Don't disgrace our soldiers

Factors that caused the ethnic conflict and those that led to the present war situation are different from one another. They need to be distinguished and understood to spare the military of the ignominy thrown at it unfairly.

At the beginning was a grievance of the Tamil people that they were discriminated against by the majority Sinhalese. Whether discrimination was there or not, need not be analysed here as it has been accepted that there are areas to be redressed.

Pacts and agreements have been reached during election times only to be abrogated later when faced with stronger opposition from the majority ethnic group. The two main political parties had thus alternately let down the hopes and aspirations of the Tamil people so many times that the Tamils no longer trusted Sinhala politicians. The situation led the demand for a separate state by the disgruntled Tamil youth spearheaded by the LTTE which is carrying out campaign of terrorism against the government as a means to achieve a separate state.

There are two aspects that need examination in this regard:

1) The ethnic conflict requires a political solution. Leaving aside the war situation, a political solution cannot be reached until the two main political parties agree to the terms of any agreement reached with the minority Tamils. Thirst for power is the impediment standing in the way of such an agreement, and that is the aspect that has to be remedied for a political solution to be reached. Not only the Tamil people, no Sri Lankan in his proper senses can trust political promises any more.

2) The other aspect is the war against the democratically elected government, by the LTTE led by Velupillai Prabhakaran whose avowed intention is a separate state, which is an obstacle to any political solution short of a separate state. Under these circumstances, the war has to be ended as a prelude to ending the ethnic conflict, and that can be achieved by defeating the aggressor militarily.

It is true that the ethnic conflict cannot be solved militarily. But to say that the present war cannot be contained militarily is an understatement most unfair by the government forces.

It is pertinent in this context to raise the question censored. The war has always been conducted according to political agenda with deadlines set for accomplishment etc. censored it is alleged.

In fairness to the security forces, let us examine the attendant circumstances objectively to find out where exactly the hoodoo lies.

censored for then they will go the same way broilers go. It is heartless political expediency to expect training and motivation to be acquired "on the job" as has been contended by some political pundits. Neither will a politician donning a general's uniform metamorphose into a fully-fledged military commander, nor will a youth without proper training and motivation donning a military uniform metamorphose into a fully-fledged soldier. The LTTE has been quick to perceive these drawbacks censored to panic.

Training and motivation have to be an ongoing process. censored in spite of the superior strength and facilities available to the government forces.

Any professional military officer will hold with me for instance, on the paramount importance of training a soldier on the proper "hold" of the firearm, taking proper aim and proper trigger control. All this is required for accurate shooting. Even after such training, once in the front and faced with the enemy, solders or policemen forget all this and just pump out thousands of rounds of automatic fire at unseen targets, ducking their heads and holding the weapons overhead, in response to enemy fire. The psyche is that the sound of fire will drive the enemy away from him – (like driving crows from the Fort Railway Station). censored – reflex actions, confidence and motivation. All this is needed for any major competition, be it war or sports. I have seen it done that way in the S.T.F. censored and that is how they were so successful to regain and hold the East during 1990 –95.

Political agendas censored and so many precious lives on both sides are a crime against humanity for which power thirsty politicians surely will have to pay. But that is beside the point. If a strategy is found to curtail these power thirsty politicians, the rest will sort out.

Censored

Bullets, lives and all the other wastes can be saved if only the security forces are developed to be an overwhelming force ready to meet any contingency censored