South Asian Outlook : An Independent e-Monthly | South Asia: Sri Lanka

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Is the LTTE on its death bed?

BY SATHEESAN KUMAARAN (IDN)

The LTTE leader in his annual Heroes’ Day statement on 27 November 2008 moderated his usual tenor, refraining from throwing strong words at the Sri Lankan armed forces as the Sri Lankan military claims to win victories in the LTTE strong-hold, Vanni. Rather than issue a spiteful statement, Pirapaharan focussed mostly on calling the international community and India to lift their ban on the LTTE and to help create an atmosphere of mutual friendship since the LTTE did not pose a threat to any other country in the world.

Pirapaharan spoke more about peace outlining the need for a peaceful settlement to the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka. He outlined circumstances leading to Tamil youths taking up arms against the Sri Lankan government subsequent to the Sri Lankan state failing to address the grievances of Tamils through peaceful means since the country gained independence from Britain in 1948 and heaping oppressive terrorist measures upon the Tamil people: “In the beginning, it was a peaceful and democratic struggle by our people for justice. The racist Sinhala state resorted to armed and animal-like violence to suppress the peaceful struggle of the Tamil people for their political rights. It was when state oppression breached all norms and our people faced naked terrorism that our movement for freedom was born as a natural outcome in history. We were compelled to take up arms in order to protect our people from the armed terrorism of the racist Sinhala state. The armed violent path was not our choice. It was forced upon us by history.”

With this emphasis on peace, it seems that the LTTE leader has changed his strategy towards winning the rights of Tamils through peaceful means in stark contrast to his previous statements in which he gave much importance to dealing with the Sri Lankan state through military means. Although the LTTE has the potential to win the war in the long run, Pirapaharan’s speech with emphasis on peace rather than war shows that the LTTE wants peace. He realizes the need for a political solution to end the three-decade-old ethnic conflict, to prevent more civilian casualties and to buy time to win global support especially that of India.

This statement shows that the LTTE leader is handling the issue seriously through political and diplomatic thinking. The question is whether Sri Lanka would fall into the trap of the LTTE military, will it suffer political and diplomatic blows in the international arena or both? An answer to these questions will come to light before early next year.

In this context, it is important at this juncture to look at the perceptions of the LTTE leader and that of his opponents, as well as those of the global forces who hold the key to making an historic move in the months to come to help solve the Sri Lankan ethnic conflict.

LTTE leader outlining historical facts

“From the day that British colonialism was replaced with Sinhala oppression,” Pirapaharan said, “we have been struggling for our just rights - peacefully at first and with weapons thereafter. The political struggle for our right to self-determination has extended over the last sixty years. During this period our struggle has gone through different shapes, phases developments before advancing to maturity.”

Although these facts have been stated in the past, the weight of his latest statement is in the indirect accusation of the western world for creating the post-colonial conflicts. He quite rightly indicated that Britain should be held responsible for what is happening in Sri Lanka since it was Britain that brought the Tamil and Sinhala kingdoms together for their own administrative convenience.

The LTTE leader further stated that the LTTE had never stood in the way of national, geopolitical, or economic welfare of any other country, and added that the profound aspirations of the Tamil people were not harmful to the welfare of any other country or their people. He wanted neighbouring India to realize that the LTTE wouldn’t be a threat to their territorial integrity and sovereignty. The central government in New Delhi believes that the Dravidian race from the southern part of India could gain momentum for secession if the Dravidian race in other parts of the world gained power, and it is this perception that has cast New Delhi in a critical role against attaining independent Tamil Eelam from time to time. Southern Indian politicians, especially Tamil Nadu politicians and even Tamil Eelam leaders, have re-emphasized that New Delhi would never have to worry about it, but India still holds on to the belief.

He appealed to the countries that have banned the LTTE to remove this ban. With its greed for the land of the Tamil people Sinhalam has engaged on a militaristic path of destruction. It has sought to build the support of the world to confront us. It is living in a dreamland of military victory. It is a dream from which it will awake. That is certain. He said, “We have never been against adopting peaceful means and we have never hesitated to take part in peace talks.”

