KKS under Tiger watch:Psy-op or real threat?

Last Wednesday's Hartal in Trincomalee - Deserted streets as life comes to a standstill.

A late afternoon eleven days ago, alert Navy personnel at the Northern Naval Area headquarters in Kankesanthurai (KKS) rounded up a Tiger guerrilla cadre at sea.

With a few nylon lines he floated in a dinghy. He pretended to be fishing. But a close check revealed a different story. Concealed near his feet were a fully loaded T-56 Chinese-built assault rifle, one magazine and 31 rounds of ammunition. Removal of the engine cover of the nine horsepower outboard motor that powered the dinghy led to the discovery of a 9 mm Chinese made pistol.

As Navy men interrogated him, a clearer picture emerged. The young man was a member of the sea going arm of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), the Sea Tigers. He had set out to sea from Valvettiturai on a reconnaissance mission. He had made observations at the KKS harbour area and moved towards the waters off neighbouring Madagal. That is where he was caught.

He confessed he was under orders from his seniors to conduct surveillance outside the KKS harbour and the naval establishment located there. He had said similar reconnaissance was being conducted by his colleagues in the Trincomalee harbour, home for the Navy's Eastern Naval Area headquarters. Responding to a specific question on the reasons for such reconnaissance, he said it was to plan out attacks on these strategically located naval bases. His "official" aluminium LTTE identification tag with his membership number inscribed (commonly known as Dog Tag) was found in his possession. After initial interrogation, the Navy handed over the youth to the Police for further questioning.

The same evening he was arrested, there was another Sea Tiger boat landing at nearby Palmyra point, located between the KKS harbour and Point Pedro. Troops who observed it cordoned off the area and conducted a search. A Sea Tiger cadre, a one time battle casualty with a bad limp, was rounded up. His colleague had run away. He also confessed that he had been asked to conduct surveillance in the general area surrounding KKS harbour. He had used a mobile telephone to call his seniors in Kilinochchi to report on his observations. But the youth had thrown the phone away. He also possessed an aluminium identification tag. This youth also disclosed surveillance was being conducted to formulate plans for attacks. After initial interrogation, Navy officials handed him over to the Police.

Days later, the new Commander of the Navy, Vice Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda, was on his first official visit to the Northern Naval Area Headquarters in Kankesanthurai. He made an impressive speech to officers and men there about his determination to stamp out corruption. He declared he would not hesitate to cancel any procurement deal if he had reason to believe they smacked of corruption or involved irregularities. Later, Vice Admiral Karannagoda wanted to visit a Buddhist shrine his predecessor and now Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Daya Sandagiri had constructed.

Navy personnel hurriedly conducted a security sweep of the area surrounding the shrine. They had an unusual find - a Sea Tiger cadre was fast asleep near the shrine. He wore a cyanide capsule around his neck. He had an aluminium identification tag and a mobile telephone. Navy officers learnt that the man had also been tasked to conduct surveillance around their Agbo base located in Madagal. Using his mobile phone, he had been describing to his seniors in Kilinochchi about activity around this camp. That included the movement of vehicles, civilians and other activity. After initial interrogation, Navy officials have handed him also over to the Police.

These three events within just one week have heightened concerns for State intelligence agencies. They are worried although a few senior Navy officers contend this is "psy ops" by the LTTE. They claim the Sea Tiger cadres had been deliberately sent on those missions to be arrested. This is to enable them to relate a story of impending attacks to create a fear psychosis, particularly in view of the forthcoming presidential elections. Even if such views may come as a morale booster to the ruling party not to be deterred by guerrilla threats, under-estimating the enemy and their capability has been one of the failings of the security establishment in the past. Such organised acts staged to enable the guerrillas to fall into the hands of the Security Forces are not known standard operational procedures of the LTTE.

If southern political leaders are crying hoarse about a federal solution to the prolonged ethnic conflict ahead of the November 17 presidential elections, has the LTTE embarked on preparations for another course of action? That seems their worry and it comes amidst other developments which they believe are significant.

