World pressure makes Colombo stop bombing and shelling
by D.B.S. Jeyaraj
[This is an updated version of two (1), (2) earlier posts]
Responding to heavy international pressure , President Mahinda Rajapakse has suspended the retaliatory attacks that commenced in Trincomalee district after the assassination attempt on Lankan Army commander Lt. Gen Sarath Fonseka. Representatives of major donor nations as well as India exercised quiet yet intensive diplomacy on the Sri Lankan government to suspend all reprisal actions harming innocent civilians of the North – East.
While sympathising with Colombo and commending Rajapakse for his “patience” the international community representatives also impressed upon him the imperative need to ensure the safety and security of all civilians at all times regardless of ethnicity.The LTTE attack was condemned severely but the Government was told gently yet firmly that whatever the provocation civilian lives , limbs and property should be protected at all times.
President Rajapakse met representatives of donor nations, representatives of the four peace process co – chairs and Indian High Commissioner Nirupama Menon Rao in separate meetings in Colombo.Mahinda it is learnt was tactfully tutored at these meetings that targetting Tamil civilians in the North – East through indiscriminate bombing and shelling was not going to be condoned. Adding to Rajapakse’s woes was the opinion expressed by the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission after a fact – finding mission in Muthur and Sampoor.
Realising that Sri Lanka had received extremely negative publicity abroad as a result of these retaliatory attacks a crestfallen Rajapakse remarked ” The image of our country is being destroyed. They show the world that the one act that we took to ensure our security, when faced with a major attack, was much bigger than the thousands of times the LTTE had grossly and provocatively violated the ceasefire agreement”.
The President however had give in to these behind the scenes, diplomatic pressure.Rajapakse gave instructions that retaliatory activities be suspended. Earlier on April 25th when a suicide bomber attack was launched at the army headquarters premises Rajapakse had summoned a top level defence meeting. A visibly angry Mahinda urged that tough retaliatory action be taken immediately to demonstrate that the Government was not weak and that it would not take things lying down.
Thereafter all transport to and from the LTTE controlled Wanni region was stopped. A coordinated three – prong attack was launched in Muthur division areas of Trincomalee district. The Army, navy and Air Force commenced artillery shelling and aerial bombardment on the 25th and 26th of April. The attack resulted in at least 17 civilians getting killed and over 35 being wounded. Many dwellings and other buildings were reduced to rubble. Thousands of people became refugees.
A major humanitarian tragedy was averted mainly due to International pressure. While accepting the Government’s right to take action against the LTTE it was pointed out that civilian suffering should be minimised. Rajapakse accepted this “advice” and exercised wisdom by suspending the retaliatory measures. Transport was resumed to and from the Wanni at 7 am on April 27th. The shelling and bombing also ceased from the same day.
The suicide bombing operation in Colombo killed at least nine persons and injured twenty – seven. Among those seriously wounded were Army Commander Sarath Fonseka and his aide de camp Major Priyal Wickremasinghe. Several soldiers were among the dead and injured.
Though the operation had the clear stamp of a tiger attack the LTTE denied responsibility. Some tiger media charged that it was due to internal differences within the army.
With growing resentment in the South at the Government’s perceived impotence the Sinhala public mood was getting increasingly sour. President Mahinda Rajapakse was under great pressure to retaliate effectively. His political allies like the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna wanted him to be tough with the tigers while the Jathika Hela Urumaya was for calling off the ceasefire and declaring open war.
The International community strongly condemned the suicide attack and expressed support to Rajapakse. Yet restraint was urged and appeals were made that Colombo should not resort to formal war.
Against this backdrop the Government decided to launch retaliatory attacks in the form of an undeclared war against the LTTE.Instead of attacking the LTTE headquarters in Kilinochchi operations were launched against tiger positions in the Eastern district of Trincomalee.
The district has been in the throes of a vicious cycle of racial violence since April 7th when Tamil political activist Vanniyasingham Vigneswaran was assassinated by Tamil paramilitaries.
Two Israeli made K – fir bomber jets and two F – 7s conducted five bombing sorties over the Muthur region of Eastern Trincomalee. The aerial bombing began at 5. 50 pm and went on till 6. 15 pm. After these K- firs had returned two Ukraine made MIG 24 planes flew out and conducted a sixth prolonged bombing spree at 6. 25 pm.
At 6. 35 pm four Israeli built Dvora gun boats and three water jet boats sailed close to the Muthur coast and began shelling coastal areas. This naval shelling went on intermittently yet intensively till 8. 10 pm.About 80 shells were fired from the sea.
The army started its own artillery fire from the Kuranguppaalam or Monkey bridge camp towards Muthur at 6. 45 pm. The shelling was consistent but sporadic with short intervals. The shelling was heavy till about 9. pm but continued with less intensity till midnight. Around 150 to 160 shells were fired. Many of the shells fired were deadly multi – barrel artillery shells obtained from Pakistan and China.Around 40 Multi barrel rockets were fired.