LTTE leader embraces India

Pirapaharan reiterated the past relationship between India and LTTE: “Great changes are taking place in India. The voices of support for our struggle that were stifled are again being heard loudly.”

Obviously the LTTE leader wants greater support from Tamil Nadu in order to win his struggle for an independent Tamil Eelam. Tamil Nadu is home to nearly 70 million Tamils and nearly 10 million more Tamils are living all around the world including India. The LTTE does not want to isolate the Tamils based on their birth place. They want unity among the Tamils. These are the aspirations of Tamil Nadu leaders. Hence, the political change in Tamil Nadu will be a boost for Pirapaharan.

Further, the LTTE wants India’s support which will in turn garner the support of the International Community. He expressed his gratitude to the people of India saying, “Not withstanding the dividing sea, Tamil Nadu, with its perfect understanding of our plight, has taken heart to rise on behalf of our people at this hour of need. This timely intervention has gratified the people of Tamil Eelam and our freedom movement and given us a sense of relief. I wish to express my love and gratitude at this juncture to the people and leaders of Tamil Nadu and the leaders of India for the voice of support and love they have extended.”

He also appealed to the Indian government to take constructive action to remove the ban which remains a stumbling block for the good relationship between India and the LTTE. It is obvious that the LTTE leader is a classic tactician with over three decades of military, political and diplomatic experience and manoeuvres. Once, India was his temporary home while his cadres fought in Eelam against Sri Lankan armed forces. He was the charismatic leader with the courage and the talents to force India to pull out the Indian armed forces from Eelam after three years of war between 1987 and 1990. All these show that Pirapaharan could do a lot in India on behalf of his homeland.

Slap on the face of IC for helping Sri Lanka

Pirapaharan lambasted the International Community for helping the Sri Lankan state in the war against Tamils. He blamed the IC for playing a double game in the affairs of the Sri Lankan ethnic conflict saying that while they encouraged the LTTE and the Sri Lankan government in the peace process, they branded the LTTE a terrorist outfit giving the Sri Lankan government the upper hand in the peace talks.

He also posed the question of when the Sri Lankan state would grant autonomy for the Tamils. After cleansing the Tamils from Sri Lanka or after destroying the Tamils’ representatives, the LTTE? The IC has fallen into the political and diplomatic trap of the Sri Lankan government.

He said some countries identifying themselves as so-called “Peace Sponsors” rushed into activities which impaired negotiations. “They denigrated our freedom movement as a terrorist organisation. They put us on their black list and ostracized us as unwanted and untouchable. Our people living in many lands were intimidated into submission by oppressive limitations imposed on them to prevent their political activities supporting our freedom struggle.”

He further said: “Humanitarian activities pursued by our law-abiding people in many countries, well within the purview of the law of the land, have been belittled and curtailed. These activities were aimed at providing humanitarian aid to helpless victims of genocidal attacks by the Sinhala-run Sri Lanka state in Tamil areas. However, these humanitarian activities were branded as criminal activities in those countries. Representatives of the Tamil people, along with community leaders were arrested, jailed and insulted.

“The explicit bias shown by the activities of these countries affected the talks, in its balance and in its consideration of our status as an equal partner. This further aggravated the racist attitude of the Sinhala state. Sinhala chauvinism was encouraged to raise its head with impunity and inevitably push the Sinhala state further on its war path.”

The LTTE leader’s frustrations over the IC is reasonable because it was none other than the western world that wanted immediate peace talks in Sri Lanka because the LTTE was gaining the upper hand militarily. And, earlier in the last century, U.S.-led coalition forces intervened in Afghanistan and Iraq and wanted an immediate ceasefire in Sri Lanka allowing temporary peace in the Indian Ocean island nation. Even now these coalition partners want peace on the island for their own benefits with no heed to the grievances faced by the Tamils on the island.

Sri Lankan military continues its genocidal war

The LTTE leader described how the Tamils face military operations imposed upon them and how the LTTE has embarked on a historic journey, as hazardous and strenuous as never before as the Sri Lankan armed forces advance with the military aid of foreign governments with the aim to cleanse the Tamils from their traditional habitat.