Beginning September 5 the LTTE embarked on the closure of their political offices in Government-controlled areas in the districts of Jaffna, Mannar and Vavuniya. The opening of such offices was allowed under the Ceasefire Agreement of February 22, 2002. Ninety days after the CFA became effective; all unarmed LTTE members were permitted freedom of movement in the North and the East. The guerrillas were required to carry identity papers. However, the Government was granted the right to deny entry to specified military areas.

The closure of these political offices came in the wake of the declaration of a State of Emergency on August 12. This was after the assassination of Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar. The LTTE Political Wing leader for Jaffna, Ilampirathi, told the Head of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) Hagrup Haukland in Pallai on Friday they vacated the political offices since other groups carrying weapons were known to be moving around. It was taking place during an election period and it had been considered prudent to withdraw due to safety reasons.

In separate statements the LTTE also accused the Army of conducting raids or searches on their political offices. A senior Army official in Jaffna denied the accusation and said SLMM officials in Jaffna, who probed the charges, found it to be incorrect.

Ilampirathi had moved to Pallai from Jaffna for fear of arrest following the brutal murder of Superintendent of Police in charge of the district, Charles Wijewardena. This came in the wake of the arrest by CID detectives of Gopi, a suspect in the killing - an event that triggered off a shoot out in which two policemen were injured.

Intelligence sources say a sizeable number from over 3,000 guerrilla cadres who had entered the peninsula for political work after registering themselves have returned to the Wanni. "This is evidently an exercise to make us believe they have withdrawn. But we have evidence to confirm many of them have returned again to Jaffna using sea routes," an intelligence source who spoke on grounds of anonymity told The Sunday Times. The source added, "We believe a larger number had not left the peninsula. The smaller groups that left have returned.

But, those who have been operating during the ceasefire have trained an estimated 3,000 civilian cadres - three wheeler taxi drivers, conductors, bus drivers etc - on how to handle weapons. They are also active in the peninsula."

His remarks were underscored by an incident at the Muhamalai Army checkpoint on Friday. Among the civilians who came along a queue meant for those entering the Government-controlled areas of Jaffna was an LTTE cadre. The Army said he was found in possession of an aluminium tag (or dog tag) that gave his identification number and confirmed he was a guerrilla cadre. Army personnel questioned him and handed him over to the Police.

Within minutes, the news of his detention had spread. A bus load of university students led by Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian Selvarajah Gajendran arrived at the checkpoint, staged a sit down protest and obtained his release. They said the youth Ponniah Sritharan (26) was a student from the Science Faculty of the Jaffna University.

The protestors alleged the Army had accused the youth of possessing LTTE literature. His release prevented a confrontation situation that became inevitable. Army officials say instead of registering themselves and entering the peninsula for political work, the guerrillas were doing so by entering through lanes meant for civilians at the checkpoint.

These turn of events in the North came as concerns grew in the defence establishment over a disturbing increase in the rise of violent incidents in the east, particularly in the Government controlled areas of Trincomalee and Batticaloa. Defence Secretary Major General (retd.) Asoka Jayawardena directed Army Commander Lt. Gen. Shantha Kottegoda to visit the area to make an on-the-spot assessment. He visited Batticaloa on Friday.

Last Wednesday the guerrillas brought life in Trincomalee and the suburbs to a standstill by staging a hartal. State and private sector institutions closed down and transport services were disrupted. Only a few shops remained open. Additional troops and Police were deployed but the event was incident free.

In the Batticaloa district attacks on Police and Security Forces positions had continued on a daily basis. A few instances, among many incidents, give one an idea. On September 11 guerrillas threw a hand grenade at a Police Post in Palameenmadu. On the same day they opened fire at Police tractor in Valachchenai. The fire hit a bus but the passengers had escaped unhurt. Troops later found empty T-56 assault rifle ammunition. On September 12 a police post in Valachchenai was attacked by guerrillas who later fled to Kaluwankerni, an area dominated by them. On September 14 guerrilla who infiltrated into a Security Forces camp hurled a grenade leaving a soldier dead.

In Trincomalee, too, the instances have been many. A few instances here again give one an idea. On September 11 guerrillas hurled a grenade at the police post in Uppuveli injuring a policeman and a civilian. A day earlier, a grenade was hurled at the Air Force road block at Anuradhapura junction. That same week troops on duty near Alles Garden came under grenade attack. Two soldiers were injured. Guerrillas also threw hand grenades at two different security points near Sirimapura. The first was directed at a hut where the troops were resting. Guerrillas also directed small arms fire at the Kattaiparichchan entry-exit point.

