6th February 2000

'Operation Flash Style' in the 'Year of War'

Last week's report in these columns as well as the front page lead story about United States military assistance to Sri Lanka drew both local and international attention.

Major wire services moved the story world-wide. So did other foreign correspondents, to their respective media organisations.

Barely 24 hours later, the United States Embassy in Colombo, The Sunday Times learnt, began receiving a flood of inquiries. The result – they issued a prepared statement. It was made available selectively to those who sought details. This is what it said:

"There has been no recent increase or step-up in United States-Sri Lanka military co-operation.

"The United States and Sri Lanka have routinely conducted small unit Joint/Combined Exchange Training (JCET) exercises since 1994. JCETs are part of military to military contact programs conducted by the US with many other nations in the Asia Pacific region.

"The overall aim of the JCET program is to enhance the professionalism of both US and other military forces through an exchange of knowledge and experiences. JCET exchanges with the Sri Lankan military have involved only a small number of soldiers (ranging from 20 to 60 US participants), take place far from combat areas and have focused on noncombatant training activities.

"US manufacturers of military equipment have similarly had long-standing commercial ties with the Sri Lankan military, though the volume of actual military sales to Sri Lanka over the years has been minuscule by world standards.

"As a matter of business practice, the US Government does not comment on specific pending commercial sales arrangements, however all such arrangements conform to strict licensing controls.

"Before approving each individual sale, the US Government examines a wide range of concerns including human rights practices of the buyer and the likelihood that the weapons will be employed in violation of human rights accords."

The US Embassy statement too received play in the international wire services. A report moved by Associated Press, now the only leading US news agency, gives an idea. It said:

"Colombo (AP)—The U.S. hasn't stepped up military ties with Sri Lanka, the US Embassy said Tuesday, responding to reports of a multi-million-dollar arms deal with the embattled country.

"The US military has routinely conducted exercises with Sri Lankan forces since 1994, and "there has been no recent increase or step up" in co-operation, the Embassy said in a statement.

"The statement didn't deny a report in the independent The Sunday Times that Sri Lanka will buy helicopters, mortar-locating radar devices and ammunition as part of a multi-million deal with the U.S……."

As is clear, the statement did not refute any of the facts contained in The Sunday Times front page story or the Situation Report. US Embassy officials, however, explained that their attention had been drawn to two headlines. The front page report said "MASSIVE US-LANKA MILITARY DEALS" whilst the Situation Report headline declared US STEPS UP MILITARY LINKS WITH LANKA.

They insisted "there is no massive increase or stepped up military co-operation." Undoubtedly so, if one is to compare US military assistance to some of its close allies, say like Israel. In comparison, the assistance Sri Lanka is receiving is agreeably minuscule or even microscopic.

Yet, as explained in these columns " If US assistance to Sri Lanka before 1994 has been confined only to its Military Exchange and Training (IMET) programme, there has been a substantial change in the recent years." These changes were enumerated in detail in these columns last week.

High ranking Sri Lanka defence officials say the fact that various forms of US military aid have been forthcoming since 1994, the year the PA Government was voted to power, is "a great leap forward." One source who did not wish to be identified for obvious reasons declared, "Before 1994, we only had a few placements for our military officers in US military academies. There was no other form of assistance including the sale of combatant or non combatant military hardware. Today, we are not only receiving them, US troops also periodically train our own in areas far outside the operational areas. The US has also blacklisted the LTTE as a terrorist organisation."

In his State of the Union message in Washington on January 27, President Clinton declared terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction as among national security concerns. In the portion of his speech dedicated to national security issues, he said the technological advances that created palm-sized cell phones can also make weapons of terror easier to conceal and easier to use. He predicted that America's major security threat in the next ten to twenty years would be narco-traffickers, terrorists and organised criminals who will work together with increasing access to sophisticated chemical and biological weapons. The remarks, needless to say, underscore US priority to stifle global terrorism.

However, the references made in these columns last week to Joint/Combined Exchange Training Exercises (JCET) were deleted by the censor. In the light of the US Embassy statement, the following can now be said of the ongoing JCET programme.

