Takeover
or not: Tiger turning titan
![](../images/ltte2.jpg)
|
![](../images/ltte1.jpg)
File
picture of LTTE cadres in training. Above female cadres train
on a ground attack. Male cadres try their hands on a recoilless
gun. |
It
is exactly two months today since President Chandrika Bandaranaike
Kumaratunga took over the defence portfolio together with interior
and mass communication.
Nothing
substantial has changed. A few things, however, have taken place.
She has personally taken stock of the prevailing ground situation
in the North-East during meetings with armed forces chiefs and their
field commanders. She has ascertained their equipment needs and
personally granted approval for selected purchases. This is on the
basis that they are urgent.
Though
the Treasury is in the hands of the United National Front (UNF)
Government, allocation of funds will not become a contentious issue.
During their periodic interaction over matters relating to co-habitation,
both President Kumaratunga and Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremasinghe,
have acknowledged the need to meet the urgent equipment and other
requirements of the armed forces.
With
President Kumaratunga (now the de facto Defence Minister) and Premier
Wickremasinghe holding the reigns on finances (through the Treasury),
a salutary feature, one hopes, would be the emergence of some checks
and balances. The UNF will be in a position to bring the procurement
process under close scrutiny whilst making available funds for what
is genuinely and urgently required. That way, they can prevent Sri
Lanka from becoming the dumping ground for dud equipment. It was
not very long ago that colossal amounts were spent on many items
including dud shells, non functioning radars, non airworthy aircraft
and battleships of museum vintage.
In
doing so, they can also ensure some forms of checks are maintained
to prevent corrupt activity. It would be almost impossible to curb
it effectively without a proper mechanism. One way would be to establish
a centralised procurement agency for the armed forces and the Police.
Such an agency can ensure procurements are standardised for the
armed forces and even the Police. That is besides engaging in forward
planning for requirements. At present the task is left in the hands
of a few, more often those lacking any expertise. They are also
ad hoc and hurried.
On
the other hand, if the ever increasing acrimony over issues related
to cohabitation is any indication to go by, the procurement process
can also become a casualty. That will no doubt defeat the sole objective
for which President Kumaratunga said she took over the defence portfolio.
She
declared in her broadcast to the nation on November 7 "The
sovereignty of the State of Sri Lanka, its territorial integrity
and security of the Nation have been placed in grave danger by acts
of wilful commission and other acts of careless omission by some
members of the Government."
Most
Sri Lankans know she was not wrong when she said that the security
of the nation has been placed in grave danger. Since the Ceasefire
Agreement of February 22, 2002, the UNF Government badly neglected
the armed forces and even the Police. Some Cabinet ministers and
officials also perceived them as the enemy. During a period of a
year and eight months, until President Kumaratunga took over the
defence portfolio, Tiger guerrillas have continued to strengthen
their military machine, as repeatedly revealed in these columns.
This
was whilst the armed forces faced the threat of being down-sized,
their equipment demands not met, their ammunition stocks not replenished,
their recruitment drives not proving successful and their desertion
rates rising to levels that exceeded times of war. This again was
repeatedly highlighted in these columns.
Sri
Lankans have already been told that the security of the nation has
been placed in grave danger. Therefore the question arises as to
what tangible measures have been put into place to deal with the
situation? That is to assure the public that the armed forces are
in a much higher level of preparedness and readiness to meet this
"grave danger."
The
question becomes significant not only because President Kumaratunga
has taken over the defence portfolio and warned there is a "grave
danger" to the nation. As Sri Lanka enters the fourth year
in a new millennium, it becomes relevant due to many more important
factors. The peace talks remain suspended for the past nearly ten
months. Tiger guerrillas say they do not know with whom in the South
to talk peace. Norwegian facilitators have also suspended their
role saying there is no clarity in the situation since November
4, last year.
The
economy has taken a down turn. Foreign investors have shied away.
Tourist arrivals were affected. If these developments together with
many others contribute to instability, a weakening defence sector
drifting without direction makes matters worse.
Yet,
despite all appeals, the latest from leaders of the Buddhist clergy,
Premier Wickremasinghe insists he cannot continue the peace process
unless he has the defence portfolio. Since the ceasefire whilst
talking peace, his UNF regime strengthened the Liberation Tigers
of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), both politically and militarily, to hitherto
unprecedented heights. This was whilst drastically weakening the
capability of the armed forces and severely blunting their military
preparedness.
That
this changing situation enhanced the bargaining position of the
LTTE immensely and continued to erode the choices left to the UNF
at the negotiating table became increasingly clear. So much so,
many raised concerns on whether the UNF would be forced to concede
most LTTE demands without a debate. This was because the armed forces
were weakened and their control of areas in the North-East decreased.
