Victory day not far off'- An interview with the Army Chief, Gen. Sarath Fonseka
Days of pampering "Arm - Chair' Generals Over:
Agreeing that the national problem could only be solved through political means, the Army Commander Lt. Gen. Sarath Fonseka said that not only Tamils but also Sinhalese and the Muslims need political solutions to solve some of their problems.
He said that the political solution should be completely different from what the LTTE and the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) were clamouring for. Their ultimate goal is to destroy Sinhalese as was revealed by the 'Eelam Pandiyan' cadres, who had surrendered earlier."
They admitted that they were motivated by the LTTE during their training period not only to kill the Sinhalese soldiers but also the Sinhalese people as well".
The Army Commander said that numerous problems faced by the innocent Tamils in the North and East due to LTTE terrorism would not be solved by making R. Sampanthan or someone else the Prime Minister of the so-called Eelam.
Welcoming President Mahinda Rajapaksa's invitation to the LTTE to resume peace talks provided they lay down their arms, the Army chief assured that the Army's forward march to liberate Wanni would continue without any hindrance.
Commenting on recent allegation on the attack on the media, Lt. Gen. Fonseka said that he has a huge military arm with a strength of over 162, 000 men who have been trained to kill but not to assault.
"Certain media personnel, who have been misled by certain disgruntled military officials, do not write in the interest of the people and the country. How can they demand media freedom when they do not follow basic ethics", he queried.
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LTTE's route to ferry across ordnance is blocked with the capture of Vidathalathivu.
*
Some more LTTE controlled areas to be captured before NCP elections.
*
President and the government will no doubt deserve the credit for the military victories.
*
LTTE avoid confrontations with the military to minimize their casualties.
*
LTTE have lost over 9,000 cadres in the last two years and 3000 have been forcibly conscripted.
*
LTTE Leader Prabhakaran is good as dead and is too old to command a terrorist outfit.
*
Prabhakaran's true nature shows when he kills unarmed civilians whenever defeat stares at his face.
*
Army never had an overall strategy earlier to fight and capture LTTE controlled areas.
*
The strength of the Sri Lanka Army has risen from 118,000 to 162,000, with a reserve of 12,000 well trained soldiers in the North.
*
The Army was not responsible for the attack on Keith Noyair.
*
Some disgruntled high ranking military officials provide misleading information to the media.
*
Top Army officers are frustrated because their personal welfare is not looked after at the expense of Army welfare.
*
Officers who ran away from Mullaithivu, Kilinochchi and Elephant Pass battle fronts are senior Generals in the Army now today.
Excerpts:
Q: What is the strategic importance of Vidathalativu and what would be the impact on the LTTE which had lost its main Sea Tiger base after 18 years of control?
A: Vidathalathivu was a major Sea Tiger base in the Western coast, where most of the sea operations of the LTTE were launched. They maintained this base to smuggle in arms and ammunition from India via the Mannar islands.
Now all their operations in the West are blocked and have to operate from Nachchikuda side, where the movements are quite difficult. The main thrust has now reached very close to Thunukai. The Kokkadival and Kadavan have to be captured to protect the Western flank.
Q: But the Opposition has claimed, that Vidathalativu, was abandoned by the LTTE some weeks ago and now dominated by the military, has become a show piece to get political mileage during the forthcoming North Central Provincial elections?
A: I feel the Opposition must be conducting some reconnaissance missions in these areas. The military is no doubt entitled to get a political mileage especially after capturing areas like Vidathalathivu and Mannar.
Most probably we will capture many more places before the elections. Are they expecting us to sit and wait until the elections are over? We would like to know who the people are keep monitoring our movements from their houses.
Q: They also claim that the Army helps the government to take political mileage through some of these military victories. How do you see these allegations?
A: The President of the country being the Commander in Chief is entitled to get the credit for all these military victories. He is the one who takes decisions and responsibilities of launching these major offensives. Wars are launched by the governments and credit of its success will naturally go to the government and not to the Opposition.
Do they expect the Army to lose these battles and face reversals? So, then the credit will not go to the government like what had happened in the past.
Q: You have set deadlines to capture Wanni in the past and also gave an assurance of a turning point in August. Is the military ready to go for this target now or do you have to reset another time-frame?
