Be prepared!

The Government, has, by virtue of its unilateral abrogation of the Ceasefire Agreement (CFA) with the LTTE, however 'dead-duck' -- or 'lame duck' that was, declared war on the rebel group. Not that there was a need to do it, but it's official now.

The rebel organisation responded by saying that it was '100%' for the truce; that it would abide by it fully, and then 'heralded' the end of the ceasefire in the only way it knows how -- bombing a passenger bus and killing innocent civilians turning distant peripheral areas into ethnic killing fields.

Opening a new front far away from the intended war zone and thinning out the Security Forces is recognised guerrilla strategy. To expect the battle-hardened rebels to allow the Security Forces to dictate the time and place for war is a little too much, and the Government needs to take into consideration these hard realities.

There seems to be consensus among a majority of the people that surgery is the cure for the quarter-century-old insurgency, though the surgery itself is fraught with dangers -- and side-effects.

The LTTE has shown little inclination to place its trust in any peace talks, and the majority of people probably feel on the lines of the Government, that there is no alternative to this course of action. That what the International Community (IC) is suggesting -- a political solution -- a negotiated settlement -- is something that's not going to happen - at least not in the foreseeable future. Asking the public, however, to bear with the Government till this surgery is completed, will not suffice.

Not only are the people being asked to stomach the soaring cost-of-living and all the mismanagement and inefficiency associated with this Government but there is also a justifiable apprehension about the security concerns of the public when it wages war -- not only in the 'south', but also in the areas the Security Forces have identified for battle.

All the chest-thumping by the Defence Establishment that they will crush the LTTE in due course may be aimed at raising the morale of the frontline troops and the general public, but this has to be followed by a high degree of diligence in ensuring the safety of the public in 'times of war'.

To go to battle is one thing, but to leave the public open to the ravenous wolves is another. There must be special care and attention for the injuries suffered by the soldiers at the battlefront, and so too must there be adequate measures taken to protect the citizenry, especially as the guerrillas will take the war to them.

We have yet to see the Government creating sufficient awareness among the public not just about rumours or the possibility of bombs, which they have done, but also about disaster management; both the prevention of disasters and then post disaster management.

Recent cases have shown how an inexperienced policeman ignited a parcel bomb in a shopping complex, the security guard asked the people to collect their belongings from where the very bomb was kept, and well-meaning good Samaritans possibly aggravated the injuries of the wounded by inept handling.

In recent times, due to the dedication of a group of doctors, a drill has been set-up in Colombo for such disaster management. This enables the setting-up of a 'Triage', where on-the -spot sorting out of the injured is done according to the severity of the wounds sustained -- without the pressing of panic-buttons. The wounded are graded and sent to the appropriate hospitals.

Hot-lines have been set-up to deal with public information, and rapid Police action. But more important, should the public be educated on what individuals must do; what the Police who are expected to be the first-on-the-scene should do, to assist the health services to be more efficient without unnecessary drain on staff and material resources.

Out in the periphery, where the guerrillas have taken the war, where distances and time are major factors in dealing with the situation, such drills must be in place, with even helicopter ambulances made available for the speedy dispatch of the wounded to hospital.

It's the first hour that is critical in such situations, and the Government must take the responsibility for any casualties that could occur. Asking the people to bear with them is just not good enough.

Going to war is not as easy as it sounds, and the Defence Ministry must work jointly with the Health Ministry, and other related agencies to ensure minimum collateral damages is caused. Today's Disaster Management Ministry is not confined to landslides and the possibilities of another tsunami; a real war has now been declared, and the Government has to be mindful that it has to take upon itself the moral responsibility for all of its actions.