“In this historic venture, we have encountered numerous turns, twists and confrontations. We have faced forces much mightier than ours. We have had direct confrontations even against superior powers, stronger than us. We have withstood wave after wave of our enemy attacks. Standing alone, we have blasted networks of innumerable intrigues, interwoven with betrayal and sabotage. We stood like a mountain and faced all dangers that loomed like storms. When compared to these happenings of the past, today's challenges are neither novel nor huge. We will face these challenges with the united strength of our people.”

The LTTE leader rightly pointed out that the Tamils are not fighting to occupy Sinhalese areas. Rather they are fighting to save their own lands. Under the pretext of fighting terrorism or fighting to safeguard the sovereignty of Sri Lanka, it is indulging in violence causing heavy damages and casualties to the civilians.

When the Sri Lankan state realizes that the Tamils are living in their historical lands, the conflict on the island will end. The belief that entire areas of the island belong to Buddhist Sinhalese is fraught with danger and cannot hold water in empirical analysis. It could be argued that the Tamils were living in Sri Lanka for millennia well before the Sinhalese moved into Sri Lanka through Tamil Nadu from Orissa or via the Bay of Bengal. The Tamils have a solid claim for an independent Tamil Eelam as the Tamils have a great history, language, culture and religion. The claim for wiping out the Tamils or wiping out the LTTE is meant to weed out the Tamil race from their inhabited lands whose ancestors have lived on those lands for millennia.

Sri Lanka and India reject LTTE’s claims

Immediately after LTTE leader’s statement came out, the Sri Lankan high-portfolio ministers and military officials issued separate statements describing the LTTE leader’s speech as nothing but an acknowledgement that the LTTE could not continue war with the Sri Lankan state as before.

Sri Lanka’s defence spokesman, Keheliya Rambukkwella, said that the Sri Lankan government viewed the LTTE’s speech not as a hero’s speech, but as a plea to the International Community in the face of the Tigers loosing control of areas hitherto held by them.

He further said: “The LTTE leader has proved in his speech that he is a criminal and that through his speech he is just making a plea for pardon.” Pirapaharan was begging the International Community to grant him a pardon for the earlier actions of the LTTE. He said: “Now the world has realized that terrorism cannot be tolerated anymore.” Further he said Pirapaharan had not mentioned even a single word about the government requiring the Tigers to lay down arms as a prerequisite for talks. “By remaining silent about laying down arms he has proved that he is not ready for talks,” Minister Rambukkwella said.

Never in the course of his speech did Pirapaharan ask for pardon nor did he in any anyway suggest that the LTTE was losing its military prowess, and for Rambukwella to rush make such a pathetic and desperate conclusion is absurd. Pirapaharan says that he wants justice from the International Community because the rights of Tamils are being rejected by Sri Lanka and the Tamils want International Community recognition for their right to self-determination. He also wants India to lift the ban on the LTTE as a terrorist outfit since they are fighting for Tamil liberation who have sacrificed enough lives for their freedom.

Another hardcore Sinhalese, Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama, said Pirapaharan’s overtures to India will not find accommodation. He has called upon Pirapaharan to heed President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s call to lay down arms, renounce terrorism and enter the democratic path, in order to be part of the political process that is already underway, to evolve a sustainable solution that will bring lasting peace and stability to Sri Lanka. Bogollagama is now desperately trying to link or equate LTTE militancy to the most recent Islamic terrorist attack in Mumbai. Fortunately for the Tamils it is becoming increasingly evident that Pakistan a sovereign state and a close ally of Sri Lanka, closer than to India, and has links to this international terrorist attack. We hope the only surviving assailant, a godsend to the Tamils, will be allowed to live long enough to tell the whole story. In fact the Pakistani High Commissioner to the UK in a BBC interview on 29 November 2008 stated that photographs of the assailants show them as being dark skinned so they were LTTE Tamils - as if there were no dark skinned people in Pakistan. A preposterous way of taking the red herring across its trail. And the question is, why?

