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Who is behind the buzz against relocating STF?

22.3.2008

In weekly media briefing of UNP, Mr. Lakshman Kiriella made big buzz on governments plan to relocate part of STF troop from Ampara district to Welioya and Kabithigollawa area. UNP try to convey a point that this move is due to a demand from TMVP. We all know that in the recent past, TMVP has joined hand with the government forces in the fight against LTTE terrorists. Now LTTE is swept away from entire eastern province and only a handful of isolated LTTE carders are carrying coward hide and runaway attacks. Now the real battle front is in the Wanni jungle where SL security forces are gradually marching towards the den of LTTE terrorist leader Piripaharan.

We all know that UNP under the leadership of Ranil Wickramasingha has chosen LTTE and its political wing TNA as their trusted political ally. Despite LTTE betraying Ranil in the last presidential election for some uncertain reasons (It was a political mistake by LTTE), UNP continues to support LTTE. This may be due to pressure on Weak character of Ranil Wickramasingha from his political masters in the Western world. When Thoppigala area was captured by our elite forces Ranil called it a deserted area. Once the government fully cleared terrorists from Eastern province and call for local government elections, UNP was busy criticizing the election and they joined hand with LTTE and allied NGO agents to boycott it.

Now government has engaged in the final battle against terrorism by deploying their strategic military units in the Wanni area. Relocating part of elite STF force which has good track record in the fight against terrorists is clearly a part of the final war. This is pretty obvious move and one must not be a military analyst to understand this simple fact.

On the other hand we all know that Kabithigollawa area has been under chain of claymore attacks in the recent past and therefore people in that area demanded for extra security. If the innocent people in those areas flee in fear of terrorism, it will be great hindrance to the operations in the Wanni.

At the same time, government has clearly stated that only 25% of the STF will be relocated from Ampara to Welioya region and therefore STF will continue to operate in Ampara district with additional support from Army. Ampara is a district with multi ethnicity where Tamils are minority (combination of Sinhalese and Muslims are the majority) and therefore Ampara is not a stronghold of TMVP (Batticalo district is the stronghold of TMVP). Therefore, it is obvious that this move is not going to help military activities of TMVP.

When all these factual realities are crystal clear, why does UNP accuse government of relocating part of STF from Ampara to Welioya. The answer is quite clear. It is the voice of LTTE that is advocate in the mouth of UNP spokesman. Firstly they want to hit on TMVP which has come to democracy and vowed to fight against LTTE terrorists in the Wanni. Secondly the past track record of STF has shaken the helm of LTTE. Arrival of elite STF forces in the doer step of Wanni jungle sends red light to LTTE self appointed supremo Piripaharan who is already in misery due to continues pounding by SL army in the ground and Air force attacks on his hideouts.

It is UNP that is advocating aspirations of LTTE terrorists and they were quick to make big fuzz against deploying STF in Welioya. In the last UNP rule, firstly Ranil signed so called peace accord with Piripaharan under the patronage of Norway betraying whole North and Eastern provinces to the rule of terrorists. It was then followed by accord between SLMC leader Rauf Hakeem and Piripaharan (for which Hakeem personally visited Wanni jungle). Now all the political parties other than UNP (Ranil fraction), SLMC and TNA are directly or indirectly supporting the government.

Although it is not published to the common people, we have witnessed signs of consensus in views between UNP, SLMC and TNA which is the tiger proxy party. It is in this backdrop that we should analyze the buzz of Laksman Kiriella on deploying STF of Welioya region bordering Wanni jungle. We should closely monitor why UNP spokesman coughs when Piripaharan get cold and UNP MPs shiver when Piripaharan get high temperature.


Mawbima Lanka