Jungle Telegraph

23rd August 1998

Operation 'Brute Force'

The popular poor man's beach resort at Polhena in Matara was crowded last Sunday when darkness began to envelope the cloudy evening.

Bus loads of men, women and children, many returning from pilgrimage to Kataragama, were taking a break. Sea bathers crowded the shallow waters. Some sat on mats, carpets or in the sand sipping beer or drinking arrack. Some danced to the baila and pop that played on portable cassette recorders. Children were busy building sand castles or chasing one another.

Needless to say these were Sri Lankans who could not afford the luxury of a star class beach resort for their modest share of fun and frolic. Mother Lanka still holds a few peace havens for these less fortunate, who are easily in the majority.

The convivial atmosphere on that sultry evening was broken at 5.50 p.m. when two Hi-ace vans, one white and other blue, drove speedily across the sand dunes.

Uniformed soldiers, ammunition pouches strapped to their chests, with hands on the triggers of T-56 assault rifles, darted out of the vans in true combat style. The weapons were aimed at the sea bathers. One well built man in civvies went around slapping and kicking some of the young men. Then the soldiers motioned with their assault rifles asking them to get into the white van. Those who hesitated were pushed in. "They did not know who I was," exhorted the man in civvies. The two vans drove off with the sea bathers.

Onlookers soon learnt that this 'Operation Brute Force' had been launched after some sea bathers hurled a ball and teased the relative of the man in civvies. Too bad a thing to do if the act caused physical harm or was in bad taste.

Why couldn't they call the Police instead of creating an ugly scene," asked an angry school master. "This did not happen even during the UNP regime," remarked an elderly lady of burly proportions, a resident of the area.

The beach of course was soon deserted.

Sigh of relief

Sri Lanka Air Force top brass heaved a sigh of relief early this week. Some of the items they lost during an LTTE counter attack in the Wanni had been recovered.

And that included the Ack Ack (anti aircraft) gun

'Princess Kash'

The talking point in intelligence circles this week was about the bombing of the cargo vessel 'Princess Kash' off the shores of Mullaitivu.

There were many reasons that prompted the authorities to order an SLAF air raid. Like the proverbial last straw that broke the camel's back, one source said, a major reason (in addition to a number of others) was the fear that the LTTE capture of the cargo would have prolonged the separatist was for longer years.

With 3,000 tons of cement, they could have built impenetrable bunkers, said one source.

Special Assignment

Editorial/Opinion Contents