Massive rise in firepower amid peace

[toyya]

Sri Lanka’s armed forces substantially expanded their offensive capability after the ceasefire agreement with the Liberation Tigers was signed in February 2002, a book published by a senior United States military analyst says. The Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) has doubled its manpower and acquired twenty new aircraft, while the Army (SLA) has tripled its tanks and doubled its artillery firepower.



In a book titled "Sri Lanka’s military: The Search For A Mission" published this year, Brian Blodgett, a career United States Army intelligence officer and an adjunct professor with the American Military, examines the historical evolution of Colombo’s armed forces.

"While peace negotiations were occurring, the SLA increased its armour, APCs (armoured personnel carriers) and artillery," Blodgett says. "The SLAF bought 10 Mi-35s [export versions of the Mi-24 helicopter gunship] and 10 transports," he says. The SLAF has thereby "increased its attack helicopters."

The army nearly doubled its artillery, from 97 in 2001 to 187 in 2002," Blodgett writes. "The army increased its APCs by approximately 70 percent, from 158 to 204."


Furthermore, in 2001, shortly before signing the present ceasefire agreement with the LTTE in February, the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) purchased 40 new battle tanks in addition to the 25 that it possessed. Another 100 are supposed to be ordered and are awaiting delivery.

"The air force remained at 10,000 airmen until 2002 when it nearly doubled its size to 19,300 airmen," Blodgett says. "The air force continues to have high recruitment since the majority of airmen never face combat."

"In 2002, the SLA’s [official] strength increased dramatically … from 95,000] to approximately 118,000 soldiers," Blodgett says.

Sri Lanka’s Navy, which began a major expansion shortly before the ceasefire, continued after negotiations began.

"In 2001, the SLN increased its manpower by 80 percent to 18,000 sailors. By 2003, the navy had approximately 20,600 sailors," Blodgett says.

The naval expansion came because in 2000, the Sri Lanka government “decided the Navy needed to be the first line of defence against the LTTE.â€

The government believes "if the navy could stop the flow of weapons and ammunition to the LTTE, the army could defeat them," Blodgett says.

Perhaps in response to SLA officers’ arguments that "jets are unnecessary because they are too fast and come from too far," the SLAF may be shifting its doctrine in favour of rotary wing instead of fixed wing close support, he says.

As a consequence of the purchase of new equipment, "the SLA appears to be prepared to carry on the war against the LTTE," he feels.

 

[toyya]

May 1, 2005
​

Sri Lanka is to buy several powerful warships from Britain, Serbia and Uruguay, the Sunday Times reported this week. From Britain, the SLN is keen to buy warships to support major amphibious assaults on coastal targets. The SLN is also to buy two nearly 100-metre long Russian built missile frigates from Serbia and five fast gunboats from Uruguay. “What is known quite clearly is that millions of dollars are to be spent for military procurements,†the Sunday Times’ defence correspondent, Iqbal Athas, writes. “Without the glare of publicity, behind-the-scene manoeuvres to secure some big deals are under way.â€



“Besides the Navy, the Ministry of Defence has floated a tender from among local manufacturers to procure an estimated Rs 1.2 billion worth of Body Armour, Flack Jacket and Ballistic Helmets… for use by the three armed forces,†the Sunday Times reported.

The Sunday Times learnt the SLN has shown interest in procuring Logistic Landing Ships (LSL) from Britiain’s Royal Auxiliary Fleet, a civilian manned flotilla owned by the British Ministry of Defence. The Auxiliary Fleet supplies the Royal Navy at sea, with food, fuel, ammunition and spares to conduct operations away from their home ports.

“The [SLN] has shown interest in procuring at least one LSL, Sir Gallahad,†the Sunday Times said.

The SLN has also shown interest in an Off Shore Patrol Vessel from Britain, said to cost a million Sterling Pounds or over Rs 180 million.



“The Navy is also keen to purchase two nearly 100-metre long Russian built missile frigates from Serbia,†the Sunday Times said. These are fitted with Surface-to-Surface and Surface-to-Air missiles and Anti-submarine rockets, it added.