President
Kumaratunga, quite rightly, summed them up as "grave danger"
to the nation. Two long months later, that grave danger continues
to remain, if not increase. Why? It is simply because nothing has
been done to arrest the situation. Defence matters, from the simplest
to the most complex, have been allowed to continue to drift.
The
result is a paradoxical situation. Premier Wickremasinghe and his
UNF allowed the Tiger guerrillas to become much stronger, both politically
and militarily, whilst talking peace. Conversely the security forces
and the police were made weaker.
Now
that the defence portfolio is in the hands of President Kumaratunga,
the same situation continues although there are no peace talks now.
In fact more doubts are being cast on the peace talks after reports
from London this week that LTTE Chief Negotiator, Anton Balasingham,
may delay his visit to Wanni scheduled for later this month.
With
the dawn of 2004, a look at how matters defence fared in the hands
of the UNF for 20 months and later for two months under President
Kumaratunga shows little difference. Hence, the resultant uncertainty
will continue to linger in the New Year. A look at some of the recent
developments will give an idea.
Last
Tuesday (December 30) President Kumaratunga chaired a meeting of
the National Security Council at Janadipathi Mandiraya. The Sunday
Times learnt that growing concerns over activities of extremist
religious groups came up for discussion. President Kumaratunga who
wanted to ensure there was no violence, particularly on a New Year's
Eve, wanted Police Chief, Indra de Silva, to take appropriate action.
As a long term preventive measure, she said Police should also form
Civilian Committees in various areas to maintain religious harmony.
In
this backdrop of some uncertainty over the security situation on
New Year's Eve, one arm of the armed forces held their dance at
a City hotel that very night (December 31). Another was busy with
an overnight entertainment programme in a public area. This is by
no means to fault them for indulging in any revelry. But the all
important question is whether the timing, holding it on the night
of December 31, was in the best interests of national security?
The question is asked only in the national interest. If such an
event was taking place in a mess hall, one has no complaint. But
these were in public places.
If
an untoward incident that night was to place a heavy demand on the
Police, those in the armed forces who would have to make decisions
to provide help would not have been available. The simple reason
is they were also partying. State intelligence agencies are in such
a state of confusion and ineptness that they could not warn the
Ministry of Defence of such a simple thing. Nor was the Ministry
itself conscious of the possible dangers. If they were, they could
easily have persuaded those responsible to re-schedule their events
for another date since there is a public responsibility cast on
the two services concerned. In such situations the belief that nothing
will happen is by no means the answer. If an untoward incident does
occur, this is how the blame is always placed on some junior officer
for neglect of duty.
That
there is inaction from the most simplest to the most complex issues
over matters relating to defence and security of Sri Lanka clearly
shows that things have been allowed to drift. No one seems to be
in control. Needless to say this lackadaisical attitude will contribute
further to the growing political, economic and security instability
of Sri Lanka in the New Year. But who cares?
Whatever
measures that have been adopted in the past two months in the sphere
of defence were those set in motion when the subject was in the
hands of the UNF. One is the formulation of a list of equipment
requirements for the armed forces. After protracted delays, some
have just been approved by President Kumaratunga. The UNF proposed
a Defence Co-operation Agreement with India. A visit to India by
Chief of Defence Staff and Commander of the Army, Lt. Gen. Lionel
Balagalle was planned when the subject of defence was in the hands
of the UNF.
However,
it was called off after President Kumaratunga took over the defence,
interior and mass communication portfolios on November 4, last year.
Later, Lt. Gen. Balagalle, who undertook the visit announced a number
of measures he had initiated - follow up action on the proposed
Defence Co-operation Agreement, twinning of Indian Army regiments
with the Sri Lanka Army, exchange of intelligence information between
the two countries, joint patrols in the Indian Ocean by Indian Navy,
Coast Guard and Sri Lanka Navy, training of Sri Lankan troops in
India, obtaining Indian troop transport helicopters on hire, repairs
to the runway at the Palaly airport and the setting up of a war
memorial for Indian troops who died in action in Sri Lanka.
Another
measure, also decided upon when the UNF held the defence portfolio,
now being enforced by the Army, relates to the High Security Zones
(HSZ) in Jaffna. The existing buffer zone outside HSZ perimeter
which is one kilometre is now being reduced to 600 metres. This
means civilian settlements are being allowed in the 400 metre belt
that is being vacated. Senior Army officials say only those who
had lived previously in the area will be allowed to re-settle after
they go through a full background scrutiny.
President
Kumaratunga who left yesterday for Islamabad to attend the SAARC
(South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation) summit is also
expected to have bi-lateral talks with President Pervaiz Musharaff.
Such talks are almost likely to focus among other matters on military
assistance from Pakistan. Whether she will have the time to discuss
details is not clear but President Kumaratunga is armed with an
aide memoire provided by the Army. It refers to a Pakistani offer
of a credit line of US $ 20 million which is still not activated
and lists some of the military hardware that could be obtained.