Bogollagama does not know the ground reality in India. He should know that over 20,000 students throughout India’s states took part in a rally in New Delhi recently urging the Indian government to put pressure upon Sri Lanka to declare a ceasefire and to grant autonomy for Eelam Tamils. The Indian central government would lose millions of dollars worth of tax money in a day if the Tamil Nadu state launched a state-wide strike. Tamil Nadu has already conducted such a protest. Sri Lanka’s conflict is boiling over externally and it will no doubt have a greater impact in the lives of Indian citizens on its soil, prompting India to take a leading role in solving Sri Lanka’s ethnic conflict and single-mindedly deal with the terrorism of Pakistan.

Sri Lankan officials claim, quoting Indian officials, that India would not lift the ban on the LTTE. Indian officials in New Delhi also confirmed this. They said the question of acceding to the request did not arise since the ban, first imposed in 1992, had been extended for another two years.

In any event, the LTTE leader’s speech was meant to draw the attention of India and the International Community to the conflict and the Eelam Tamils’ right to self-determination. This will only happen when the LTTE is internationally recognized as the freedom fighters of the Tamils and the terrorist brand is lifted. The claim that the LTTE leader is on his death bed and the LTTE is withdrawing from its controlled areas as a tactic to put the enemy in military and political defeat is groundless.

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Satheesan Kumaaran holds B.Sc. (Biology), Honours BA (Political Science) and MA in Integrated Studies with the specialization in International Law and International Relations. This was first published in The Tamil Mirror. E-Mail: satheesan_kumaaran@yahoo.com.

News Briefs

Eight persons killed in suicide blast in Colombo: Eight persons were killed when a suspected Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) suicide bomber blew himself up after entering the premises of a Civil Defense Force (CDF) post at Wattala in the Colombo District at around 9.00 AM on December 28, 2008, Military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said. One Army officer, six CDF personnel and one civilian died while 17 others sustained injuries. Daily News, December 29, 2008.

102 LTTE militants and 11 soldiers among 115 persons killed: 102 Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) militants, 11 soldiers and two civilians were among 115 persons killed in separate incidents during the week. 56 militants and 10 soldiers were killed as the troops captured a two-kilometre stretch of land west of Paranthan, Adampan and Iranamadu in the Kilinochchi District on December 22. More than 87 militants and 40 soldiers sustained injuries in these clashes. Meanwhile, head of the LTTE’s peace secretariat, S. Puleedevan, said more than 100 Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers were killed and 250 were wounded when the LTTE repulsed a fresh offensive by the SLA. Further, troops recovered the dead bodies of four LTTE militants along with three T-56 weapons and one I-Com radio set subsequent to the clashes in the Nivil area of Kilinochchi District. On December 23, at least 12 militants were killed and an unspecified number injured, as troops of Task Force-I, consolidating their positions about 300 meters further southward along the LTTE earth bund (embankment), captured the Sinnaparanthan area of Kilinochchi District. Troops later recovered the dead body of one LTTE militant along with one T-56 weapon. Task Force-I troops recovered dead bodies of three LTTE cadres from Mankulam area in Kilinochchi District.

An LTTE airstrip with a width of 25 meters and length of 350 meters was captured by the Army on December 24 as the troops moved further towards north of Ampakamam in Mullaitivu District. 59^th Division troops captured a communication tower used by the LTTE in the area north of Mulliyavalai in Mullaitivu District. There were three fortified overhead bunkers erected in defence of the tower with a height of about 40 feet. The dead body of one militant, along with a communication set, was also recovered by the troops. In addition, troops captured an LTTE training base in the Kulamarippu area. The base, surrounded by a trench line, consisted of one lecture hall, 10 huts and a few other constructions required for LTTE training. On the same day, troops conducted search and clear operations in the areas east and north of the Adampan area of Kilinochchi District and recovered the dead bodies of three militants along with two T-56 weapons and one T-81 weapon. The military on December 26 claimed to have captured Mulliyavalai Township, located along the Oddusudan-Mullaitivu (A-34) main road, and killed several LTTE militants after hours of heavy fighting. Troops also captured Nalanawakulam village, situated on the Pooneryn-Paranthan (B-69) road and about five kilometres west of Paranthan in the Kilinochchi District in the morning of December 27. Troops inflicted significant casualties on the militants and later recovered the dead bodies of three militants. The Sri Lanka Navy destroyed a LTTE logistics boat, 12 nautical miles north east of Point Pedro in the Jaffna District and killed four Sea Tigers (cadres of the LTTE’s sea wing). The dead bodies of eight LTTE militants, including four female cadres, killed during clashes in Paranthan area, were taken to un-cleared areas (area not under Government control) by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) officials.