Each LSL is more than one and half the size of a football field in length. The Sir Galahad is capable of carrying 16 battle tanks or 33 eight-ton vehicles and 62 Land Rovers on one deck. It can carry 33 eight-ton vehicles and 74 Land Rovers and 40 twenty-foot containers on another deck. The warship also has provision to be able to carry another carry 27 eight ton vehicles, 59 Land Rovers and 30 twenty-foot containers.

“The principal role of the Landing Ship Logistic is to support amphibious operations by landing troops, tanks, vehicles and other heavy equipment in port or to any suitable shore,†the Sunday Times reported. “To accomplish this task the ships can discharge their cargo by a variety of methods including Helicopter, Mexiflote Pontoons and Landing Craft. It can also discharge vehicles and personnel directly to a suitable beach through the bow doors besides carrying Main Battle Tanks, Land Rovers and containers on board. They are also equipped to conduct helicopter operations.â€

Chief of Defence Staff and Commander of the Navy, Vice Admiral Daya Sandagiri met with Lt. Gen. Shantha Kottegoda (Army), Air Marshal Donald Perera (Air Force) and senior officers of the three services met recently to formulate a formulate a Five Year Procurement Plan, the paper said.

During the Sri Lanka New Year season Vice Admiral Sandagiri led a high-powered Navy delegation to Britain to inspect surplus assets of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA).

Weeks earlier, an RFA team had arrived in Colombo to make a presentation and to offer Sri Lanka three LSLs which are for sale.

Late last year, a four man SLN team led by Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekera visited the Naval Overhaul Depot "Sara Kovacevic" in Tivat, Serbia and had detailed discussions on the missile-armed frigates. The Navy is keen to puechase the vessels, though it would have to incur large amounts of money to maintain them, the Sunday Times said. The same SLN team that visited Serbia also went to Montevideo, the capital of Uruguay, to discuss the purchase of three Vigilante Class Fast Patrol Boats constructed in 1980 in France and commissioned in the Uruguay Navy in 1981.

 

[aaaditya]

May 1, 2005


​

Sri Lanka is to buy several powerful warships from Britain, Serbia and Uruguay, the Sunday Times reported this week. From Britain, the SLN is keen to buy warships to support major amphibious assaults on coastal targets. The SLN is also to buy two nearly 100-metre long Russian built missile frigates from Serbia and five fast gunboats from Uruguay. “What is known quite clearly is that millions of dollars are to be spent for military procurements,†the Sunday Times’ defence correspondent, Iqbal Athas, writes. “Without the glare of publicity, behind-the-scene manoeuvres to secure some big deals are under way.â€



“Besides the Navy, the Ministry of Defence has floated a tender from among local manufacturers to procure an estimated Rs 1.2 billion worth of Body Armour, Flack Jacket and Ballistic Helmets… for use by the three armed forces,†the Sunday Times reported.

The Sunday Times learnt the SLN has shown interest in procuring Logistic Landing Ships (LSL) from Britiain’s Royal Auxiliary Fleet, a civilian manned flotilla owned by the British Ministry of Defence. The Auxiliary Fleet supplies the Royal Navy at sea, with food, fuel, ammunition and spares to conduct operations away from their home ports.

“The [SLN] has shown interest in procuring at least one LSL, Sir Gallahad,†the Sunday Times said.

The SLN has also shown interest in an Off Shore Patrol Vessel from Britain, said to cost a million Sterling Pounds or over Rs 180 million.



“The Navy is also keen to purchase two nearly 100-metre long Russian built missile frigates from Serbia,†the Sunday Times said. These are fitted with Surface-to-Surface and Surface-to-Air missiles and Anti-submarine rockets, it added.

Each LSL is more than one and half the size of a football field in length. The Sir Galahad is capable of carrying 16 battle tanks or 33 eight-ton vehicles and 62 Land Rovers on one deck. It can carry 33 eight-ton vehicles and 74 Land Rovers and 40 twenty-foot containers on another deck. The warship also has provision to be able to carry another carry 27 eight ton vehicles, 59 Land Rovers and 30 twenty-foot containers.

