

 the people in areas under their control. If the people of Tamil Nadu still believe that they are freedom fighters, only God can save Tamil Nadu. But what the people of Sri Lanka want today is liberation from those so called liberators and to save Tamil Nadu from this wretched terrorist group, to redeem whom desperate efforts are taken by some interested parties. The irony is that Tamil Nadu as a whole is prepared to trust a handful of local personalities and 22 Members of Parliament from Sri Lanka fraudulently elected with the fire power, threat and intimidation of the LTTE, only to act as their proxies and not as representatives of the Tamil people. This can be verified from the reports of the four Election Monitoring Teams, two of which are from the EU and the Commonwealth. This will prove that the TNA has no right to represent or talk on behalf of the Tamil people of Sri Lanka.

The tragedy is they do not trust me. I love not only my country and its people but also consider India as my mother country. I have very high respect for India's patriots and freedom fighters like Mahatma Gandhi, Nehruji, Indiraji and many such others. I love and respect Tamil Nadu Leaders like Rajaji, Karmaveerar Kamaraj, Periyar, Anna, M.G.R and many others. Special mention should be made of the great Martyr Rajiv Gandhi, a magnificent personality, blown to pieces by a group of ungrateful lot, the leader of which is now acclaimed by some as a great valiant Tamil, when in fact he should have been declared as the world's notorious coward for using women and other's children as his sacrificial animals.

One of the families hacked to death by brained washed LTTE terrorists in a Village massacre in Trincomalee

What is my credibility to advice Tamil Nadu? An innocent Tamil from Tamil Nadu, who had taken part in all demonstrations, human chain protests, hunger strikes, sitdown strikes, public meetings etc, on the belief that he has contributed his best for the Tamil cause, will want to ask. My short and simple answer is that I am a sincere follower of Gandhiji and one as far as possible lives up to his ideals and strictly committed to non violence. The founder leader of the TULF the late Hon. S.J.V. Chelvanayagam Q.C. was committed to non violence. But those who claimed themselves as his disciples have deserted his ideals and now defend a terrorist organization. The war clouds have now moved into Kilinochchi an Electorate I represented for several years in Parliament and a district created on my initiative. I had been fighting for the liberation of the people of Vanni for the last few years. Kilinochchi had to be liberated from the so called liberators who had deprived our people of almost all their fundamental and human rights. They had been deprived of all their democratic rights as well. Years back I informed the Secretary General of the United Nations, that the people of Kilinochchi are ready to give full co-operation to any friendly army that will liberate them without causing loss of lives and damage to property. I was the winner of the UNESCO's Madanjeet Singh award for the promotion of Tolerance and Non Violence in 2006. I hope Tamil Nadu will be satisfied with my credibility.

The atrocious activities of the LTTE are far beyond the imaginations of a Tamil living across the sea. Most of

A child shot to death by the LTTE in another village massacre

 the Tamil media all over the world, for mysterious reasons, only glorified the LTTE and never pointed out their faults. It is the same in Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu is no exception. There are at least 15 letters, statements, appeals to Tamil Nadu People and Leaders released by me off and on for the benefit of the people of Tamil Nadu. Hardly one paper or any electronic media gave full publicity for them. No one realized the risk I face in this society for expressing my views frankly about the LTTE which has branded me as a traitor, a title with which the LTTE honours those who oppose them.

We Sri Lankans had been living with this agony for more than quarter of a century and live in constant fear and tension. Do the People of Tamil Nadu, living peacefully now want incidents of this nature happen in their own land? Had not the Mumbai disaster atleast, taught a lesson to Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka, that terrorism is not a thing that should be retained by public demand? How many ardent supporters of the LTTE, who claim the LTTE Leader as a Valiant Tamil hero, be they Sri Lankans or Indians or any Tamil from any part of the world had sent or will be prepared to send his or her son or a daughter to Prabaharan's fold to fight the war of separation? I ask the students of Tamil Nadu, under-graduates included, who had joined the various protests recently in Tamil Nadu, whether any one of them will be prepared to join Prabaharan? I also ask the film stars producers, directors and technicians whether they will join Prabaharan or give one of their sons or daughters to join him? If they can't do it, I plead with them to reconsider their stand.

