At the moment, LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran lives in one of several underground bunkers in Mullaitivu, which are all interconnected via tunnels. Well informed sources said that Prabhakaran pays his last respects to his dead comrades from these bunkers, but pro-LTTE websites claim that he goes to where the bodies are kept. However, this is not true.
Prabhakaran had summoned only a few leaders such as Theepan, Banu, Luxman, Pottu Amman and Soosai to his bunkers.
These leaders meet Prabhakaran in the night between 7:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. He has, reportedly, warned his leaders not to travel in the daytime, because the Army Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol teams are monitoring their movements, and to meet him individually.
When these leaders arrive to see Prabhakaran, his personal bodyguards of the Imran Pandian brigade, closely body-check them, before allowing them to see the supreme leader.
At the moment, Prabhakaran is reportedly not using any of his satellite phones, because he knows that Military Intelligence (MI) can intercept his messages. Therefore, he sends messages through his trustworthy members. How long he can do this?
In one of the discussions, Prabhakaran has reportedly given his Sea Wing leader the task of manufacturing boats fitted with 250cc and 500cc outboard motors to use as suicide boats. Prabakaran uses these boats for evacuation, unloading arms and weapons or to attack SL Navy ships anchored at sea.
A senior Sri Lanka Navy officer said that the Navy had implemented an effective naval blockade to ensure that Prabhakaran does not use these boats to leave Sri Lanka.
When Anton Balasingham suffered kidney failure, he was evacuated from the Mullaitivu coast on January 23, 1999, to an LTTE ship anchored in deep sea, which took him to Thailand, from where he flew to Norway for a kidney transplant.
The probability is that Prabhakaran will remain in Sri Lanka to command the battle. If he left Sri Lanka, who would command the LTTE?
Western intelligence agencies are keeping an eye on Prabhakaran, as he is an internationally wanted criminal.
Some powerful western diplomatic missions are, reportedly, sending their Defense attaches for the day-to-day media briefing of the battlefront situation to their respective military organisations and their secret services.
Only a matter of time
At the moment, troops belonging to 57 Division are positioned east of Akkarayankulam, about 2 km. from Kilinochchi town, an officer from the battlefront said. Once the troops pass the jungle area, they would be able to enter Kilinochchi town.
As I mentioned in my previous column, the LTTE has evacuated from its military installations in Kilinochchi, which looks like a ghost town, but the LTTE doesn’t want to hand over Kilinochchi on a silver platter to the SL troops. The Tigers will offer as much resistance as they can, but the troops would overcome the resistance and advance gradually. Their main obstacles are ‘johnny’ mines and booby traps, while they have to face mortar and artillery fire from the Mullaitivu west area.
Having liberated the western region of the Vavuniya district and the Madhu area in the Mannar district, troops are now moving towards the western borders of the Mullaitivu district.
At present, they are on the outskirts of the strategically important Tunukkai and Mallavi towns located on the Vellankulam-Mankulam road.
57 Division troops commenced their operation opening up the Vavuniya front from the Madhu road, Giant’s Tank east, Pandivirichchan and Thampanai areas and achieved the largest area domination by liberating Madhu, Palampiddi, Mundumurippu and Periyamadhu areas.
Later, they combined with Task Force 1 marching ahead on the Mannar front, making the Mannar-Vavuniya front the largest battlefront ever maintained against the Tigers. Then they entered the Mullaitivu district crossing the southwestern district border and have so far liberated Naddankandal, Chiraddikulam and most recently, the Kalvilan areas in Mullaitivu west.
LTTE intelligence
LTTE intelligence chief Pottu Amman has reportedly ordered his cadres living in Tamil Nadu and other parts of India, to come to Sri Lanka armed with an Indian passport, to carry out comprehensive intelligence surveillance of political leaders and high ranking military officials. And there are many Tamils armed with Muslim Passports to do intelligence work. MI is well aware of his move.
Civilian safe passage to Oddusuddan and Visvamadu
Sri Lanka Army Commander Lt. Gen. Sarath Fonseka has declared Oddusuddan and Vishvamadu as safe havens for civilians, as, at the moment, there are no civilians coming to government controlled areas but, it is reliably learnt that, there are civilians from the Kokavil area trying to escape from the LTTE’s grip and enter government-controlled areas. They are reportedly being prevented from leaving. Sixteen civilians were reportedly shot and killed brutally, way when they defied orders to remain.