Heavy fighting erupted between 59^th Division troops and militants closer to the LTTE-made earth bund north of Alampil in the morning of December 27. An unspecified number of militants were killed and a few soldiers sustained injuries in the fighting that continued until evening. The LTTE, on December 28, claimed that at least 50 SLA soldiers were killed and 90 wounded in the Alampil area of Mullaitivu District on December 27. The outfit also claimed that 15 SLA soldiers were killed and more than 30 wounded in the nearby Uduppukkulam village. Army troops at Black Bridge in the Chenkaladi area of Batticaloa District confronted a group of LTTE militants, killing four of them. Meanwhile, the ICRC, on December 24, stated that about 800 dead bodies of combatants were transferred across the Army and LTTE frontlines in Wanni during 2008. It, however, did not identify the combatants separately. In November and December alone, the ICRC had facilitated the transfer of about 200 dead bodies. Sri Lanka Army; Daily News; Tamil Net; Colombo Page, December 23-29, 2008.

153 LTTE militants and 37 soldiers killed as fighting intensifies in North: 153 Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) militants and 37 soldiers were among 190 persons killed in separate incidents between December 15 and December 21, 2008, as fighting intensified in the North. Consequent to heavy fighting with the LTTE, troops of Task Force III captured the strategic Ampakamam village in Mullaitivu District in the morning of December 15. The town, located approximately seven kilometres north of Olumaduwai, was a main administrative hub of the outfit. In addition, the 59 Division troops took control of a three kilometres stretch of the Oddusudan– Mullaitivu (A-34) road from the south west of Mulliyavali village, totally cutting off links between Mullaitivu and Oddusudan which was a vital supply route connecting the coastal town with the southern part of Mullaitivu District. Earlier on December 14, the troops had captured a section of the Mullaitivu-Nedunkerni road and were operating close to the A-34 road that linked Mullaitivu to the Jaffna-Kandy (A-9) road. On December 16, 120 LTTE militants and 25 soldiers were killed during clashes between the two sides near the Kilaly and Muhamalai Forward Defence Lines (FDLs) of Jaffna District and elsewhere in the Kilinochchi sector. 250 militants and 160 soldiers sustained injuries while another 10 soldiers went missing. The troops also destroyed a part of the outfit’s five kilometre-long stretch of defensive earth bund (embankment) in the Kilinochchi sector from many different places, Army Headquarters stated. Further, the troops captured Chorikenkulam village, about seven kilometres to the west of the A-9 highway pushing militants further into the jungle areas. The pro-LTTE Website Tamil Net, however, claimed that more than 40 Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers were killed and at least 120 soldiers wounded in the morning of December 16, when the LTTE repulsed an offensive push by the SLA along the Kilali area of Jaffna District. Further, on December 17, the LTTE claimed that 130 SLA soldiers were killed and more than 300 wounded when the LTTE repulsed the multi-front offensive push by the SLA in Kilinochchi on December 16, which continued throughout the day on four main localities and along a wide stretch of the Kilinochchi frontiers. LTTE’s director of peace secretariat, S. Puleedevan, said on December 16, that the major push, which was foiled by the outfit, was the third debacle of the SLA in recent days in Kilinochchi. Further, the 59 Division troops now operating in the southern perimeter of the Mullaitivu centre totally cut off LTTE movement along the A-34 road as they captured a few kilometres-long swathe of land parallel to the road which lies about 6.5 kilometres southwest of Mullaitivu. On the same day, 15 dead bodies of LTTE militants were recovered, along with a cache of arms and ammunition from the Chorikenkulam area, about seven kilometres to the west of the A-9 highway, in the Kilinochchi District. Also, troops handed over 15 dead bodies of the LTTE militants to International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) officials to be taken across the Omanthai Entry/Exit point in Vavuniya to be delivered to the outfit. On December 18, troops expanded the existing Security Force’s Forward Defence Line (FDL) in the Karuppaddamurippu area of Mullaitivu District. The 57^th Division troops captured the northern edge of the LTTE’s earth-cum-ditch bund from the western side of Iranamadu tank in the Kilinochchi District on December 19. Troops also destroyed a few more bunkers on the earth bund before they took control of an area of about 200 metres length, away from the pierced earth bund. With this the whole area east of the A-9 road up to the Iranamadu tank was brought under troop’s control. Troops of Task Force IV captured the LTTE controlled Nedunkerni in Mullaitivu District on December 21. The troops took full control of the area which lies 19 kilometres northeast of Puliyankulam, following an offensive launched in the morning of December 20. Meanwhile, troops repulsed an LTTE attack in the in the north of the Iranamadu area in the Kilinochchi District in the morning of December 21. However, 12 soldiers were killed and another 16 went missing, sources said, adding that another 34 soldiers suffered injuries in action. Meanwhile, the pro-LTTE Website Tamil Net claimed that 60 soldiers were killed in the battle and the Army was pushed back. The Defence Ministry, however, rejecting the LTTE claim, claimed that monitored LTTE radio transmissions revealed that the outfit suffered heavy casualties. Sri Lanka Army; Daily News; Tamil Net; Colombo Page, December 16-22, 2008.