“The principal role of the Landing Ship Logistic is to support amphibious operations by landing troops, tanks, vehicles and other heavy equipment in port or to any suitable shore,†the Sunday Times reported. “To accomplish this task the ships can discharge their cargo by a variety of methods including Helicopter, Mexiflote Pontoons and Landing Craft. It can also discharge vehicles and personnel directly to a suitable beach through the bow doors besides carrying Main Battle Tanks, Land Rovers and containers on board. They are also equipped to conduct helicopter operations.â€

Chief of Defence Staff and Commander of the Navy, Vice Admiral Daya Sandagiri met with Lt. Gen. Shantha Kottegoda (Army), Air Marshal Donald Perera (Air Force) and senior officers of the three services met recently to formulate a formulate a Five Year Procurement Plan, the paper said.

During the Sri Lanka New Year season Vice Admiral Sandagiri led a high-powered Navy delegation to Britain to inspect surplus assets of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA).

Weeks earlier, an RFA team had arrived in Colombo to make a presentation and to offer Sri Lanka three LSLs which are for sale.

Late last year, a four man SLN team led by Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekera visited the Naval Overhaul Depot "Sara Kovacevic" in Tivat, Serbia and had detailed discussions on the missile-armed frigates. The Navy is keen to puechase the vessels, though it would have to incur large amounts of money to maintain them, the Sunday Times said. The same SLN team that visited Serbia also went to Montevideo, the capital of Uruguay, to discuss the purchase of three Vigilante Class Fast Patrol Boats constructed in 1980 in France and commissioned in the Uruguay Navy in 1981.

they definitely need them considering that the ltte has already set up an airforce consisting of weapons equipped microlights and toy uav's and powered gliders.
the srilankan navy also believes that the ltte had developed a miniature submarine for carrying out smugglings and suicide attacks(it was reported to have been built at a bangkok based shipyard belonging to the ltte).:coffee

 

[toyya]

abt the submarine i was under the impression tht the submarine wasnt completed the thai police raided the factory and arrested the ppl who were manufacturing the vessel ...... but maybe they posses such a vessel .. explaing the anti submarine equip the navy bought

 

[aaaditya]

abt the submarine i was under the impression tht the submarine wasnt completed the thai police raided the factory and arrested the ppl who were manufacturing the vessel ...... but maybe they posses such a vessel .. explaing the anti submarine equip the navy bought

i believe one was sunk by the srilankan navy(dont know about the other).still the level of technological capabilities and the tactical brilliance of the ltte is scary,better than even alqaeda.
india ,srilanka,singapore,thailand,malaysia,norway,britain and usa all have to work together if they want to crush the ltte ,sri lanka cant do it on its own,the ltte's terror network is so damn extensive.:coffee

 

[toyya]

well sri lanka can finish this war on its own .. if other countries don't intervine.... everytime the sri lankan army was about to finish the LTTE off india in particular will make up some excuse to protect india ... prabhakaran was in custody in india ..but he escaped prison in india....!!! then the humanatarian aid drop by the indian air force ..!! the sri lankan STF Special Task Force had alot of success .. also other Special Forces like the Special Boat Squadron are very effective .... in fact its said that the US army was trained by the sri lankan STF and SBS .. due to the experience they have gained thru the years ....i really doubt if the LTTE can do much the only thing the LTTE can do is use suicide bombers in colombo ...!!! thats why the govt. doesnt want to go to war .. not that the LTTE strong militarily ... they only hv 10000 - 13000 soldiers of which only 3000 - 4000 are trained. .. the sri lankan army itself has more than 100000 soldiers ... plus the LTTE is split in two now .... the only problem the govt. is facing is the security in colombo ....

