International nod for Govt’s moves to recall INGOs from Wanni
All mechanisms in place for welfare of IDPs
Forces to enter A9 soon
The Tiger leadership is facing an acute shortage of cadres to defend Kilinochchi as intelligence reports indicates that Theepan has asked to send 60 Tiger cadres operating on the Muhamalai front to defend the Kilinochchi front.
Their task is becoming more hectic as the 59 Division which is operating from the Weli Oya front has already completed their mission within the Andankulam forest reserve and entered a massive open area south of Mullaitivu.
If there was any obstacle which could hinder the efforts of the Security Forces to liberate the Wanni, the troops have overcome almost all the obstacles within this week and laid a solid foundation to clear their path towards liberating Kilinochchi the administrative ‘capital’ of the LTTE which is only five and a half kilometres off from the last soldier in the battlefront.
Therefore, fierce battles between the Security Forces and the LTTE were a common feature this week especially in Akkarayan, the last township on the edge of the Western flank of Mullaitivu district.
The Security Forces went ahead amidst pitched battles confronting the LTTE cadres face to face to make their way to Kilinochchi while preventing them from constructing huge earth bunds to obstruct their way towards the centre of Kilinochchi.
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It was on last Saturday that troops attached to 57 Division launched a massive artillery assault on heavy earth moving equipment of the LTTE which were busy constructing huge earth bunds east of Akkarayankulam tank similar to that of the huge earth bund constructed from Nachchikuda to west of Akkarayan stretching for more than 20 Kilometres.
The pertinent question arises here is as to how LTTE manages to construct such a huge earth bunds as the civilian population in the Wanni is living there fulfilling only their basic needs. It is a big question from where they were getting these earth moving equipment at a time even the Government is facing difficulties in finding such heavy equipment for the implementation of development projects in the South and in the East.
It is apparent that LTTE is using earth moving equipment possibly taken form the INGOs operating in the Wanni just for their security purposes but not for any development purpose to construct tank bunds or any other purpose to assist the civilian population in the Wanni.
The Defence Ministry a few months back very rightly pointed out the way LTTE was extensively using the heavy vehicles taken to Wanni by the INGOs to implement their development projects compelling the Norwegian People’s Aid to extend an apology to the Defence Ministry. 
As troops are moving more closer to Kilinochchi from various fronts, they have not witnessed any major development projects that had taken place in Wanni even in Mallavi where many of these INGOs had their headquarters.
At the same time it is becoming extremely difficult for these INGOs to operate in the Wanni at this juncture as these areas from where the LTTE is operating are frequently targeted by the Security Forces. It was with this background the Government called all the NGOs including the UN Agencies out of Wanni with their assets.
Though there was a minor protest from the INGOs operating in uncleared areas in Wanni claiming that a massive human tragedy would crop up in Wanni if they suspend their humanitarian operations in Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu targeting displaced civilians.
But ultimately all the INGOs heeded the Government’s call especially due to the hardline stance taken by Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa that all the INGO and NGOs must withdraw from Wanni.
In an exclusive interview with this correspondent Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa explained the exact background that led the Government to take this decision. (see the interview with Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa appeared on September 11, 2008 issue of Daily News).
By Wednesday almost all the NGO’s including UN agencies pulled out of Wanni with all their assets. The only exception is the International committee of Red Cross which has been given permission to operate in uncleared areas in Wanni under certain conditions. They have been given permission to move into uncleared areas to hand over LTTE bodies and also bring the bodies of the Security Forces captured by the LTTE during confrontations.
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The Government will put restrictions on the ICRC when transporting drugs into uncleared areas as possibilities are very high that the LTTE would make use of these drugs for their purposes.
What is most important here is that except for a few adverse comments there were no protests by the international community when the Government called all the NGOs and INGOs out of the uncleared areas.
From the Government side there was a very good explanation for the withdrawal of the NGOs and INGOs from Wanni which cannot be challenged by any organisation.
Even at the UN Human Right Council which was held in Geneva this week and attended by the Secretary to Disaster Management and Human Rights Ministry, none of the countries raised any concern about the Government’s decision to withdraw aid workers from uncleared areas.
Therefore, on the part of the Government it has achieved a remarkable victory by taking the international community to their side after two years of hard work exhibiting their genuine commitment to see an end to the terrorist problem in the country. It was due to the unchanged stance explicitly explained to the international community at each and every fora locally and internationally.
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Each and every member of the Government spoke in one voice taking a hardline stance against terrorism and showing their genuine commitment to solve the basic problems of the Tamil community after liberating the Tamil community from the iron grip of the LTTE.
Now it is enjoying the dividends earned for their hard work for the past two and half years with the overwhelming support the Government is now getting from the international community compared to the huge pressures they were exerting on the Government to stop offensive operations against the LTTE.
Neighbouring India is extending its support to suppress terrorism in Sri Lanka expressing their only concern about the civilian population entrapped in Wanni.
The Government has now put all mechanisms in place in Vavuniya to welcome the civilians fleeing uncleared areas. At present a population of just over 150,000 people are living in Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu districts. They are being used by the LTTE to create a human shield. Though many aid workers expressed concern about the plight of the civilians entrapped in the Wanni the Government Agents in Mullaitivu and Kilinochchi have given an assurance that enough tents, foods and drugs are available to cater to the displaced civilians in Wanni.