US troops and Sri Lankan security forces on January 17 began a Joint/Combined Exchange and Training (JCET) exercise code named Flash Style 00 – 1. It will continue until later this month.

The main component of the ongoing JCET exercises is between the United States Navy SEAL Team One and its Special Boat Unit and Sri Lanka Navy's Special Boat Squadron (SBS) and Fast Attack Flotilla. They are being carried out at a secret location outside the battle zones. This is in accordance with US stipulation that no training or other activity is carried out in combat zones.

Another team from the Special Operations Squadron (6th SOS) of the United States Air Force is engaged in joint exercises with the Sri Lanka Air Force. The training, in an undisclosed location, is focused on Search and Rescue, Maintenance Training and other subjects including Flight Doctor Duties in support of medical evacuation.

A third team from the US Army Psychological Operations Group is training personnel of the Sri Lanka Army Directorate of Psychological Operations on new techniques.

Flash Style is the name given for US operations with the Sri Lanka Navy, whilst joint exercises with the Sri Lanka Army remain code named Balanced Style.

In an interview with The Sunday Times last week, Lt. Col. Frank Rindone, Defence Attache at the United States Embassy in Colombo made it clear the "United States military is not conducting counter terrorism training for Sri Lankan military forces." He added "the JCET is not in response to any current or specific events in Sri Lanka. The event is a previously scheduled exercise (more than two years ago) which is unrelated to any current specific world event."

In the backdrop of these developments, relative calm prevailed in the combat zones as Sri Lanka observed the 52nd anniversary of independence. Yet, intelligence sources say there were signs of an LTTE build up in the north and the Wanni areas. This was particularly so in the Elephant Pass sector where the security forces have successfully repulsed attempts to isolate the area. Another is the Mannar sector where the LTTE's "battle commander" and a group were seen to be moving around.

Besides this uneasy calm, intelligence sources also believe that the recent string of bomb explosions by the LTTE gave a clear indication that they were not only stepping up violence but were also now oblivious to attacking civilian targets. They say this marked shift is reflected in the recent bomb explosions beginning with the one at the Vavuniya Post Office where 11 persons were killed and 71 others were wounded. This was followed by bomb explosions in buses at Polgahawela, Orugodawatte, Potuhera, Kadawata and the defusing of a bomb placed in a train at Gal Oya. These incidents, intelligence sources say, are being triggered off to cause panic and create a fear psychosis in the minds of the public. The fact that it comes as part of the LTTE's efforts to step up its military campaign makes it significant.

Proof that such a campaign is in high gear became evident last week. "The LTTE has designated year 2000 as the year of war," His Lordship Thomas Savundranayagam, Bishop of Jaffna, told The Sunday Times in a telephone interview from Jaffna yesterday. "Signs of preparations for a stepped up war effort are evident all over," he said. (See box story).

Asked about President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga's Independence Day invitation to the LTTE to seek a negotiated political settlement, His Lordship said "even Prabhakaran has said (in his annual statement) that he is willing for talks. But a lot more has to be done before that could begin".

Addressing the nation last Friday, President Kumaratunga said, "Since August, 1994, I personally, and my Government, have worked unceasingly to seek a negotiated political settlement to the conflict and to end the war. The major opposition group and one militant group, remain constant in their refusal to constructively participate in that process.

"I invite one more time, all democratic political leaders to do battle for their country by reaching a consensus on the means of resolution of this conflict that has dogged us for too long.

"Then, we would have reached agreement between all democratic political parties and groups representing all our peoples – the Sinhala, Tamil, Muslim, Malay, Burgher citizens of Sri Lanka.

"We will also invite the LTTE to participate in this noble and great process with us all. The LTTE has a vital role to play in concluding this extended sadness for the Tamil people, the LTTE must also recognise that assassinating Sinhala and Tamil leaders and innocent citizens can never resolve the problems of the Tamil people or the minorities".

If the LTTE is stepping up its war effort, security forces, as reported in these columns last week, are gearing themselves to pre-empt them. That is in the battle front. Outside it, talks for a negotiated settlement for peace are gaining equal momentum. The nation is at the crossroads.

The Fifth Column

Editorial/ Opinion Contents