TMVP splits as Karuna forms a new party: The leader of the Tamileela Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal Party (TMVP) and parliamentarian Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan alias ‘Colonel’ Karuna Amman, has formed a new party named Tamileela Makkal Viduthalai Koddani (TMVK) or Tamil People’s Liberation Alliance. According to sources, the new party was a result of the crisis between Karuna and a faction led by his deputy, the Eastern Province Chief Minister Chandrakanthan alias Pillayan. Sources in the new party said Karuna wanted to change his former party’s name to drop the Tiger part from its English version of the Tamil People’s Liberation Tigers but couldn’t do it due to this crisis. This situation resulted in the new party, sources said. The TMVP may now appoint Pillayan as its leader, reports indicated. Colombo Page, December 21, 2008.

195 persons killed as fighting intensifies in North while killing continues in East: At least 120 soldiers, 72 Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) militants and three civilians were killed in separate incidents between December 8 and December 14, 2008, as fighting intensified in the North, while killings continued in the East. Troops commenced their eastward march from the north of captured Kanakarayankulam on the Jaffna-Kandy (A-9) road and took control of Katkidanku Junction which links all surrounding important towns like Nedunkerni, Nainamadu, Olumaduwai and Kanakarayankulam areas, the Army Headquarters officially declared on December 8. On the same day, the Security Forces attacked a group of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) militants in the Bakmitiyawa jungles of Ampara District and killed four of them. Meanwhile, another 11 dead bodies, including those of seven female cadres, of the militants killed in clashes with troops at Mankulam in the Mullaitivu District, were handed over to representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on December 9. 27 LTTE militants and 20 soldiers were killed as the troops advancing northwards from Kokavil and eastwards from Akkarayankulam, captured the strategically vital Terumurikandi Junction in Kilinochchi District in the night of December 11. Troops also captured the Murikkandy Hindu Temple area, Military sources said. "With the capture of Terumurikandi, troops have almost entered the built-up area of the Kilinochchi town that extends more than seven kilometres on the A-9 road," an unnamed official said. Heavy fighting erupted between the troops and militants for the control of the location for the last two days, but with air support and an intense ground assault, the troops pushed back the militants, Defence Ministry said. The pro-LTTE Website Tamil Net, however, claimed that 120 soldiers were killed and more than 280 wounded in these clashes. Earlier on December 10, the Website had reported that 89 soldiers were killed and more than 180 soldiers wounded in these clashes. Sri Lanka Army; Daily News; Tamil Net; Colombo Page, December 9-15, 2008.