A: No, I never gave specific deadlines as such but what I said was that I will here to capture Wanni during my tenure of office. And, I never said as to when I will be finishing my term. That depends on how long the President wants me to serve. I will do my best to finish it within a reasonable time.
I don't think any layman would ever think of capturing such a massive area killing 8,000 to 9,000 terrorists in the process within an year. We captured Vidathalathivu and the troops have advanced 3kms within a day.
In Chirandikulam we killed 25 terrorists few weeks ago. Now we have seven km north of Chiraddikulam and three km in the south of Thunukkai.
The changes are taking place in the battle fronts. The Army could not move even 100 metres further up and we fought for months to inch forward. But now the troops are getting into a faster mode. We had only 12 casualties last week whereas those days there used to over 40 soldiers who get killed.
Now they do not confront us as earlier, where we were able to kill more than 150 terrorists a week. Last week only 15 terrorists were killed. The LTTE is avoiding confrontations with us as they do not want to suffer high number of casualties. They have now changed their way of confronting us.
Q: Isn't this pattern changing because that they are facing a severe shortage of manpower?
A: Yes, that has resulted to a greater extent. They have lost over 9,000 in the last two years. The number of cadres were killed in the East was over 2,000, then over 1,000 in Jaffna, 3,000 in Wanni, over 2,000 in Mannar, and over 1,000 in Weli Oya. The Air Force has killed about a 1,000 and the Navy has killed 329. These official figures were officially released at the last Security Council meeting.
The total number of casualties is very high. According to intelligence there are over 5,000 cadres in the North including their political cadres, home guards in bunkers and Nadeshan's cadres. The LTTE has recruited over 3,000 people forcibly. The quality of their fighting has deteriorated.
In addition to the shortage of manpower, the LTTE lacks leaders, after the death of their so called leaders, Anton Balasingham, Tamilselvam and Balaraj. Prabakaran is as good as dead and is too old to lead a terrorist outfit. Normally terrorist leaders are aggressive and young people. So the LTTE is fighting a losing battle while the Sri Lankan military is becoming stronger day by day.
Q: According to a certain media, the number of LTTE cadres killed is different from the figures that you give. So some claim that it is a numbers game to continue with the war. What do you have to say ?
A: The Army gets these numbers from our intelligence by listening to the LTTE transmissions. After every confrontation, the LTTE updates these numbers and they are not decided by the Army.
In Vidathalathivu, the LTTE has lost over 30 terrorists and these numbers are confirmed by their transmissions. People who claim that this is a numbers game are the ones who believe that the terrorists, and also have more faith in the LTTE than the Sri Lankan Army.
Q: You have said that the LTTE's days are numbered. How confident are you that you can eliminate the LTTE before the end of your tenure?
A: Yes, why I say that their days are numbered is by comparing what had happened during the last two years. In the last two years they have lost territories, the East and now Mannar. Over 1,200 square km area in the North have now been captured. This same trend was there for two years when we liberated the East and the same will followed until we capture the North.
LTTE has lost two thirds of its manpower and a large stock of weapons including 2,500 rifles and other heavy weapons. They are running out of arms now. As the fighting is going round the clock the LTTE could not remain without ammunition and weapons to face us. So, I don't think that the LTTE can keep pace with this schedule. It is an impossible task for them.
Q: How do you assess the input of the intelligence services? Are they more efficient than it was some years ago?
A: Yes, at the moment they are doing a tremendous job. In the past when we were in the field we did not have confidence in their services. They were actually doing basically, 'post mortems' on the movements of terrorists and how their planned attack.
Now the situation has changed and we can rely on them who give us accurate intelligence information on terrorist activities, their strength and possible actions that they may resort to. We revamped the intelligence services with some important changes.
Q: Innocent people in Yala still come under LTTE attacks. Why has the military failed to capture the LTTE terrorists who have a free run in Yala?
A: It is a long 90 km stretch of jungle terrain, with a width of 40 km from Yala to Kanchikuddichchiaru in the Eastern Province towards Ampara. The group which had shot at the bus was the same group that had fired at the Army patrol in Panama about a month ago.
They have used the same weapons this time as well. When they are defeated they use very cheap tactics under the instructions of Prabhakaran, who has never being humane. After the Army clears the Kanchikuddichchi area, the STF will set up new camps in this area to deter them. We have already taken steps with the STF to hunt them.