 

[toyya]

The cease-fire is under increasing strain. One can discern nothing in the darkening horizon that might ease the pressure on the fragile truce.
Naturally, in these circumstances, the main question will be about the strategic equilibrium between the Tigers and the Sri Lankan armed forces today.

The near unanimous opinion in the south is that the LTTE has used the ceasefire to enhance its military strength. Now we have a very reliable report that a top-level defence committee has concluded that the Tigers are weak. This is professional opinion. Not politically motivated hearsay.

The finding of the defence committee goes against the grain of accepted wisdom in the south that the Tigers have diabolically exploited the ceasefire to boost their military might to unprecedented levels. They have even developed an air wing it is said. (Despite the fact that the Sri Lanka Army's much celebrated Long Range Reconnaissance Patrols killed Shankar, the chief of LTTE's nascent air force, four years ago)


Therefore, how can one say the Tigers are militarily weak?


The issue need not be a contradiction between what is accepted as an axiomatic truth by the majority of informed persons in the south and the assessment of the defence committee, if we take the right perspective.


If the Sri Lankan armed forces have increased their overall strength more than what the LTTE has been able to do during the last four years, then it means the Tigers are weaker.


Now let us look at some facts and figures (based on a recent assessment by a US military intelligence officer)


The SLAF bought 10 Mi-35s export versions of the Mi-24 helicopter gunship and 10 transports. The SLAF has thereby increased its attack helicopters.


The Army nearly doubled its artillery, from 97 in 2001 to 187 in 2002.


The Army increased its Armoured Personnel Carriers by approximately 70 percent, from 158 to 204.


In 2001, shortly before signing the present ceasefire agreement with the LTTE in February, the Army purchased 40 new battle tanks in addition to the 25 (of which at least 18 were then operational) that it possessed.


The Air Force remained at 10,000 airmen until 2002 when it nearly doubled its size to 19,300 airmen.


In 2002, the Army's official strength increased dramatically - from 95,000 to approximately 118,000 soldiers.


In 2001, the Sri Lanka Navy increased its manpower by 80 percent to 18,000 sailors. By 2003, the Navy had approximately 20,600 sailors. It has now acquired a US coast guard cutter too.


Basically, the LTTE is completely outgunned by the Sri Lankan armed forces.


By all accounts the LTTE is known to have about six artillery pieces (including two 122 mm howitzers seized from Mullaithivu, a 152 mm gun captured from Elephant Pass) and about two batteries of 120 mm mortars. The Army has hundred and eighty seven artillery guns. The Tigers are absolutely no match for the Sri Lanka Army's firepower in a conventional war.


We all know that artillery pieces are so heavy that it is virtually impossible to transfer them to barges or floating platforms at mid-sea. The Army had to use the special heavy duty cranes at the Prima Mill dock in Trincomalee to lift its 130 mm artillery from the ships in which they were delivered. All those who tirelessly harp on the refrain that the LTTE is using the ceasefire to bring weapons to the Vanni to augment their fire power miss the main point in their amateurish military discourses.


The LTTE had no artillery or armour in its arsenal until these were captured from the Sri Lankan armed forces. A small multi-barrel rocket launcher and a heavy calibre mortar are all that the Tigers were able to acquire from outside during the war. No amount of smaller weapons that the Tigers may bring into the Vanni can have an impact on the balance of forces or on the course of a conventional war today.


And who said two or three Czech built Zlin Z - 143 aircraft can alter the course of conventional engagements?


Therefore, in terms of sheer firepower and air and naval capabilities the Sri Lankan armed forces are much stronger today than they ever were. Despite the hype and panic about the supposedly enhanced military capabilities of the LTTE, the Sri Lankan armed forces have established their position as the most superior military force in Sri Lanka.


The strategic balance in this island is quite clearly in their favour when we carefully weigh all the tangible, physically quantifiable military assets of each side.


While the Sri Lanka armed forces have nothing to report except their successful expansion and hardware acquisitions, the Tigers had to grapple with the loss of more than three thousand trained troops and weapons in the east with Karuna's defection.