Remains of a family killed when LTTE raided a Muslim village in Ampara

We have a problem in our country no doubt, a very big problem, dragging on for nearly half a century and had cost over one hundred thousand lives and very many billions worth of property destroyed. Many of our intellectuals and top ranking Tamil Government servants, Heads of schools and many such others had been killed by the LTTE and not by any Sinhalese at any time. But in the warfront many young men and girls are killed by the army, or rather sacrificed by the LTTE in vain. We want it solved. Do anything in your power to persuade your Central Government to give pressure to the Sri Lankan Government to come out with a solution. Let the solution be acceptable to the minorities. The powers devolved on Tamil Nadu and other States in India can be a good starting point. If Tamil Nadu wants to see the Sri Lankan Tamils live in peace and harmony, this is the only option Tamil Nadu has. We Tamils are prepared to accept a solution within a United Sri Lanka. The Tamils are opposed to separation which is not acceptable to any country, India inclusive.

The charge of annihilation of Tamils by the Government is a fabrication of the LTTE endorsed by the TNA

A father carrying his son's  body  hacked to death by LTTE killers in a village raid at night in Madavachchiya

 Parliamentarians who are trying to find an International market to sell it. Because of the LTTE's atrocities many Tamil people had fled the country. Many Tamils from their traditional places of residence had fled from their homes and are now living in peace and harmony with the Sinhalese and the Muslims. Over fifty percent of the Tamils in Sri Lanka now live with them. Not one Muslim in Tamil Nadu has any moral right to support the LTTE till all the Muslims driven out of the North with only Rs. 500 and all their properties confiscated, are resettled in their former places.

I am not a stooge of any body nor do I act as an agent of any body. I have a duty to defend the rights of the people and liberate them. There are a lot of human rights violations in the country, with the identity of the culprits not known. It is not that easy to track down the culprits because people are reluctant to come out to give evidence due to fear. Unless and until the problem is solved people will continue to live in fear and tension. There is no point in accusing one person or a specific organization because there are many involved. The greatest contribution Tamil Nadu can make is to tell the LTTE, with one voice, that they should declare their willingness to give up their demand for separation and agree to a solution that Tamil Nadu Government recommends as a reasonable one.

LTTE attacked central bank of Sri Lanka in 1996 with an explosive laden lorry. Over 100 people were killed and 1200 others suffered injuries

The war that started about 200 miles away from Pottuvil in the Eastern Province has now reached a point from where the end is only about 10 to 15 miles from Kilinochchi in the Northern Province. More than 90 % of the area under the control of the LTTE is already liberated. The people who lived under the subjugation of the LTTE for many years are now free and very happy. If Tamil Nadu has any sympathy for over three hundred thousand people trapped in the area still under the control of the LTTE, it should pressurize the LTTE to release them without using them as a human shield, for their own protection. With that the war comes to an end and lives of several thousand young boys and girls of the LTTE who are in the war front also can be saved. The LTTE can then sit and talk with the Government along with other representatives of Tamils and Muslims. There are about 20 TNA Parliamentarian now in Tamil Nadu. Let any one of them challenge any part of this statement.

V. Anandasangaree,

President - TULF.

SUPER STARS Vs REAL STARS

Super Stars ………

How much did u send SMS for them????
5 SMS s ? = Rs10 x 5 =Rs50
10 SMS s? = Rs10 x 10 =Rs100
100 SMS s? = Rs10 x 100 =Rs1000
Or more???
…
…
……
AND
Real Stars……….

How much did u donate for their fund?
At least a 1 Rupee ???
If you feel that you are still alive in this country because of these heroes…
Think…….. The decision is yours…

http://www.defence.lk/main_donate.asp?fname=donate

Sri Lanka Navy celebrates its 58th Anniversary

Sri Lanka Navy celebrates its 58th Anniversary on the 09th of December 2008 with a wide array of religious and social functions conducted to mark the historical occasion. Many naval ceremonies are scheduled to be held in keeping with the traditions and customs of the Navy. Today , Sri Lanka Navy has evolved into its current prestigious status as a pioneering, professional and a victorious maritime force observing the standard naval protocols and executing a key role in eradicating the scourge of terrorism from our motherland. It traces its genesis as far back as the year 1937 when it began its voyage under the name of Ceylon Naval Volunteer Force (CNVF) established to meet the objectives and the requirements of the British Imperialist Crown who ruled our country then. Thereafter, it got absorbed into the Royal Navy after the World War II as the Ceylon Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve (CRNVR) which eventually turned out to be Royal Ceylon Navy on 09th of December 1950 consisting of a nucleus of 100 officers and men. In 1972, with the introduction of the first republican constitution, Royal Ceylon Navy took on its present name, Sri Lanka Navy.