Areas like Kattaiparichhaan, Sampoor, Koonitheevu, Kadatkaraichenai, Senaiyoor, Iraalkuli, Ilakkanthai, Paattalipuram, Uppaaru etc were bombed initially and then pounded incessantly by artillery from gunboats and army camp. The Senaiyoor Central College was badly hit with its primary school and laboratory buildings reduced to rubble. Much of the damage was due to aerial bombardment here.
Power supply to Muthur was also affected and the region was in total darkness during and after the bombardment.
According to preliminary reports the bombing and shelling had not affected actual LTTE positions in the region much. LTTE camps, sea tiger bases and a newly constructed air strip were not damaged says the LTTE Civilian homes and public buildings had been destroyed.
At least three Tamil rehabilitation Organization (TRO) buildings were badly damaged. There are unconfirmed reports that two LTTE camps at Iraalkuli and Sungan kuli were damaged. The casualty figures if any were not known
After the first day’s attacks ,LTTE political Commissar for Trincomalee S. Elilan has inquired from the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission whether the ceasefire was over and war had been declared. The Trinco SLMM had informed him that the security force officials had not responded to the telephone calls and e – mails, faxes sent by them.
Colombo also maintained that the retaliation was necessitated by the LTTE attacking Lankan naval craft in Trincomalee. The bombing and shelling was supposed to be retaliatory measures.
Just as few people believed the LTTE statement that they had nothing to do with the Colombo explosion very few granted credibility to these assertions by the Government. Though the LTTE had exploded a bomb in Colombo on April 25th and engaged in some violence in Trincomalee over the past week the tigers had not attacked the navy on Tuesday as alleged by the Government.
It was apparent that the Government launched its undeclared war by first conducting aerial bombardment and supplementing it further by artillery firing from army camp at Monkey Bridge and shelling from Naval boats
Political analysts however were concerned that Sri Lanka was backsliding to an open and fierce war. There were three concerns. Will the armed forces and defence establishment continue these reprisals to the extent of open war becoming inevitable? Will the LTTE angered by these reprisals raise the ante further by conducting more operations that would make the situation deteriorate further? Will rajapakse egged on by the hardliners around him bow down to populist pressure and declare war?These were the troubling questions.
Despite the ceasefire the Country has witnessed an escalating shadow war in the past. Both the LTTE and Tamil paramilitaries assisted by the security forces engaged in that. The suicide bomb attack against Sarath Fonseka was actually a high water mark of the escalating shadow war.Now an undeclared war in the form of action by the army, navy and air force was on. Civilans were being victimised.
Also in what seemed a knee – jerk reaction , Defence secretary Gothabhaya Rajapakse clamped down on transport through the Wanni. All transport to and from the LTTE controlled Northern mainland of the Wanni was suspended.
The entry – exit points at Omanthai In Vavuniya district and Uyilankulam in the Mannar district were shut down at 2, 30 pm. The Muhamaalai point in the Jaffna peninsula was closed down at 3. 00 pm. Hundreds of people and vehicles were stranded by the sudden move.
Expectations among the civians that the bombing was over got rudely shattered in the early hours of 26th when K- fir jets resumed aerial bombardment again shortly after midnight. The planes also launched another attack at dawn and another attack shortly before noon.
Artillery fire commenced at 2.00 am in the night and went on till noon on April 26th.
India in particular and many Western nations in general became extremely concerned about resumption of attacks on the second day. There was worry about civilian casualties.
Both the Sampoor jetty in LTTE controlled area and Muthur jetty in GOSL controlled area suffered hits. At least two uniformed personnel from the Navy were injured.
Bombs also fell on areas extending up to three kilometres from the Muthur Jetty. These are clearly demarcated Government controlled areas and are largely populated by Tamil speaking Muslims.After protests were lodged by Muslims in Muthur to the security authorities the bombing ceased.
One area affected badly was the Muslim settlement called Thakwa Nagar.. A Muslim Moulavi or Mullah Junaideen Mohammed was killed on the spot. His injured wife Akram Mulfikha (25) and sister Munira Junaideen (18) died after being admitted to Trincomalee hospital. Another seven injured persons from Muthur are receiving treatment there.Another injured Muslim civilian also died later.
While the Navy transported the injured Muslim people from GOSL controled Muthur to Trinco in their gun boats assistance to injured Tamil civilians from LTTE controlled areas in the Muthur division was denied. Though the Red Cross was reportedly engaged in negotiations to get Navy assistance in transporting three seriously injured Tamil civilians to Trinco the defence ministry authorities in Colombo adamantly refused to help.
The situation was remedied later and through Red Cross assistance two seriously injured people were warded at Batticaloa hospital.
According to informed sources at least thirteen civilians have been killed and thirty – seven injured in the artillery and aerial bombardment of Muthur areas on April 25th and 26th.. Around sixty – five people have minor injuries. With Muslim casualties the overall civilian toll has gone up to seventeen civilians killed and forty – four badly injured.
