Ridding The Nation Of Its Terrorist Element

© Sunil Kumara ~ Popular Front Against Terrrorism In Sri Lanka (PFATISL )- For LankaWeb

August !8th 2006.

Indicative of how the cookie eventually crumbles, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam's ranks, may eventually capitulate towards a temporary halt to the current insurgency in Sri Lanka according to latest intelligence reports and perhaps another of their varied attempts to regroup which must not be spared any concessions and needs to be taken as a weakening of wills where the Armed Forces need to prioritise a concerted attempt towards the ultimate elimination of the LTTE if this be the case and this tine for good!

It has been fairly obvious that this time around the LTTE are fighting a losing insurgency( I hesitate to use the word War as there is no reason for the usage War being somewhat more of a civilised term while not condoning it!) The LTTE's limited availability of cadre has been reflected on many occassions recently as they mainly comprise of hurriedly and often forcibly recruted men women and children who have never held a weapon in their lives and have no knowledge of the logistic cognizance needed to handle sophisticated weaponry in the LTTEs's mad scramble for survival and the Armed Forces should take serious note of this where it has been affirmed that the LTTE's conventional operations are sporadic and in spurts and hence a basic limitation according to many experts.

They continue however to remain dangerous as their recent hit and run operations and attempts to smuggle dangerous weaponry into prerdominantly Sinhalese areas and the vigillance must never weaken nor the monitoring of every LTTE move whether they come with with truce flags or bared fangs! as there can be no concessions given to them despite the rhetoric from LTTE suppertive enclaves both nationally and internationally which has to be disregarded and the push towards ridding them permanently now a mandatory need and perhaps even a priority!

The LTTE in turn have been quoted by unconfirmed sources as having posed a threat to deny the Sri Lankan Air Force the use of Palaly airbase possibly tantamaount to their usual rhetoric of meaningless repute which however cannot go unheeded as in a worse case scenario knowing the LTTE's acumen for surprise and cunning the SLAF's (Sri Lankan Air Force's) operations would come under greater pressure particularly if Palaly were neutralised by LTTE shelling which does not seem to be a distinct possibility in the forseeable future but better safe than sorry and hence the implicit need for added precautionary measures needed to secure Palaly which is a vital supply link for the troops stationed in Jaffna amounting to about 40,000 head count. If the Security Forces have to look for alternative ways of keeping troops in Jaffna supplied it would be a consternation towards any smooth operation planned to deal with the tigers effectively and hence the imperative need to bolster all defences in Jaffna and the protection of the airbase.

Using the age old war stragey of engaging the enemy from all fronts, the analysts have recommended targeting all LTTE locations in the East towards securing access toTrincomalee in order to sustain the vital supply link to that region.This would mean that ground troops backed up by aerial support towards protecting the naval convoys need to be in immediate effect.There should also be a relentless push from the South which would effectively weaken the LTTE's northern offensive as their prime objective now appears to be an overwhelming of Jaffna which they could more than likely never accomplish with the strategies they now seem to be applying towards their objectives and seem in disarray and confusion!

Contray to some of the expert opinion expressed in recent times on the issue of LTTE efficiency " that in the case of the LTTE, it had been able to make inroads into the SLSF's defences and that the LTTE have shown the ability to coordinate operations on multiple axes," it seems more in reverse as well as being propaganda rather than reality given the latest routing of the LTTE in Jaffna and Trincomalee and beyond the odd lapse where the element of surprise at times has distracted marginally the Armed Forces' efficient campaigns which have truly devastated the LTTE there has at no time been any indication that this is the LTTE of old or that their operations presently are in anyway an overwhelming danger to the Nation and all the more reason for the Armed Forces to capitalise on what many seem to believe is an Achilles Heel which could be exploited towards the ultimate demise of this most contentious terror group which has no rights or entitlements within Sovereign Sri Lanka!

It is no idle speculation that the new fangled Sri Lankan Armed Forces with their astute, indomitable leadership, well equipped to contain and deal with the LTTE as their recent performances have indicated have acquitted themselves well by not only regaining lost Forward Defense Lines in Jaffna but also driven the LTTE into a corner where they appear to be weighing their chances towards survival.The Sri Lankan Armed Forces have shown them that they can sustain defensive operations inasmuch as they can carry out a concerted offensive which probably tolls the death knell for the LTTE and one which probably needs to be rung continuously as the Armed Forces must maintain their relentless pursuit of the LTTE in the best interests of Sri Lanka with no holds barred!

Suspending Donor aid and the withdrawal of truce monitors appear to be restrictive factors at least in theory towards the operations of the Armed Forces and their objectives relative to the elimination of the vermin calling themselves Liberators of the Sri Lanka Tamils (A myth at best) but this has to be put in perspective towards the most important needs of a Nation which has been held to ransom for over three decades by these so called liberators where the donor aid could be renewed towards a more efficient and worthy cause in a tranquil Sri Lanka and the monitors unnecessary should there be no LTTE to deal with in a terrorist free Sri Lanka once they have been overwhelmed and made inneffective permanently!