And it is unanimously believed in defence and diplomatic circles that the Sea Tigers lost a substantial part of their coastal installations and naval assets.


The Sri Lankan armed forces have not been afflicted by calamities of such proportions during the last three years.


So how can one assert that the LTTE has made itself stronger militarily during the ceasefire years?


If we are to go by these facts, the Tigers are actually much weaker than they were when they signed the ceasefire agreement with Ranil Wickremesinghe's government three years ago.


Therefore the dominant impulse driving the Sri Lankan government's priorities in the 'peace process' is inevitably shaped by the need to maintain this military advantage while denying all avenues for the LTTE to enhance its military power. This in turn would inexorably dampen the Sri Lankan state's will to come to any sort of accommodation with the Tigers, including the joint mechanism for tsunami reconstruction.


The dominant impulse in President Chandrika Kumaratunga's government is to press this 'perceived military advantage' until the LTTE becomes much weaker than it is today.


A paradox of sorts presents itself here. On the one hand the Sri Lankan state perceives a clear military advantage over the Tigers. On the other, President Kumaratunga's government and sundry armchair strategists who ceaselessly pontificate on how to rid this island of the Tigers want foreign powers to intervene militarily against LTTE forces if war breaks out again.


We read and hear numerous suggestions as to how the armies of Pakistan, the US or India should be persuaded to join the battle against the Tigers. One strategist speaks of a joint USAF-SLAF air exercise over the LTTE's so called airstrip in Iranamadu. The clamour for strong defence agreements with India and Pakistan betrays this strong desire to get a foreign army to fight the LTTE in case of another war.


If the Sri Lankan armed forces have a tangibly patent military advantage over the Tigers, how does one account for this harping on foreign intervention?


It can only mean one thing. The main ingredient in the military advantage that an army may enjoy is the trust that the people for whom it is fighting repose in its martial prowess - the confidence that a people have in their army's ability to fight the enemy. Martial self confidence is the unquantifiable but indispensable ingredient of military advantage.

 

[aaaditya]

well sri lanka can finish this war on its own .. if other countries don't intervine.... everytime the sri lankan army was about to finish the LTTE off india in particular will make up some excuse to protect india ... prabhakaran was in custody in india ..but he escaped prison in india....!!! then the humanatarian aid drop by the indian air force ..!! the sri lankan STF Special Task Force had alot of success .. also other Special Forces like the Special Boat Squadron are very effective .... in fact its said that the US army was trained by the sri lankan STF and SBS .. due to the experience they have gained thru the years ....i really doubt if the LTTE can do much the only thing the LTTE can do is use suicide bombers in colombo ...!!! thats why the govt. doesnt want to go to war .. not that the LTTE strong militarily ... they only hv 10000 - 13000 soldiers of which only 3000 - 4000 are trained. .. the sri lankan army itself has more than 100000 soldiers ... plus the LTTE is split in two now .... the only problem the govt. is facing is the security in colombo ....

well if srilanka could have finished the war they would have been able to do it,india was always forced to intervene in srilanka by the srilankan govt,rajiv gandhi sent ipkf to sri lanka on the sri lankan govt's request(even though it was opposed in india),second time as recently as 2000 when the ltte completely cut off sri lanka and encircled sri lankan troops in jaffna,again on sri lankan govt's request india airdropped the supplies to the lankan troops and also offered to extricate them from there.india has a lot of reasons to worry if ltte establish a seperate nation(prabhakaran would not sit quietly,ultimately he would create trouble for india in tamil nadu).,the reason srilankan forces are struggling against ltte is that they lack in tactical brilliance,you dont always require training to succeed in war ,you require ruthlessness(ltte wont think twice of killing civilians,but the lankan army would have to since they would be under the unhrc scanner),they ltte were masters in guerilla warfare and were brilliant in tactics,they also had an extensive intelligence network(even better than the india as a matter of fact),this can be seen from the number of assasinations that they have carried out(rajiv gandhi,laxman kadirgamar etc),take this example ,they assasinated one of srilanka's top politicians(laxman kadirgamar) and in what way did srilanka retaliate,also the ltte are highly motivated(this kind of motivation is seen in very few professional armies),just look at the manner their cadres are willing to give up their lives for their twisted,even the us considered the ltte masters of guerilla warfare ,the ltte created an entirely new dimension to warfare when they created suicide bomber tactics and used to such perfection(at one stage srilankans were in such a desperate posistion,that they involved the ipkf,who were at that time not equipped for war and thanks to the lankans forces who chickened out in the last minute,indian suffered 25 csualities ) the only way srilanka can ever beat ltte is if they and india take it as a war to be fought jointly,
indian army personnel have more respect for the ltte's brilliant war tactics than what they have for pakistan or srilanka,on their grounds even india will struggle against ltte.