According to Army statistics incidents of grenade throwing from September 1 to 21 amounted to 50 and left five security forces personnel, nine civilians and two policemen dead. A further 13 security forces personnel and two civilians were injured.

According to the Army from December 24, 2001 until September 20, this year, ceasefire violations by the Tiger guerrillas have totalled 5,515 incidents. Here is a breakdown area wise: Jaffna 375, Wanni 276, Batticaloa-Ampara-Polonnaruwa 569, Trincomalee 227, Colombo 29 and other areas 3. In addition abduction of adults amounted to 1110 cases, abduction of children 198 cases, harassments 757 cases and child recruitment 1971 cases. Since December 24, 2001 until September 20, this year, during the tenure of the ceasefire, there have been 774 deaths. Here is a break-down of statistics compiled by the Army:

Killing of civilians by Tiger guerrillas 239, killings by renegade Karuna faction of Wanni cadres 96, killing of cadres loyal to Karuna faction by Wanni cadres 182 and killing of security forces personnel 61. Killing of civilians (not categorised) total 108. Killing of those belonging to political groups 54 and civilian informants 34.

These developments, intelligence sources point out, come as the Tiger guerrillas continue to smuggle in military hardware. According to one well informed source, a procurement programme directed personally by LTTE leader, Velupillai Prabhakaran was yet to be completed. The source said mid sea transfer of military cargo into fishing trawlers to be smuggled through the north east coast was still continuing. Besides this, the same source said, training was being carried out using the light aircraft the LTTE had acquired. There has been a notable increase in flights, the source revealed.

In this backdrop, Friday's Tamil Resurgence rally in Jaffna assumes greater significance. Smaller rallies have been held in Batticaloa, Vavuniya and Mullaitivu. The main event in the northern capital, which is being heavily publicised, is focused to deliver a strong message to the south and the international community. This is in the backdrop of a protracted delay in peace talks, the non implementation of P-TOMS (Post-Tsunami Operational Management Structure), demands for troop withdrawals from High Security Zones and other vital issues of concern to the LTTE.

Senior intelligence officials say this assumes greater importance in view of LTTE leader, Velupillai Prabhakaran's "Maveerar Day" (Great Heroes Day) speech on November 27 last year. His concluding paragraph, no doubt, becomes relevant. He said:

"We cannot continue to be entrapped in a political vacuum without an interim solution or a permanent settlement, without a stable peace and without peace of mind. The Sinhala nation neither assimilates and integrates our people to live in co-existence nor does it allow our people to secede and lead a separate existence. We cannot continue to live in the darkness of political uncertainty, without freedom, without emancipation, without any prospect for the future.

There are borderlines to patience and expectations. We have now reached the borderline. At this critical moment we wish to make an urgent appeal to the Sri Lanka government. We urge the government to resume the peace negotiations without conditions, based on our proposal for an Interim Self-Governing Authority. If the Government of Sri Lanka rejects our urgent appeal and adopts delaying tactics, perpetuating the suffering of our people, we have no alternative other than to advance the freedom struggle of our nation. We call upon the concerned International governments to understand our predicament and prevail upon the Sri Lanka government to resume peace talks based on our fair and reasonable stand."

The Tamil Resurgence rally in Jaffna on Friday will no doubt spell out in clear terms the stance of the LTTE. It is important in view of the November 17 presidential elections.

But more important will be the message Mr. Prabhakaran will deliver on his 51st birthday. That is during his "Maveerar Day" speech on November 27, ten days after the outcome of the presidential polls. Who ever becomes Sri Lanka's fifth executive President, that message will be vital in his six year term.

The political "Maveerars" of the South have progressively weakened the nation's security establishment whilst the guerrillas have successfully built a strong military machine. They now have very little choice but to offer devolution, federalism or even more. Would it be wrong to say LTTE can now call the shots even better than before?

Back to Top

Back to Columns

Copyright © 2001 Wijeya Newspapers Ltd. All rights reserved.