Sri Lankan army tries to put behind worst year

Nirupama Subramanian

COLOMBO, DEC.31. The Sri Lankan military tried to put behind memories of its annus horribilis with a successful operation in Jaffna over the weekend after which it appears to be in control of most areas in the peninsula that it had lost to the LTTE in May.

Ignoring a unilateral truce by the LTTE, government troops advanced through Saturday to link Jaffna to Chavakachcheri, and later at night, took control of two strips of land jutting into the sea at Ariyalai and Thanankilappu.

In a special congratulatory message to his field commanders, the army chief, Gen. Lionel Ballagalle, said the series of successes that had given the military ``complete control of the Jaffna peninsula north of the line joining Kilaly, Eluthumadduval and Nagarkovil'' was a ``gift'' to the nation from the security forces on the eve of the new year. It had also given depth to the security of Jaffna, he said.

The offensives were launched a day after the President, Mrs. Chandrika Kumaratunga, returned home after a long stay abroad.

In a New Year message today, she appealed to all Sri Lankans to join hands to usher in a durable peace ``in order to make our nation a prosperous one, taking into consideration the victories that we have already achieved''.

According to a statement from the Defence Ministry, Saturday night's operation for the Ariyalai and Thannakilappu salients was launched in order to ``exploit the success'' of the advance earlier on Saturday, which saw the army take control of the main highway between Jaffna town and Chavakachcheri.

An area of 50 sq km was brought under army control in the two operations, the Defence Ministry stated.

In sharp contrast to the fierce fighting during an army offensive on December 22 that left at least 50 rebels dead, there seems to have been no resistance from the LTTE this time, even though it had said it reserved the right to defend itself against military action during the ceasefire period.

The only threat to troops came from anti-personnel mines. The Defence Ministry said 62 such explosive devices were recovered from the areas captured by the troops on Saturday. Three soldiers were wounded in mine blasts.

Soldiers also found an underground ammunition dump abandoned by the LTTE in Ariyalai, the Defence Ministry said.

Earlier this year, Sri Lanka was staring in the face of a humiliating military collapse after the LTTE mounted a rolling offensive in Jaffna peninsula. But equipped with new hardware purchased from several countries, the military managed to halt the advance.

The LTTE leader, Mr. Velupillai Prabhakaran, made a bitter reference to this in his annual speech on November 27, admitting that he was forced to ``slow down'' the advance into Jaffna because the Sri Lankan government managed to mobilise help from the international community.

He offered to talk with the government, and later announced a month-long unilateral ceasefire that came into effect from December 24. But with the latest military offensives in the peninsula, the government has made it clear that it has no intention of reciprocating the LTTE's ``goodwill gesture''.

The government has said that a ceasefire would be a ``consequent step'' after negotiations began and progressed to the satisfaction of both parties.

In a statement today, the former Chief Minister of the north- eastern province, and member of the EPRLF, Mr.A. Varatharaja Perumal, said that if the LTTE was sincere in desiring a political settlement, it should initiate some confidence-building measures from its side.

He listed the opening of the Jaffna-Vavuniya road, a halt to conscription, a ``peace agreement'' with other Tamil political parties for a democratic environment among the Tamil people, and consultations with these parties on a comprehensive political package to present to the government and the main opposition as measures the LTTE must ``immediately implement''.

While the TELO, the TULF and others have, like the LTTE, appealed to the international community to persuade Sri Lanka to reciprocate the ceasefire, the EPRLF leader has made an appeal for pressure on the LTTE into taking the steps suggested by him.

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Section  : International
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