Troops capture Panniwedikulam earth bund in Kilinochchi
At least 20 Tigers and four soldiers were killed and 27 Tigers and six soldiers wounded, when troops belonging to 58 Division commanded by Brig Shavindra Silva, captured a section of the bunker line constructed along the Nachchikudah-Akkarayankulam road at Panniwedikulam to the west of Vannerikulam in the Kilinochchi district on October 4. The Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Mi-24 helicopter gunships also assisted the troops in capturing 10 bunkers constructed on the massive earth bund, military sources said. 58 Division now operates in the Kilinochchi district, having captured a four-kilometre stretch of a massive ditch and earth bund constructed by the LTTE from Nachchikudah to the Akkarayankulam tank area. Troops have also advanced nearly two kilometres from this earth bund and are in control of the Nachchikudah-Akkarayankulam road, depriving the LTTE of a vital supply route to Nachchikudah.
The Army is progressing to clear the Kilinochchi and Pooneryn areas confining the LTTE only to Mullaitivu.
At the moment, 59 Division has advanced 14 km. in the thick jungle at Andankulam and is aiming to dominate the east coast.
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One prime target of the LTTE was Maj. Gen. Janaka Perera, because of his exceptional achievements on the battlefront.
Maj. Gen. Perera would have been a threat to the Tigers in the near future.
Adequate security had reportedly not been provided to the late Maj. Gen. Perera. On Monday, The Bottom Line learnt that there were only four police officers at the entrance, but they did not conduct any body checks on people who arrived to witness the opening of the UNP office.
It is learnt that the suicide bomber came through the main entrance and exploded himself. Two weeks ago, Maj. Gen. Perera told this column that the SL Army could defeat the LTTE and that he does not have any doubt the Army will win the war.
The multi-million dollar question is why the authorities didn’t provide adequate security for Maj. Gen. Perera.
Major General K.J.C Perera RWP RSP VSV USP rcds psc (retd) is no more. He enlisted in the Sri Lanka Army as an Officer Cadet on December 20, 1966. On successful completion of training at the Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst, England, he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant and posted to 1 Field Engineer Regiment Corps of Sri Lanka Engineers on December 19, 1968. He was promoted Lieutenant (June 19, 1970), Captain (June 19, 1973), Major (November 15, 1977), Lieutenant Colonel (May 1, 1986), Colonel (December 26, 1988), Brigadier (December 1, 1989) and Major General (April 15, 1996).
He became the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army on April 2, 1999 and the Chief of Staff on June 15, 2000.
During his 35 years of distinguished service in the Army, he held the following key appointments.
Overall Operations Commander (North), General Officer Commanding (23 Division), General Officer Commanding (51 Division), General Officer Commanding (53 Division), Brigade Commander (6 Brigade-Welioya), General Officer Commanding (Welioya), Commander (Reserve Strike Force), Brigade Commander (Independent Brigade), Brigade Commander (24 Brigade), Area Commander (Kurunegala/Puttalam), Commanding Officer (Field Engineer Regiment), Commandant, Army Command and Staff College, Chief Instructor, Sri Lanka Military Academy Military Liaison Officer, Ministry of Defence.
He also served as Coordinating Officer for Kurunegala, North-Western Province and Coordinator-in-Chief for Batticaloa, Ampara, Dimbulagala, Lankapura and also for Valikamam, East. He was appointed Commander, Commando/Special Force Regiment on April 15, 1999. He was also the Colonel Commandant, Commando Regiment, Special Forces Regiment and the Corps of Sri Lanka Engineers. He retired from the regular force of the Sri Lanka Army on January 31, 2001.
Major General K.J.C Perera RWP, RSP, VSV, USP, rcds, psc has successfully attended or followed the undermentioned overseas courses/seminars.
Engineer Young Officers’ Course (India), Komatsu Machinery Course (Japan), Engineer Officers’ Earth Moving Plant Course (India), Engineer Company Commander Course (India), Defence Services Staff Course (India), Engineer Officers’ Advanced Course (USA), Royal College of Defence Studies Course (England), Seminar on Counter Insurgency (USA), Pacific Armies Senior Officers’ Logistic Seminar (USA) and Pacific Armies Management Seminar (Japan).
In recognition of his dedicated service and in appreciation of his contribution to the Army, he was awarded the following decorations and gallantry awards.
Rana Wickrema Padakkama (RWP), Rana Sura Padakkama (RSP), Vishishta Seva Vibhushanaya (VSV), Utthama Seva Padakkama (USP), Purna Bhumi Padakkama (PBP), North and East Operations Medal, Vadamarachchi Operation Medal, Riviresa Campaign Service Medal, Republic of Sri Lanka Armed Services Medal 1972, 50th Independence Anniversary Medal 1998, Sri Lanka Army 50th Anniversary Medal 1999, Sri Lanka Armed Services Long Service Medal 1979 and President’s Inauguration Medal 1978. – Courtesy Sri Lanka Army
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