Key LTTE gathering point raided by SLAF jets- Kilinochchi

SLAF fighter craft launched precision air strikes at a high profile LTTE gathering point in general area Vaddakachchi in the non-liberated Kilinochchi district this evening at 3.30.

According to defence sources, the air raid was taken based on real time ground information received.

Vaddakachchi is located approximately 8km Northeast of the Iranamadu Tank.


Extracted from,
http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20080706_04

Tigers out of bounds in Jaffna - Maj Gen Mark Civilians extremely cooperative with security forces:

Major General L.B.R. Mark, the Commander of the 51 division in the North which covers the heartland of Jaffna said that the LTTE could not step into the region as the civilians were extremely cooperative with the security forces in preventing any form of infiltration by the terrorist outfit.

Gen. Mark was commenting on the current situation in Jaffna in an interview with the Sunday Observer in the backdrop of the operations currently being carried out by the security forces from all corners in encircling the LTTE in the Wanni.

“There was a time that the Tigers were jumping out of Jaffna to the Wanni and again from Wanni to Jaffna. But now these pranks will not work as the security forces are well aware of the strategies of the outfit and moreover the people of Jaffna are fed up with the LTTE and are very supportive of the security forces in crushing all forms of LTTE infiltration into the peninsula,” Gen Mark said.

He said that soon after the closure of the A-9 highway the LTTE made desperate attempts to infiltrate in a big way into the Jaffna region.

However, the untiring and effective measures adopted by the security forces with the assistance of the Jaffna civilians had crushed the LTTE’s attempts. Now the outfit being a ‘lame duck’ in the Wanni could not even think of returning to the Jaffna mainland.

He also said that the citizens’ committees comprising senior citizens in Jaffna were having a good rapport with the security forces and helping them in every way to maintain law and order.

“With the assistance of the civilians we were not only able to curb the infiltrations but were also successful in carrying out numerous raids and recovered a large haul of arms and ammunition. “The recent cultural festival and trade fair organised by the security forces in Jaffna was a grand success and the event highlighted the confidence the people of Jaffna have in the security forces.

Read more,
http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2008/07/06/sec00.asp

Wanni Operation 05 th of July 2008

Source,
http://youtube.com/user/sinhahada



Source,
http://www.itn.lk/news_04_20080705.html

Learning from the Sri Lankan conflict

Like Pakistan, the island state of Sri Lanka is suffering from a costly conflict. And as Islamabad is now attempting, Colombo has been alternatively trying peaceful and military means to restore peace to a country often described by its proud citizens as paradise on earth.

The results of the strategies adopted by successive governments in the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka have been mixed. Dominated by the majority Sinhalese ethnic group, the Sri Lankan governments headed by different political parties have tried every means – military and political, appeasement and carrot and stick, even divide and rule - to resolve the conflict and keep the country united.

Parties have won elections by promising peace and then military victory. There is still no durable peace and military success isn't round the corner. But trust the politicians and they would invent a new idea and coin another slogan to win yet another poll.

During a recent visit to Sri Lanka, those of us coming from Pakistan felt it was a familiar place with all the roadblocks in sensitive parts of Colombo and heightened security even in tourist destinations such as Kandy and Galle. Pakistanis have become used to such high levels of security due to the rising incidence of terrorist attacks in recent years but Sri Lankans have been experiencing this since the 1980s.

Read more,
http://www.thenews.com.pk/print1.asp?id=122287

It will take time to defeat LTTE: Karuna

Karuna Amman, leader of the LTTE's breakaway faction, has said the Tiger group headed by V Prabhakaran is "very weak" at present but it would not be possible to defeat it soon.

"The LTTE are now only maintaining a defence line. They can't launch any offensive. They are very weak now," Karuna said.

He, however added that it would take time for the Sri Lankan army to defeat the rebel outfit.

"It will not happen in the next few months. We have to work together to win this war," the former deputy to LTTE supremo Prabhakaran told the Sinhala language wing of BBC.

Amman, whose real name is Vinayamurthi Muralitharan, arrived in Sri Lanka earlier this week after he was deported from UK, where he served a prison sentence for immigration offences.

Karuna was sentenced to nine-month imprisonment in January after being convicted of identity fraud.

Karuna, who broke away from the LTTE in 2004, was arrested here in November last year for travelling on a diplomatic passport under a false name.

Sri Lanka government has repeatedly denied any assistance to him to leave the Island country for Britain.

On his arrival to Sri Lanka, Karuna appealed to all communities -- Sinhala, Muslim and Tamil, to help the government in defeating the LTTE, which he described as a 'brutal terrorist group'.

Read more,
http://www.thehindu.com/holnus/001200807051522.htm

Sri Lanka warns fishermen to avert poaching in Indian waters

Sri Lanka's Minister of Fisheries Felix Perera said Saturday that continued action by his country's fishermen to poach in the neighboring Indian waters could cause a diplomatic row between the two South Asian neighbors.

"This can't go on. They must understand that it is illegal to enter (Indian) waters," Perera told reporters.

Perera said his ministry had to grapple with cases of hundreds of fishermen entering Indian waters.

"We have to negotiate when they are arrested and this has cost us a lot of money," the minister stressed.

The Indian and Sri Lankan authorities are constantly at negotiations to tackle poaching in each other's waters.

The Sri Lankan Navy too arrests Indian boats in the Sri Lankan maritime limits and have even accused the Indian fishermen of aiding Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels.

The LTTE has been fighting a decades old armed conflict in Sri Lanka to set up a separate homeland for the minority Tamils in the island's north and east.

Extracted from,
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-07/05/content_8494798.htm

Defence Ministry starts aggressive recruitment drive in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka Defence Ministry has recently increased the penetration of its recruitment drive by adopting mobile phones into campaign.

In this new effort, a short message (sms) generated by the mobile phone operator at the request of Defence Ministry is being sent to all subscribers touting citizens to join the Army, Navy, Air Force and the Police department.

“Young patriots come join with our armed forces and be a part of a winning team – Ministry of Defence,” stated in one such sms.

Sri Lanka which is reported to have more than 8 million mobile subscribers from an estimated population of 20 million is also reported to be among the four countries that offers the most affordable mobile services to the poor in world.

Extracted from,
http://www.colombopage.com/archive_08/July564431SL.html