 

[toyya]

i agree on most of your comments .. but the first point you mentioned ... sri lanka was offered the IPKF ... sri lanka never wanted the IPKF, rajiv gandhi warned sri lanka that he would declare war against sri lanka if sri lanka didnt accept the IPKF ... sri lanka at the thime briefly thought of not accepting the IPKF .. but the chief of army staff warned the president not to start an arms race with india... and then only the president said ok to the IPKF ... and once the IPKF did come to sri lanka .. there were many thousands of desertations .. the sri lankans were very wary of this and hence protested against the interventiona of the IPKF hence the IPKF was sent back .. ( president Ranasinha Premadasa armed the LTTE against teh IPKF .. to discourage the IPKF from any intervention , a huge mistake by the part of the sri lankan govt. / but i wanted to tell u tht sri lanka never wanted the IPKF ...


In 2000 sri lanka did i would assume have asked for help when the sri lankan army was stuck ... at the point from the reports it seems there were isaraeli submarines and american warships ...also indian navy as well....but i think the sri lankan army was provided more arms in the form of MBRLs and also the airforce too launched many attacks from kantale ..


the reason srilankan forces are struggling against ltte is that they lack in tactical brilliance,you dont always require training to succeed in war ,you require ruthlessness(ltte wont think twice of killing civilians,but the lankan army would have to since they would be under the unhrc scanner)

This is very very true .....

also to besaid about motivation ... the LTTE is breaking up into pieces ... the LTTE broke up with karuna .. now it is said that soosai .. the sea tiger leader is planning on breaking up as well...

This is what a Tamil Leader said about going back to war ..--

A war would be a protracted one and hundreds of people from both sides would be killed. Tamils would face the brunt of the damages – lives, properties and everything would be lost for them for ever.

The new war would put an end to Prabakaran’s dream of holding on with the East. The first reaction once the war is launched - Sri Lankan forces would simply wipe out the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam from the East, where they are today most vulnerable and unpopular which would include Trincomalee also. Already Sri Lankan armed forces are ready for a sudden blitzkrieg in the East once Prabakaran launches a war.

The temporary merger of the North and East would be done away. At present, since 1989, the temporary merger of the North and East remains intact as the successive Sri Lankan Presidents continues to sign the Gazette notifications annually to keep the merger on a temporary basis. Once a war is launched, there are every chances of ending the merger and Prabakaran may be held responsible for ever for splitting the homelands of the Tamils – a dream come true - achieved with India’s assistance.

Anandasanagaree told that the international community this time is not going to sit and watch in the sidelines, when a new war that kills people for no reason or other is ever launched by the Leader of the LTTE. Already Tamilselvan who was on a European tour was clearly told in the most subtle diplomatic parlance by numerous EU leaders he met that LTTE has to sit and negotiate with the Government of Sri Lanka. This was told with finality.

