CLASSIFIED | POLITICS | TERRORISM | OPINION | VIEWS

President MR, Do Not Be Misled by LTTE's Cunning Ploys! Do Not Scale Back SLDF Preventative Security Measures!

Nissanka

It has been said that LTTE's terrorism works like clockwork - but fortunately such also makes the underlying ploys very predictable!

Alas, it was a matter of time before we saw the "next wave" of propaganda salvos from the LTTE. LTTE's actions when "operationalizing" the well strategized attack plans are now totally predictable.

First, this brutal terrorist organization carries out unprovoked attacks against the SLDF (Sri Lanka Defense Forces). These horrific attacks, through deadly Claymore mine blasts, grenade assaults, strafing with T-56's and the suicide-boat attack against the SLN have killed over 80 and wounded over 100 SLDF personnel over the past 7 weeks. This is exactly how the LTTE planned it - to use the CFA to maximum advantage and attack SLDF without declaring WAR! The CFA provides a golden canopy-cover to the LTTE - to stealthily attack SLDF and deny responsibility and thereby restrain any harsh and direct counter attacks by the SLDF.

Well, it all pretty much went according to the plan - thanks to Ranil Wickremasinghe who many Sri Lankans today consider as the most foolish, shortsighted, dull-witted leader Sri Lanka has seen in a long time, if ever, in contemporary terms. Ranil's CFA allowed the LTTE to do just that - smuggle explosives and guns into GOSL areas and then carryout these attacks and then use the very same CFA to ensure there will not be a direct response from the SLDF! After all, the LTTE terrorists banked on the sovereign, democratic Government of Sri Lanka being trapped in a CFA - signed with the involvement and urging of the international community - and its gamble has paid off. Even after the losing men and material at this scale - that one would normally lose in a intense military campaign - the GOSL has not directly hit back. To the greatest satisfaction of the LTTE, this was entirely according to its expectations!

Now the next stage of the ploy has been put into effect. The LTTE knew that as the SLDF casualties keep piling, it will not be long before SLDF takes some preventative security measures such as blitz-roadblocks, arbitrary searches of vehicles, persons and dwellings, etc. all designed to thwart the terrorists' attacks. Although these are not direct retaliatory measures, nevertheless, these measures are bound to put a dent in the LTTE's plans to continue to hit the SLDF unimpeded.

Therefore, the LTTE has now put into effect the following:

i. Coerce (likely forcefully, but also through monetary or material rewards) some families of the Tami population to make false claims of "disappearances" in the GOSL controlled areas and implicitly attribute these to the SLDF's preventative security measures - the objective being to get the GOSL to scale back or cease such measures which will benefit the LTTE terrorists to once again carry out its attacks against SLDF unimpeded. This particular ploy reminds me of the huge protest the LTTE (and its supporters) made some years ago about a Tamil Catholic priest who was alleged to have been "kidnapped" from a church and "disappeared" by the SL Army. It was true that the SLA did take the priest in for questioning as some LTTE cadres had ambushed a SLA patrol and fled to the church in question for protection when the SLA counterattacked successfully. The GOSL was truly placed in an awkward position as this priest was not seen or heard from anymore although the SLA steadfastly clamed to have released him without charges. Nearly a year later it was reported that this priest was living - in the pink of health - in Australia!

ii. Create a false "refugee" problem by forcing the population to vacate from GOSL controlled areas and move into LTTE controlled areas. This strategy has three distinct advantages as follows:

1) It allows LTTE to claim that the SLDF (and GOSL) are "persecuting" Tamil civilians and then bring pressure on the GOSL (from the international community) to cease these preventative security measures - which in turn benefit the LTTE terrorists to once again carry out its attacks against SLDF unimpeded.

2) It allows the LTTE to claim a "humanitarian crisis" and then seek aid from external parties and NGOs that it can easily convert into its war efforts. If not outright money (which even the Norwegian government is reported to have given the LTTE in the past for "humanitarian" work), food, medicine, tents, etc. all can be (and have been) used by the LTTE for the impending bigger military campaign against the SLDF.

3) What better "human shields" are at hand than these forcefully displaced "refugees" to deter aerial bombings by the SLAF (Sri Lanka Air Force). Undoubtedly, like in the past, the LTTE will ensure these "refugees" are accommodated right next to LTTE's vital military (such as arms depots) or strategic (such as communications centers) installations in the Vanni area.

Well, the above ploys are nothing new. The LTTE has used each of these ploys, either singularly or in combination, since it started the violent terrorist campaign against the GOSL and the citizens of SL. It is known that the LTTE even perfected these to a fine art when fighting the IPKF in Sri Lanka.

Therefore, Mr. President, do not fall into these LTTE traps by ordering the scale back of SLDF preventative security measures. Any scale backs ordered at this critical juncture are bound to escalate the LTTE's attacks against the SLDF, with horrific consequences, and make any possibility for a "negotiated settlement" - that you desire - a very bleak prospect.

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