27.12.2007
By - Leel Pathirana
“Sri
Lanka has become the world's greatest Learning Lab for
Countering Terrorism”
By-Dr. Peter Leitner, President-Counter
Terrorism Research Center and Professor National Center
for Bio Defense of the George Mason University, US
After
the three decade of the Sri Lankan LTTE separatist war
which claimed more than one hundred thousand lives, since
Mr. Mahinda Rajapakse assumed the office, war against
Terrorism has taken to a new Dimension of targeting ‘Big
Cats’ of the LTTE hierarchy.
The
Government of Sri Lanka and the people are now confident
that all three forces can eliminate the LTTE separatism
before long and restore lasing peace in Sri Lanka, where
all the nationalities can enjoy right of living in any
part of the Country.
The Government is now under discussion of banning the
LTTE, if they continue large scale attacks in the future.
It is reported that President has stated, “one or
more attack, we have no option”
It
is really evident that November 26th aerial bombing around
Jayanthi Nager in Kilinochchi, has done a massive destruction
and made the LTTE leadership to suffer. LTTE leader has
suffered minor injuries according to Journalist Mr. DBS.
Jeyraj, and later various news reports also confirmed
that he is injured and since the Tiger leader is already
suffering from diabetes, his condition has got worsened
and the LTTE is making attempts to evacuate him to a foreign
country for further treatment.
The
organizational structure of the LTTE has started to collapse
and this issue reached to a high degree when their Head
of the Political wing was killed by SLAF air strike. They
have faced repeated dilemmas and now they have enemies
within.
Integrated
Military Intelligence of the Government is now exact on
their sources of information, analyzing, approaching and
targeting the enemies. Sri Lankan Navy could blow up the
huge LTTE vessels carried arms in the international waters.
Destroying almost ten vessels was a major loss to the
LTTE for their future war against the Government and which
could lead to loose the morale of their cadres and the
Tamil Diaspora in the Europe and in the Middle East.
After
killing of their Head of the Political wing SP Tamilselvan,
Tamil diaspora in Europe and the Middle East have lost
total confidence over the LTTE’s capability, whom
they pledged for a homeland for them on their every annual
Hero’s Day discourse by its leader. Now they have
to face another problem of further funding to the LTTE’s
warfare. After Europe, the second largest Tamil diaspora
are employed in the Middle East, and most of them are
doing under wage labor jobs or odd jobs, from which they
are reluctantly compelled to remit 25% cent of their monthly
salary to the LTTE warfare. The LTTE has directly sent
some laborers to the Middle East for, work-and-send-money
for them basis.
International
Support to the Government
Sri
Lanka President Mahinda Rajapakse’s recent visit
to Islamic Republic of Iran made him as a strong and determined
Head of State with principle. This trip made somewhat
earned the irritation of the US. Subsequently US highlighting
human rights issues suspended their military assistance
to Sri Lanka.
Russian
Federation, Czech Republic, Pakistan, and India have come
forward to assist Mahinda Rajapakse Government to provide
military assistance to eradicate terrorism.
Russian
delegation to Sri Lanka led by General Vladimir Moltenskoy’s
recent visit was a great success to the country. Gen Molpenskoy,
a veteran combat General in the Russian Army was formerly
the operational commander of the Russian Forces in Chechnya.
Pakistan
has increased its annual military assistance loan by US
31 million dollars. This will increase the total annual
Pakistani assistance to US 80 million dollars. Sri Lanka
being a good ally of the Pakistan the recent action taken
by the Sri Lankan Government of conveying their opposition
to the Commonwealth leaders meeting of Kampala suspending
Pakistan as a member, was rightly looked with gratitude
by Pakistan by Pakistan’s President Gen. Pervez
Musharaff.
India
has also offered US 100 million-dollar credit-line to
Sri Lanka for the procurement of military supplies from
India mainly to strengthen the Sri Lankan Air Defense
System. Technical Team from Czech Republic had arrived
in the Island to service and completely overhauls MBRL
(Multi Barrel Rocket Launchers) they provided to the Government
earlier according to a Sinhala language newspaper.
When
look back to the history of the war with terrorist, it
seems like previous regimes fought a conventional warfare
without targeting the ‘Inner Core Leaders of the
LTTE’ or there must have been various reasons where
politics were involved. People forgot the war with the
terrorism and only they saw sealed caskets were coming
in to the villages. Why we lost the War then? This question
yet to be answered in the future.
Meantime
I would like to pose a very simple question from the international
community. Which is, if the International community is
expecting a lasting peace in Sri Lanka, this is what unfolding
before their eyes now?
Liberating
the entire East after almost 27 years under the jackboots
of Prabakaran with very limited civilian casualties, isn’t
it a major victory to be discussed, celebrated or to be
rejoiced? Government is on process of building up infrastructure
of the entire East and has earmarked reserved billion
of rupees, for the resettlement programs of the (IDC)
Internally Displaced Civilians, reopening schools, improving
government transport facilities, providing better health
care, electricity, water and sanitation facilities etc…
Also
new Police stations have been opened up for people’s
protection and facilitate for their day-to-day livelihood
in order to build the confidence in their midst.
Background
of the 2005 Presidential Election Campaign
Mr.
Rajapakse’s victory in November 2005 was a very
significant one in Sri Lanka’s political history
after 1956. His Victory could make a turning point of
the Sri Lanka’s 25 years old separatist war.
He
is today considered the second ‘Nationalist Leader’
after late Mr. S.W.R.D.Bandaranayake. He is the first
President to rise from the south. Even though he hails
from a popular political family, he is not the same aristocratic
class as the Bandaranaike dynasty that led the SLFP since
it was founded in 1952.
Mr.
Rajapakse’s role on Labor union and also Human Rights
activism played a major role during the JVP’s second
uprising in 1987-89, in lobbing for human rights and somewhat
his clandestine trip to Geneva has made him the image
of a Human Rights Activist and Working Class Hero
He
rose strongly at the 2005 presidential election addressing
various nationalist and socialist forces by signing a
series of agreements such as Mahinda Chinthana. His main
objective was bringing a lasting peace to the country.
Despite his narrow margin victory over Ranil Wickramasinghe
at the election, he managed to stand out as a Man Of Common
Masses despite certain media labeled him as a Sinhala
hard-liner.
Courtesy - Asian
Tribune