Days of pampering "Arm - Chair' Generals Over:
Agreeing that the national problem could only be solved through political means, the Army Commander Lt. Gen. Sarath Fonseka said that not only Tamils but also Sinhalese and the Muslims need political solutions to solve some of their problems.
He said that the political solution should be completely different from what the LTTE and the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) were clamouring for. Their ultimate goal is to destroy Sinhalese as was revealed by the 'Eelam Pandiyan' cadres, who had surrendered earlier."
They admitted that they were motivated by the LTTE during their training period not only to kill the Sinhalese soldiers but also the Sinhalese people as well".
The Army Commander said that numerous problems faced by the innocent Tamils in the North and East due to LTTE terrorism would not be solved by making R. Sampanthan or someone else the Prime Minister of the so-called Eelam.
Welcoming President Mahinda Rajapaksa's invitation to the LTTE to resume peace talks provided they lay down their arms, the Army chief assured that the Army's forward march to liberate Wanni would continue without any hindrance.
Commenting on recent allegation on the attack on the media, Lt. Gen. Fonseka said that he has a huge military arm with a strength of over 162, 000 men who have been trained to kill but not to assault.
"Certain media personnel, who have been misled by certain disgruntled military officials, do not write in the interest of the people and the country. How can they demand media freedom when they do not follow basic ethics", he queried.
*
LTTE's route to ferry across ordnance is blocked with the capture of Vidathalathivu.
*
Some more LTTE controlled areas to be captured before NCP elections.
*
President and the government will no doubt deserve the credit for the military victories.
*
LTTE avoid confrontations with the military to minimize their casualties.
*
LTTE have lost over 9,000 cadres in the last two years and 3000 have been forcibly conscripted.
*
LTTE Leader Prabhakaran is good as dead and is too old to command a terrorist outfit.
*
Prabhakaran's true nature shows when he kills unarmed civilians whenever defeat stares at his face.
*
Army never had an overall strategy earlier to fight and capture LTTE controlled areas.
*
The strength of the Sri Lanka Army has risen from 118,000 to 162,000, with a reserve of 12,000 well trained soldiers in the North.
*
The Army was not responsible for the attack on Keith Noyair.
*
Some disgruntled high ranking military officials provide misleading information to the media.
*
Top Army officers are frustrated because their personal welfare is not looked after at the expense of Army welfare.
*
Officers who ran away from Mullaithivu, Kilinochchi and Elephant Pass battle fronts are senior Generals in the Army now today.
Excerpts:
Q: What is the strategic importance of Vidathalativu and what would be the impact on the LTTE which had lost its main Sea Tiger base after 18 years of control?
A: Vidathalathivu was a major Sea Tiger base in the Western coast, where most of the sea operations of the LTTE were launched. They maintained this base to smuggle in arms and ammunition from India via the Mannar islands.
Now all their operations in the West are blocked and have to operate from Nachchikuda side, where the movements are quite difficult. The main thrust has now reached very close to Thunukai. The Kokkadival and Kadavan have to be captured to protect the Western flank.
Q: But the Opposition has claimed, that Vidathalativu, was abandoned by the LTTE some weeks ago and now dominated by the military, has become a show piece to get political mileage during the forthcoming North Central Provincial elections?
A: I feel the Opposition must be conducting some reconnaissance missions in these areas. The military is no doubt entitled to get a political mileage especially after capturing areas like Vidathalathivu and Mannar.
Most probably we will capture many more places before the elections. Are they expecting us to sit and wait until the elections are over? We would like to know who the people are keep monitoring our movements from their houses.
Q: They also claim that the Army helps the government to take political mileage through some of these military victories. How do you see these allegations?
A: The President of the country being the Commander in Chief is entitled to get the credit for all these military victories. He is the one who takes decisions and responsibilities of launching these major offensives. Wars are launched by the governments and credit of its success will naturally go to the government and not to the Opposition.
Do they expect the Army to lose these battles and face reversals? So, then the credit will not go to the government like what had happened in the past.
Q: You have set deadlines to capture Wanni in the past and also gave an assurance of a turning point in August. Is the military ready to go for this target now or do you have to reset another time-frame?