 

[aaaditya]

i agree on most of your comments .. but the first point you mentioned ... sri lanka was offered the IPKF ... sri lanka never wanted the IPKF, rajiv gandhi warned sri lanka that he would declare war against sri lanka if sri lanka didnt accept the IPKF ... sri lanka at the thime briefly thought of not accepting the IPKF .. but the chief of army staff warned the president not to start an arms race with india... and then only the president said ok to the IPKF ... and once the IPKF did come to sri lanka .. there were many thousands of desertations .. the sri lankans were very wary of this and hence protested against the interventiona of the IPKF hence the IPKF was sent back .. ( president Ranasinha Premadasa armed the LTTE against teh IPKF .. to discourage the IPKF from any intervention , a huge mistake by the part of the sri lankan govt. / but i wanted to tell u tht sri lanka never wanted the IPKF ...


In 2000 sri lanka did i would assume have asked for help when the sri lankan army was stuck ... at the point from the reports it seems there were isaraeli submarines and american warships ...also indian navy as well....but i think the sri lankan army was provided more arms in the form of MBRLs and also the airforce too launched many attacks from kantale ..


the reason srilankan forces are struggling against ltte is that they lack in tactical brilliance,you dont always require training to succeed in war ,you require ruthlessness(ltte wont think twice of killing civilians,but the lankan army would have to since they would be under the unhrc scanner)

This is very very true .....

also to besaid about motivation ... the LTTE is breaking up into pieces ... the LTTE broke up with karuna .. now it is said that soosai .. the sea tiger leader is planning on breaking up as well...

This is what a Tamil Leader said about going back to war ..--

A war would be a protracted one and hundreds of people from both sides would be killed. Tamils would face the brunt of the damages – lives, properties and everything would be lost for them for ever.

The new war would put an end to Prabakaran’s dream of holding on with the East. The first reaction once the war is launched - Sri Lankan forces would simply wipe out the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam from the East, where they are today most vulnerable and unpopular which would include Trincomalee also. Already Sri Lankan armed forces are ready for a sudden blitzkrieg in the East once Prabakaran launches a war.

The temporary merger of the North and East would be done away. At present, since 1989, the temporary merger of the North and East remains intact as the successive Sri Lankan Presidents continues to sign the Gazette notifications annually to keep the merger on a temporary basis. Once a war is launched, there are every chances of ending the merger and Prabakaran may be held responsible for ever for splitting the homelands of the Tamils – a dream come true - achieved with India’s assistance.

Anandasanagaree told that the international community this time is not going to sit and watch in the sidelines, when a new war that kills people for no reason or other is ever launched by the Leader of the LTTE. Already Tamilselvan who was on a European tour was clearly told in the most subtle diplomatic parlance by numerous EU leaders he met that LTTE has to sit and negotiate with the Government of Sri Lanka. This was told with finality.

you are saying that they are breaking up with karuna having defected ,but still they managed to give you a realy hard blow by assasinating your foreign minister.you would be making the biggest mistake if you considered that the ltte have weakened ,they still retain the same strength as before,the same ability to strike as and when they want.it is also disheartening to see that even though the ltte have broken up the srilankan armed forces have not been able to control them,i think the sri lankan government had lost a wonderfull oportunity.
remember prabhakaran is as much brilliant and capable as karuna.what karuna had was tremendous engineering and technological forsight(he created the seatigers and the ltte airforce),but prabhakaran was a pastmaster in tactics ,that shows why karuna was defeated and forced to leave his terriotery ,that operation launched by prabhakaran was a masterstroke(naval commando operation) and can be compared in tactical brilliance to anything that any proffesional armed forces would have done.
i think sri lanka should now try to recruit karuna and use his abilities against prabhakaran and the ltte.:coffee

 

[toyya]

ok .. number one karuna is already being used by the STF ... every single day atleast one LTTE cadre is shot down by Karuna faction memebres ... everyday ..!! the Special Task Force is arming them ... so there is no toal break out of war .. but aloely yet surely the LTTE is being struck ....
number 2 .. Karuna was betrayed by the sri lankan armed forces thts why he lost .. sri lankan forces first assured him tht they wont proveide a passge for the LTTE to passs thru .. but then the SL forces to make sure tht karuna was'nt too stong for them to control let the LTTE go ... if the SL forces didnt let them go LTTE had no chane of controlling Karuna ..... and he hasnt managed to control karuna at all ... so when karuna lost he had to come begging to the SL forces for help .. then the SL forces started using him .. everyday like i mentioned atleast one LTTE cadre is killed by small groups of skirmishes of karuna .. BTW KARUNA is residing in colombo in a safe house of the stf...