Therefore, there is no requirement for the displaced civilians to live under trees or without any food in Wanni as speculated by some NGOs.
With the escalation of confrontations, according to information from the displaced civilians they have already abandoned their makeshift tents in Iranamadu area in the south of Kilinochchi and are on the move towards Mullaitivu seeking more safer places.
This was after fierce battles erupted in the east of Akkarayankulam from Sunday to Tuesday in which the Security Forces advanced six kilometres towards the Jaffna Kandy A-9 road from the Akkarayan tank area.
It was during these battles the Security Forces operating in Akkarayan and Vavunivilankulam around 7 p.m. that a number of soldiers felt burning effects on their skin after the LTTE fired two canisters of gas towards them. Though there was a panic situation at the initial stages fearing that the LTTE had fired a chemical weapon, later it was found that they had fired only two canisters of CS gas which is commonly used for riot controlling measures worldwide.
However, Army Commander Lt. General Sarath Fonseka told this correspondent that the Security Forces are ready to face any gas attack or chemical weapon. They are ready to face any of these attacks by the LTTE as measures have already taken to equip the troops with gas masks.
The threat of using chemical weapons by the LTTE emerged after the Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan alias Karuna Amman in an interview with a newspaper speculated the possibility of using chemical weapons at the final stage of the battle in Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu.
The launch of gas attacks on the advancing troops towards Kilinochchi was a clear indication that the LTTE is now facing a desperate situation in defending Kilinochchi as they are left with no other option but to confront the Security Forces using their maximum strength.
The LTTE is not in a position to afford the rate of casualties as they lose at least 20 to 30 Tiger cadres on a daily basis on all fronts decreasing the number of cadres to face the Security Forces from Nachchikuda.
It is now apparent that the LTTE cannot manage the pressures on them by the Security Forces as the battle has now turned into a face to face one unlike in the earlier stages where the troops and the LTTE confronted using artillery and mortar.
If the LTTE confronted the Security Forces in the same manner they are confronting the Security Forces at present they would lose more Tiger cadres and will not be in a position to defend Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu at all.
As a fierce battle continued in Akkarayan troops are now moving towards the Jaffna Kandy road from different directions.
The 572 Brigade under the command of Lt. Colonel Senerath Bandara is now operating east of Akkarayankulam dominating the general area Murikkandi keeping a small gap between the A-9 road and their front line.
They are now dominating the Thunukkai - Kokavil road in their bid to cut off the A-9 road most probably from the North of Kokavil. In the meantime, troops attached to the 573 Brigade under the command of Lt.Colonel Prathap Thillekeratne are also heading towards A-9 road from another direction to hit the A-9 road from Mankulam.
As the 57 Division making these moves into the A-9 road which had not been touched by the Security Forces despite advancing further North of Omanthai - the entry/exit point between cleared and uncleared areas - Task Force II operating ahead of Mundimurippu area after capturing Palamoddai located some seven to eight Kilometres North West of Omanthai are also closing in on the A-9 road from the North of Omanthai.
Initially, the Security Forces were not keen on capturing the A-9 road North of Omanthai, to keep the road safe for the civilians. But the incident in which the LTTE shifted two of their 130 mm artillery guns into Puliyankulam area and launched barrages of artillery into Security Forces Headquarters in Wanni, they were compelled to capture the A-9 road to neutralise such artillery attacks on the Wanni SFHQ area from this direction.
Therefore, the Security Forces are poised to hit A-9 road from any of these locations within the next few days. If the Security Forces hit the A-9 road either from Kokavil or from Mankulam the LTTE will not be able operate in the southern part of the A-9 road compelling them to withdraw their cadres further northwards isolating the Omanthai entry exit point.
On the other hand the Security Forces attached to the 58 Division under the command of Brigadier Shavendra Silva made a major breakthrough on Wednesday after capturing 1.5 Kilometre stretch of earth bund in Karambakulam in the West of Vannerikulam.
They also captured 15 to 20 Tiger bunkers located on the earth bund.
It was akin to opening gates to the Kilinochchi as it was the only obstacle the troops have to overcome to capture Nachchikuda and advance further northwards in their bid to open a land route to Jaffna via Pooneryn.
The LTTE cadres suffered heavy casualties during the battle to defend this huge earth bund. But troops foiled all their counter attacks and held this ground without allowing the LTTE to recapture their lost terrain.
With these developments the Tiger leadership is facing an acute shortage of cadres to defend Kilinochchi as intelligence reports indicates that Theepan has asked to send 60 Tiger cadres operating on the Muhamalai front to defend the Kilinochchi front.
Their task is becoming more hectic as the 59 Division which is operating from the Weli Oya front has already completed their mission within the Andankulam forest reserve and entered a massive open area south of Mullaitivu.
They are now operating from the South of Nayaru to Thannimurippukulam area posing a major threat to the Mullaitivu stronghold.
The entire 1-4 Base complex has now been captured by the troops operating in the Andankulam forest reserve with the capture of the Nishanthan and Castro bases which have been abandoned by the LTTE.
For all these operations the Air Force too gave close support for the ground troops to neutralise their artillery guns and other gun positions.
With these developments the fall of Kilinochchi is inevitable even before the timeframe set by the Security Forces.
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