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SRI LANKA IN DANGER
By Chularatne Chandratilleka
The situation in Sri Lanka is very grave. The LTTE is fast building
up a superior air wing with which to hold the GOSL into ransom. With
this powerful sky arm, the Tiger terrorists now have three complete
modes to fight namely the land forces, the guerrilla suicide bombers,
the Sea Tigers, and the Sky Tigers. GSOL has all this less the guerrilla
capability. The introduction of the air wing has emboldened the Tamil
Tiger supporters world over to double and treble their fundraising
Already, with the meagre four numbers of slow- moving Cessna air craft
they have succeeded in taking the game somewhat away from the GOSL and
the balance of military power is shifting away toward them. Their future
strategy is clear: dictate a surrender to the GOSL by hitting on all
sides with all arms.
During the last Presidential elections, Tiger terrorists opted to create
conditions in the South that will positively favour them. What a wonderful
situation for them? Have they not got all they want?
Here they are: (1) A weak President who has no vision or mind of his
own on any matter but works on a day to day basis trusting only his
brothers and unable to build an efficient government (2) An inexperienced
low-callibre Secretary Defence who was a mere middle ranker in the army
when he left for US to settle down and whose name misleads. (3) A jumbo
cabinet that is a drain on the taxpayers' money kept together by corruption,
perks and a servile media (4)Policy-making not related to meeting the
urgent needs of the time like road, power and water, and transport infrastructure.
Example-of what use is the international airport project at Weerawila
that would suck out greatly- needed capital that can be used for urgent
public works? Except to promote Rajapakse's name? (5) Muddlers in government
ranks like Dr.Mervyn who go about creating unwanted complications for
his leader and others who push the President to do foolish things like
throwing out Sripathi and Mangala, arresting Sripathi, chasing after
critics like Johnston and trying to arrest them, closing down newspapers
like Mawbima, threatening other newspapers etc.(6) catapulting inflation
that would cause restlessness among the people and move them to revolt
(7) printing money to carry out impossible promises given during elections
(8) trusting rogues like that Fernando chap who was put in charge of
Gama Neguma and who played out and vanished and that Sajin chap who
tried to float a private airline on ETF funds. (9) unable to liaise
internationally with global powers and win their support.
The time is indeed getting ripe for the LTTE to strike finally: there
has never been a government in Lanka so lacking in vision, so inept,
so corrupt, and so tragically funny.
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