The humble voyage of the Sri Lanka Navy thus begun, has journeyed many a nautical mile gathering fair winds most of the time since its inception. It has so far been boldly and strategically steered forward by many a stalwart Commanding Officer at the helm. When we trace back along its illustrious history line, we begin to see how the Navy has evolved under all the Commanders who have steered it hitherto. As such, the qualitative and quantitative development in various aspects of the Navy has been in existence all along in varying degrees. However, the resurgence that has taken place in the Navy in the present war scenario under the present Naval High Command stands above them all; unique and inimitable.

In the past, the Navy used to be orthodox and remained largely ceremonial; Moreover, as far back as mid 2005, it was complacent about the role it was playing by being only reactive to the threat posed by the emerging LTTE sea power in our territorial waters. This traditionally languid attitude of being only reactive helped the enemy to forge into a force which, at one time some thought that it was a force that is difficult to be tackled because of the superiority it had exhibited in certain encounters with the Navy.

This clich‚ of the misnomer, largely perpetrated by its supporters and pro-media, that the LTTE is powerful at sea and posing a huge threat to the Navy, has been made to track back towards its nullity because of the timely and strategically prudent measures initiated and implemented by the present Naval High Command who have brought about an all round resurgence in every aspect of the Navy, both at sea and on land where naval personnel, proving their prowess ,competence and bravery, stay on constant alert to fight LTTE terrorism. The Navy is being fortified in its task of protecting the territorial integrity and the sovereignty of the motherland.

Under the present Naval High Command, weapons in the Navy do not get corroded and blunt by sea breeze; they are kept ever honed as sharp as finely thinned and tempered arrow points; all the craft, from the low profile small Fast Attack Craft, which has proven deadly against LTTE sea tigers, to the big Off Shore Patrol vessel, which destroyed the LTTE international logistics network, remain in constant readiness with ultra modern weapons mounted and competent gunners and sailors ready to meet enemy any attack.

Naval personnel are never idle, jittery, and lethargic; they are agile being physically fit; they are dexterous having been trained by battle experts; they are well groomed in the ardent fervour of love for the motherland. Above all, they are extraordinarily patriotic and dedicated to the service that they render in safeguarding the territorial integrity and the sovereignty of the country. The high quality of their performance, excellent morale in the battlefield, unrelenting determination to execute a task assigned, the disciplined and orderly manner in which they act, the fine dexterity, competence and the precision that they exhibit in targeting their enemy and above all, the humane qualities ingrained in the naval personnel are the results of the fine training and the constant care and concern shown towards its men by the competent hands that handle the helm so strategically and shrewdly.

"Victory is the main object of war. If this is long delayed, weapons will become blunt and the ardour of the soldiers will be dampened" is a fact emphasized by Sun Tzu which is worthy of following by any great warrior who is engaged in a combat to cause the down fall of his enemy, however mighty and powerful he might be. Interestingly, for the fortune of our nation, the present Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy Vice Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda at the helm, has proven that he has been steering the Sri Lanka Navy in line with Sun Tzu ushering in a new victorious era making the Navy proactive with a proliferation of the latest innovations which have been greatly instrumental in creating a total disarray and the eventual extinction of the enemy. Therefore, the Sri Lanka Navy is indeed so blessed to have such a competent captain at the helm to guide her at this crucial stage of war.

It is in this context that one can witness the Navy coming of age heroically and remarkably leaving from littoral waters to deep blue seas when the Navy caused the destruction of the enemy supply vessels which are rightly named as "floating armories". The destruction of these vessels that fed the LTEE with ultra modern weaponry and warlike materials to attack civilians and the security forces is considered to be the turning point in the ongoing counter terrorist operations.

Finally, it is pertinent to note that the Navy has immensely developed with the passage of time ushering in an era where it can transit from its traditionally confined limitations to broader farseeing perspectives with much ease enabling it to register more decisive victories in the annals of the country's history.

Some of the LTTE Arms carrying ships destroyed by SLN since 2005

Real Heros

'A chance emerging to bring prabhakaran to international criminal court ' says Paul Harris

Paul Harris, one time Jane's Intelligence Review correspondent in Colombo, Sri Lanka who was banished from the island by the government of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe for exposing the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) said, now there is a chance emerging for the international criminal court to bring Velupillai Prabhakaran before justice for personally choosing boys aged 14- 16 as suicide bombers, among other crimes.

He wrote in the South China Morning Post, "Earlier this year I wrote that the great dream of the International Criminal Court was to end the centuries-old situation where the law has been, in the words of Jonathan Swift, "a spider's web which catches small flies but from which wasps and hornets break free". With movement at last in northern Sri Lanka, there is finally a chance that a large and malevolent hornet will be brought to justice."