A: No, I never gave specific deadlines as such but what I said was that I will here to capture Wanni during my tenure of office. And, I never said as to when I will be finishing my term. That depends on how long the President wants me to serve. I will do my best to finish it within a reasonable time.
I don't think any layman would ever think of capturing such a massive area killing 8,000 to 9,000 terrorists in the process within an year. We captured Vidathalathivu and the troops have advanced 3kms within a day.
In Chirandikulam we killed 25 terrorists few weeks ago. Now we have seven km north of Chiraddikulam and three km in the south of Thunukkai.
The changes are taking place in the battle fronts. The Army could not move even 100 metres further up and we fought for months to inch forward. But now the troops are getting into a faster mode. We had only 12 casualties last week whereas those days there used to over 40 soldiers who get killed.
Now they do not confront us as earlier, where we were able to kill more than 150 terrorists a week. Last week only 15 terrorists were killed. The LTTE is avoiding confrontations with us as they do not want to suffer high number of casualties. They have now changed their way of confronting us.
Q: Isn't this pattern changing because that they are facing a severe shortage of manpower?
A: Yes, that has resulted to a greater extent. They have lost over 9,000 in the last two years. The number of cadres were killed in the East was over 2,000, then over 1,000 in Jaffna, 3,000 in Wanni, over 2,000 in Mannar, and over 1,000 in Weli Oya. The Air Force has killed about a 1,000 and the Navy has killed 329. These official figures were officially released at the last Security Council meeting.
The total number of casualties is very high. According to intelligence there are over 5,000 cadres in the North including their political cadres, home guards in bunkers and Nadeshan's cadres. The LTTE has recruited over 3,000 people forcibly. The quality of their fighting has deteriorated.
In addition to the shortage of manpower, the LTTE lacks leaders, after the death of their so called leaders, Anton Balasingham, Tamilselvam and Balaraj. Prabakaran is as good as dead and is too old to lead a terrorist outfit. Normally terrorist leaders are aggressive and young people. So the LTTE is fighting a losing battle while the Sri Lankan military is becoming stronger day by day.
Q: According to a certain media, the number of LTTE cadres killed is different from the figures that you give. So some claim that it is a numbers game to continue with the war. What do you have to say ?
A: The Army gets these numbers from our intelligence by listening to the LTTE transmissions. After every confrontation, the LTTE updates these numbers and they are not decided by the Army.
In Vidathalathivu, the LTTE has lost over 30 terrorists and these numbers are confirmed by their transmissions. People who claim that this is a numbers game are the ones who believe that the terrorists, and also have more faith in the LTTE than the Sri Lankan Army.
Q: You have said that the LTTE's days are numbered. How confident are you that you can eliminate the LTTE before the end of your tenure?
A: Yes, why I say that their days are numbered is by comparing what had happened during the last two years. In the last two years they have lost territories, the East and now Mannar. Over 1,200 square km area in the North have now been captured. This same trend was there for two years when we liberated the East and the same will followed until we capture the North.
LTTE has lost two thirds of its manpower and a large stock of weapons including 2,500 rifles and other heavy weapons. They are running out of arms now. As the fighting is going round the clock the LTTE could not remain without ammunition and weapons to face us. So, I don't think that the LTTE can keep pace with this schedule. It is an impossible task for them.
Q: How do you assess the input of the intelligence services? Are they more efficient than it was some years ago?
A: Yes, at the moment they are doing a tremendous job. In the past when we were in the field we did not have confidence in their services. They were actually doing basically, 'post mortems' on the movements of terrorists and how their planned attack.
Now the situation has changed and we can rely on them who give us accurate intelligence information on terrorist activities, their strength and possible actions that they may resort to. We revamped the intelligence services with some important changes.
Q: Innocent people in Yala still come under LTTE attacks. Why has the military failed to capture the LTTE terrorists who have a free run in Yala?
A: It is a long 90 km stretch of jungle terrain, with a width of 40 km from Yala to Kanchikuddichchiaru in the Eastern Province towards Ampara. The group which had shot at the bus was the same group that had fired at the Army patrol in Panama about a month ago.
They have used the same weapons this time as well. When they are defeated they use very cheap tactics under the instructions of Prabhakaran, who has never being humane. After the Army clears the Kanchikuddichchi area, the STF will set up new camps in this area to deter them. We have already taken steps with the STF to hunt them.