More areas captured as troops move further towards Kilinochchi: Troops captured Kokavil, a key town on the Jaffna-Kandy (A-9) road in the south of Kilinochchi after advancing three kilometers southwards from Murikkandy in the morning of December 1. "It was after 18 years that troops regained control of Kokavil town on the A-9 road," an unnamed senior military official said, adding, "With the capture of Kokavil town troops have taken full control of the A-9 road from Murikkandy in the south of Kilinochchi to Mankulam junction." Earlier, troops launched their operation from the north east of Mankulam, and cleared the A-9 road up to the strategic junction town of Mankulam after capturing the Mankulam town. Following the capture of Kokavil town the troops also took control of areas in the East of A-9 road after advancing their defence line towards the Eastern edge of the Iranamadu tank area. Troops on December 2 captured Periyakulam village, about one kilometre west of the newly-captured Otiyamale, in the Mullaitivu District. Periyakulam lies near Vavuniya and Mullaitivu District borders. The 59 Division troops captured the strategically important Alampil area, 10-kilometres south of Mullaitivu, while Task Force II troops captured the key junction town of Puliyankulam on the Jaffna-Kandy (A-9) highway, military officials said. With the capture of these two areas, the entire A-9 Highway stretch of about 8.5-kilometres from the northern end of Omanthai Entry/Exit point has now been freed from Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). The Defence Ministry said, "LTTE terrorists highly utilised the Nayaru lagoon located immediately south of Alampil as the major Sea Tiger operational base for logistic transportation from Mullaitivu via sea routs. It was also utilised by the Sea Tigers as a boat launching pad," adding that, with the fall of Alampil, Mullaitivu had become vulnerable. Troops of Task Force 2 moving eastwards across the main Jaffna-Kandy (A-9) highway captured Kanakarayankulam located about 10 kilometres north of Puliyankulam, in the Kilinochchi District on December 5. The troops had captured Puliyankulam on December 4. With the capture of Kanakarayankulam, Puliyankulam, Mankulam and Kokavil towns, troops have now cleared a 21 kilometre segment of the A-9 highway between Omanthai to the south and Kokavil to the north facilitating civilian movement into Government controlled areas. Sri Lanka Army; Daily News; Colombo Page, December 2-8, 2008.

164 LTTE militants and 105 soldiers among 279 persons killed during the week: At least 164 Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) militants, 105 soldiers and 10 civilians were killed in separate incidents between November 24 and November 30, 2008. 120 LTTE militants and 27 soldiers were killed during clashes between the two sides during two days of fighting starting since November 23. 70 soldiers were injured while a few others went missing. Troops captured Olumaduwai, a major LTTE base four kilometres northeast of Mankulam along the Mankulam-Mullaitivu (A-34) road in the Mullaitivu district on November 25. The Task Force-3 entered the Olumaduwai area on November 25-afternoon after a fierce battle that lasted several days, military sources said. An unspecified number of militants were killed in the operation. At least 75 Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers were confirmed dead and more than 160 injured during fighting in the Kunchankulam area of Kilinochchi district, sources revealed on November 28, according to pro-LTTE Website Tamil Net. Several decomposed bodies of SLA soldiers were still lying within the no-man area. The SLA soldiers had manoeuvred deep into LTTE trap, according to the source, which said it was the first debacle of the SLA in the battle for Kilinochchi. The troops advancing in the northeast entered Otiyamale town located southwest of Tannimurippukulam in the Mullaitivu district on November 29-afternoon, the military said. An unspecified number of LTTE militants were killed and injured in the operation. During subsequent search operations, the troops recovered dead bodies of four militants and a cache of weapons. Sri Lanka Army; Daily News; Colombo Page, November 25-December 1, 2008.

[South Asian Intelligence Review]