One of the biggest problems is the lack of adequate medical facilities to treat the injured. The Sampur clinic is ill – equipped to handle a tragedy of this proportion.
Wounded Tmil civilians in Sampoor suffered as the security authorities refused to transport the Tamil victims to Trincomalee hospital.Sampoor clinic does not have adequate surgical facilities.
Also some of the victims had died because of bleeding caused by the wounds. If proper medical help was available their lives may have been saved.
Five bodies have been identified as belonging to K. Meiyan and his two year old son Meiyan Kishanthan, Ms Nagiah Rukmani, Ms Pathiniyan Nagamma and Ms Veerapathiran Pagawathipillai. All were from Sampoor, Muttur east, according to civil sources.A further five bodies were identified on April 28th
Many areas in the region are virtually a sea of rubble after the intensive attack. The areas affected are Sampur. Muthur, Senaiyoor, Kadatkaraichenai, Kattaiparichhaan, Iraalkuli, Soodaikkudaa, Ilakkanthai, Santhoshapuram, Paattaalipuram, Koonitheevu and Uppaaru. These villages are in Muthur East and largely adjacent to the coast.
People have fled their homes and sought refuge in the Muthur division interior areas after the attack. Massive displacement has occurred. The official District secretariat estimate on April 26th stated that 43, 158 people from 10, 718 families were currently displaced in all parts of Trincomalee district. The bulk of these were from the Muthur – Sampoor region.. Many Sinhalese too had left their homes temporarily following the Morawewa killings of six civilians.
Much of this displacement was due to fear. Once the initial panic subsided people began returning home rapidly. The displaced people figures decreased overnight. Current estimates place the displaced persons figure at 18, 000 to 20, 000. This number too is likely to dwindle as more and more people are returning to their homes.
Embarassed at bombing Government controlled areas and killing Muslim civilians infantile attempts were made to deny that blatant fact. It was said that the Muslims of Muthir suffered because the LTTE fired shells.
SLMM chief Ulf Henricsson visited the area later and discovered the truth.“The deaths and damage were clearly caused by a misfire of the Government forces and not by LTTE firing as claimed by the Army on Wednesday. Mr. Henricsson visited the site yesterday and confirmed this,†SLMM spokeswoman Helen Olafsdottir told the press.
People in Trincomalee heard the reports of shelling and bombing and were extremely worried. A curfew was also imposed in three Trinco divisions including the town and gravets.
Meanwhile the Government maintained a tough posture.”I f the LTTE continues attacking, there will be coordinated retaliation in the form of defence,” Plan Implementation Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said. “This will continue as long as the LTTE targets the security forces.”
Despite this claim reports from Muthur indicated that the brunt of the undeclared war has been borne by Tamil civilians.
The Tigers had also said that they would retaliate if the government continued the attacks; “It is like a war situation in Trincomalee. If the attacks continue, the LTTE will be forced to take military defensive action,” S. Puleedevan, head of the Tigers’ peace secretariat, told Reuters.
” We are in a state of readiness and are awaiting for the instruction from our leadership to respond with a force that will be catastrophically disabling and devastating to the enemy,” said Mr.S.Elilan, Trincomalee district political head of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam commenting on the current situation in Muttur east, in a “Tamilnet” report.
“The airforce and naval action is to deter and contain the LTTE from carrying out further provocative attacks,” said Palitha Kohona, the Director General of the Peace Secretariat.
Swedish Major-General Ulf Henricsson, who heads the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) that oversees the truce, said if air strikes continued, peace talks would become difficult. The worst case scenario was a return to war, he said.
“We still have a valid ceasefire agreement. No party has ended it, but of course it is not a ceasefire right now,” he told Reuters
Whatever the pros and cons of differing viewpoints the actual position was that the Sri Lankan Government launched an undeclared war for the avowed purpose of teaching a lesson to the LTTE. This was done both as an act of vengeance as well as to show the South the Government was acting tough.
The ground reality was that innocent civilians suffered badly. The Government action of targetting innocent civilians under the pretext of teaching a lesson to the LTTE in a horrendous three – pronged bombing and shelling campaign deserves strong condemnation.
Even if the tigers provoked the state, the wilful targetting of civilians by the security forces cannot be condoned. It is time for the International community to give priority in an effective manner to the plight of innocent civilians above the interests of the chief players namely the GOSL and LTTE.
Pressurising the Government into suspending the reprisals deserves praise. But it is only a small beginning. Greater and faster action is required to save civilian life, limb and property.If the International community does not act fast not only would it be perceived as impotent but will also have precipitated the eruption of a full – scale war.
Recent events have shown that the Country is on the brink of an open, brutal war. Only effective International pressure could pull both sides back from the edge. Norway alone cannot do this. Greater coordinated action from the big players like USA, Japan and more importantly India is required to save the peace in Sri Lanka.
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Contact DBS Jeyaraj : djeyaraj2005@yahoo.com
April 29th, 2006