 

[aaaditya]

ok .. number one karuna is already being used by the STF ... every single day atleast one LTTE cadre is shot down by Karuna faction memebres ... everyday ..!! the Special Task Force is arming them ... so there is no toal break out of war .. but aloely yet surely the LTTE is being struck ....
number 2 .. Karuna was betrayed by the sri lankan armed forces thts why he lost .. sri lankan forces first assured him tht they wont proveide a passge for the LTTE to passs thru .. but then the SL forces to make sure tht karuna was'nt too stong for them to control let the LTTE go ... if the SL forces didnt let them go LTTE had no chane of controlling Karuna ..... and he hasnt managed to control karuna at all ... so when karuna lost he had to come begging to the SL forces for help .. then the SL forces started using him .. everyday like i mentioned atleast one LTTE cadre is killed by small groups of skirmishes of karuna .. BTW KARUNA is residing in colombo in a safe house of the stf...

1)you are saying that everyday one ltte cadre is being shot dead ,but what is his rank and experience,is he an important member of the hierarchy.any low cadre can be easily replaced,ltte has the requisite influence and the required manpower,but what cannot be replaced is the experience of the cadre,suppose if some very high official in the ltte is killed ,it will be a big blow for it,since that person's experience will be lost and cannot be easily replaced,now this is not happening,so it is not affecting the ltte at all.
2)i know that karuna was betrayed by the srilankan army,the sri lankan army is making things difficult for themselves by letting go of this advantage,in battle(particularly guerilla warfare)the enemy of your enemy is your friend.
3)there is no point in karuna hiding in a safe house ,i think he should be more proactive,that will split the ltte because many of them still respect karuna as much as prabhakarn.:coffee

 

[toyya]

its nt easy to recruit as much as it was during the war .. cause after the CFA many ltte caders also hv come for the SLA for help.. the LTTE doesnt pay any wage for their cadres .. and during war they had a proper cause but after the CFA the marale has changed and everybody wants money and when the LTTE refuses to pay they desert ....

karuna has todate assasinated 5 -10 main guys in the LTTE .. koushalyan being one the political leader of the LTTE,..

i explained why the betrayal of karuna came in handy for the forces of sri lanka before .. cause karun a with all his forces would hv been a problem for the sri lankan forces .. but a smaller vulnerable group is easier for the sl forces to handle ...

the important thing is to keep karuna alive if a war is to break out .. but if karuna is no more when a full out war is to break out there wont be any advantage for the forces....

 

[aaaditya]

its nt easy to recruit as much as it was during the war .. cause after the CFA many ltte caders also hv come for the SLA for help.. the LTTE doesnt pay any wage for their cadres .. and during war they had a proper cause but after the CFA the marale has changed and everybody wants money and when the LTTE refuses to pay they desert ....

karuna has todate assasinated 5 -10 main guys in the LTTE .. koushalyan being one the political leader of the LTTE,..

i explained why the betrayal of karuna came in handy for the forces of sri lanka before .. cause karun a with all his forces would hv been a problem for the sri lankan forces .. but a smaller vulnerable group is easier for the sl forces to handle ...

the important thing is to keep karuna alive if a war is to break out .. but if karuna is no more when a full out war is to break out there wont be any advantage for the forces....

sri lanka can effectively deal with ltte only if
1)they finish of prabhakaran
2)if they stop the financial and material supply for the ltte(for this they will need to use whatever information is provided by karuna).
you stated that the ltte cadre are not paid(well these kind of people dont need to be paid ,they work mostly out of motivation many of them for revenge and then they are brainwashed during training to consider the lankans as their enemies for these kind of people shedding blood of their enemies is a bigger incentive than any monetary incentive. :coffee