Writing why Prabhakaran should be brought to justice Paul Harris wrote, "Whatever justification there might have been for the demand for "Eelam" has been completely removed by the depraved conduct of the Tiger leadership. Operating a rigid totalitarian system of which Stalin would have been proud, the Tigers have systematically hunted down and assassinated prominent Tamils who supported a united, multi-ethnic Sri Lanka. Well before al-Qaeda popularised the suicide bomb, this form of terrorism was pioneered by the Tigers, who have also made extensive use of child soldiers and of child suicide bombers. Prabhakaran is said to personally choose boys aged 14 to 16 for recruitment to the "Black Tigers" suicide bomb squads."

The following is the full text of the article by Paul Harris:

"It is heartening to read that the Sri Lankan army has recaptured much of the territory in northern Sri Lanka held for many years by Velupillai Prabhakaran's Tamil Tigers.

A decisive victory by Sri Lankan government forces would at last bring peace and a return of prosperity to the war-torn country, and might also offer the prospect of justice for one of the world's most ruthless terrorist masterminds.

"Few people remember that, from the 1930s to the 1980s, Sri Lanka was recognized as a leading Asian country, both in terms of economic growth and educational levels. It was identified in the 1980s as an "Asian tiger" which seemed to have the potential for the same sort of growth that has transformed Taiwan, South Korea and Hong Kong.

"What went wrong is much disputed, but there is little doubt that the government of President Junius Jayawardene in the 1980s bears a heavy responsibility for deliberately increasing majority Sinhalese discrimination against Tamils as a political tool. Equally, irresponsible social attitudes on the part of the Sri Lankan ruling class led successive governments to neglect the plight of the poorest, leading to increasing desperation, in turn feeding the rise of extremism.

"I studied Sri Lankan politics as an international observer for its 1994 general election. A few political facts overlooked in the propaganda crossfire merit mention. First, Sri Lanka, despite many shortcomings, is a strong democracy. Elections there are better organised and more punctiliously scrutinized than in Hong Kong. Second, a majority of Sri Lankan Tamils have always supported parties that favour continuation of a united Sri Lanka.

Despite massive intimidation and terrorism by the Tigers, parties supporting division of the country have never had more than minority support among Tamils. The Tigers' demand for a separate northeastern homeland of "Eelam" is an undemocratic attempt by a minority to force its will on the majority.

"Whatever justification there might have been for the demand for "Eelam" has been completely removed by the depraved conduct of the Tiger leadership. Operating a rigid totalitarian system of which Stalin would have been proud, the Tigers have systematically hunted down and assassinated prominent Tamils who supported a united, multi-ethnic Sri Lanka. Well before al-Qaeda popularised the suicide bomb, this form of terrorism was pioneered by the Tigers, who have also made extensive use of child soldiers and of child suicide bombers. Prabhakaran is said to personally choose boys aged 14 to 16 for recruitment to the "Black Tigers" suicide bomb squads.

"Earlier this year I wrote that the great dream of the International Criminal Court was to end the centuries-old situation where the law has been, in the words of Jonathan Swift, "a spider's web which catches small flies but from which wasps and hornets break free". With movement at last in northern Sri Lanka, there is finally a chance that a large and malevolent hornet will be brought to justice."

( By: Walter Jayawardhana)

Public advised to offer donations only through manufacturers & wholesale agents

The Sri Lanka Army, now entering its last leg of Wanni humanitarian operations with its string of ongoing military successes, has been receiving a tremendous public accolade and recognition in the past few months as many segments and organizations in the society, both here and abroad, continue to offer their cooperation, in many instances by way of collecting loose consumables, water bottles, gift items, etc to be sent to War Heroes in offensives.

The Army entrusted with the sacred task of eliminating menace of LTTE terrorism, needless to say, acknowledges such gestures and concerns with all due respect and admiration.

Nevertheless, the Army, at the forefront of the decisive battle as the prime mover in terms of its responsibility, deployment, military prowess and offensives, is compelled to take maximum precautions against such collections, though done in good faith, purely in view of its own security concerns and risks of any possible tampering. On the other hand, those well-intended moves might also end up in wrong hands leading to various malpractices. Hence, the public are accordingly advised not to continue such collecting practices since the Army does not any longer accept such donation of consumable and loose items.

However, anyone still wishing to donate such items may do so in bulk directly through the respective wholesale agent or the manufacturer. Further clarifications on this arrangement can be obtained from Tel: 0112431756 (Army Welfare Directorate).

Courtesy : Sri Lanka Army

When the going gets Tough... The Tough gets going

OUR HEROS