Whilst
matters security and defence are allowed to drift as the acrimonious
battle over cohabitation continues, interesting enough, the LTTE
has continued to maintain a stoic official silence. But, behind
that silence, the guerrillas are busy consolidating the gains they
made and preparing themselves for any eventualities that may arise.
The uncertainties in the South have, quite naturally, enhanced these
measures.
Details
of how they were recruiting and acquiring new military hardware
have been repeatedly revealed in these columns in the past year.
On March 10 and June 14 last year, Sri Lanka Navy intercepted and
sank two Tiger guerrilla vessels - MV Koimar and MV Soshin - whilst
they were attempting to smuggle in military items.
A
glimpse of guerrilla activity in the past year and continuing now
will give an idea. Besides recruitment and training of new cadres,
those already serving have been put through refresher courses. For
ground fighting elements such training exercises have included bunker
busting with sand model structures of various important installations
including security forces camps.
For
members of the sea going arm, the Sea Tigers, live firing exercises
have been going on off the North-East coast, particularly off Chalai
and Mullaitivu. In fact when officials of the Sri Lanka Navy raised
issue with a senior Defence Ministry official of the UNF last year,
his advice was to ignore it for the time being. However, he had
backed out when a Navy official asked for the advice in writing.
Intelligence
sources say Sea Tiger cadres are also being trained on how to attack
naval craft, under water sabotage techniques and handling of heavy
weapons. Some of these personnel together with trained Black Tiger
(suicide) cadres have been sent to the East upon completion of training.
Yet others have been tasked to monitor movement of naval craft in
the eastern waters.
These
sources say that despite the stepped up recruitment, Tiger guerrilla
leadership is not pleased with the existing strength. Hence, fresh
targets have been placed for 2004 and area leaders have been told
they should meet them. New recruitment campaigns are to begin particularly
in the east.
A
more important development that will add muscle to the LTTE's present
politico-military stature is moves to establish a broad based television
broadcasting facility. Test TV broadcasts are now being conducted
from a secret location in the Wanni. The TV station "Nidarshanam,"
plans initial broadcasts to cover a radius 40 kilometres in the
Wanni region and gradually expand it. The same TV station existed
in a very limited way when the LTTE was in control of the Jaffna
peninsula in the early 1980s.
According
to reliable intelligence sources, state of the art TV broadcast
equipment to ensure an extended broadcast facility has been smuggled
in through the north east coast. This is in marked contrast to radio
broadcast equipment which the LTTE persuaded ever obliging top UNF
officials to import circumventing all laid down procedures. The
import duty on this equipment as well as the licence fee has not
yet been paid. But the Voice of Tigers radio station which is now
on air has been able to reach a wider area from Kilinochchi including
some parts of Vavuniya.
The
same sources say the broadcast spectrum from the radio equipment
was now restricted though it could be expanded to reach a much wider
area. That was both through repeater stations and elevated towers.
It is through these processes that the LTTE had now planned to extend
VoT broadcasts to areas in the east where they have regained control.
On
the subject of LTTE radio equipment, an interesting development
this week are interviews being conducted for the promotion of Inspectors
to the rank of Assistant Superintendents of Police (ASPs). At least
one candidate has obtained additional points in his career to stake
his claim to become an ASP.
These
additional points have been given to him by a top Police official,
who has since retired. These points were not for any act of bravery.
The Inspector concerned has been commended and the points were conferred
because he led a Police team that escorted the LTTE radio equipment
from the Colombo Port to the Army check-point at Omanthai. From
there, Tiger guerrilla cadres took delivery of the equipment and
transported it across the Alpha Nine (A-9) highway to Kilinochchi.
Top
officials aided and abetted in violating laid down procedures for
the import of the equipment. Customs duty on it has not been paid.
There have been no probes into their conduct and no steps have been
taken to recover the sums due to the State. Yet, a top Police official
has thought it fit to reward an Inspector only because he succeeded
in escorting the equipment from Colombo to Wanni.
This
mission to escort the equipment fell on the Police after the Army
refused to do so. The move is all the more intriguing since the
Inspector in question denied to the media that he ever escorted
it. Did the reward cover his decision to keep the exercise a secret?
Must one say this incident again highlights the fact that things
have been allowed to drift with no one in direct control.
As
a New Year begins, the LTTE strengthened politically and militarily
by the UNF consolidates itself further with all the trappings of
a separate state. Since President Kumaratunga's take over of the
defence portfolio, defence and security related matters have been
allowed to drift aimlessly.
If
both sides are weakening the defence of Sri Lanka, they are together
strengthening the LTTE by their inaction and by delaying the peace
process. Sri Lankans have no choice but to watch helplessly for
both are continuing to fail them. |