We are on a winning track says Maj Gen. Chandrasiri






"There is a great civilian support to the army. The Army and the public is working together to maintain peace in the peninsular. Public is clearly against LTTE terrorism. We have done a great deal for the public through maintaining law and order to assisting them on humanitarian basis. The recent huge turnout for Jaffna Mela is a clear evidence for the phenomenon."

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by Udara Soysa and Nilantha Illangamuwa exclusively reporting from Jaffna

(July 17, Jaffna, Sri Lanka Guardain) A team of journalists from Sri Lanka Guardian visited Jaffna peninsular this week. These journalists met with Maj General G.A. Chandrasiri, commander of security forces in Jaffna and conducted an exclusive interview with him. The team of journalists also attended a security presentation conducted by SF-J. Below is the interview:

Sri Lanka Guardian: What is the present security situation in Jaffna?

Maj. General Chandrasiri:The situation is very positive. The environment in Jaffna is very conducive to a peaceful livelihood. The situation had improved extremely from how it was in December 2005.

Sri Lanka Guardian: Are there any LTTE infiltration at the moment?

Maj. General Chandrasiri:
The LTTE numbers in Jaffna are extremely low. Earlier the numbers were much higher and the present numbers can be even deemed as below fifty. We have successfully cleared Jaffna from LTTE elements. Public is clearly with us in this juncture. People do not want LTTE to return and disrupt their livelihood.

Sri Lanka Guardian: What really happened during the CFA regarding LTTE infiltration in Jaffna?

Maj. General Chandrasiri:
The LTTE infiltrated in Jaffna disguised themselves as political cadres and etc. There were many safe houses that were maintained in Jaffna under LTTE. LTTE slowly turned violent in Jaffna creating havoc and destroying the civilian administrative. However, this was halted after December 2005.

Sri Lanka Guardian: What is the secret behind the high morale of the troops?

Maj. General Chandrasiri:
It is definitely the leadership. When soldiers see dedication coming from the top from their supervisors, it becomes infectious. Today, the Army is under a brilliant leadership and we are seeing the results from such great leadership. Soldiers are motivated better than ever in the war fronts.

Sri Lanka Guardian: Would the troops make any plans to take over elephant pass in near future?


Maj. General Chandrasiri:
It all depends on the ground situation. Our aim is to inflict heavy casualties to our enemy.


Sri Lanka Guardian: What happened during previous Muhamalai attacks? Were they debacles?

Maj. General Chandrasiri:
Indeed they were not debacles. We made strategic gains through these battles while inflicted heavy casualties on enemy. However, there are some casualties from our side but there are much higher casualties from the side of Tiger terrorists. We can not wait for tigers to attack us so we took the first steps to attack them. We had tremendous successes in these attacks. These attacks were not debacles at all.

Sri Lanka Guardian: How is the civilian support towards the Army?

Maj. General Chandrasiri:
There is a great civilian support to the army. The Army and the public is working together to maintain peace in the peninsular. Public is clearly against LTTE terrorism. We have done a great deal for the public through maintaining law and order to assisting them on humanitarian basis. The recent huge turnout for Jaffna Mela is a clear evidence for the phenomenon.

Sri Lanka Guardian: What is happening in Jaffna Forward Defence Lines?

Maj. General Chandrasiri:
We are daily inflicting casualties to the Tigers. We are on offence and we are highly successful.

Sri Lanka Guardian: Do you think that Army can end the war this year?

Maj. General Chandrasiri:
Yes, most likely.

Sri Lanka Guardian: What difference did it make in this Eelam war with usage of Special Forces?

Maj. General Chandrasiri: Well, there were Special Forces for sometime. The difference is the utilization of Special Forces. We have utilized them to get the best result and now we are seeing successful results.

Sri Lanka Guardian: Are there any army involvements in white van killings in peninsular?

Maj. General Chandrasiri:
We are a professional army and we are not involved in any underhand killings. Whenever we have any complains of any misdeeds, we take appropriate action through laws and regulations. I can avouch for the fact that Army is no way involved with any killings in Jaffna. We are not involved with any groups. We are here to maintain law and order and serve people in Jaffna.

Sri Lanka Guardian: What is your appeal to Sri Lanka diaspora ?



Maj. General Chandrasiri: My message to our people is that we are here to help the people of Jaffna. I assure you that we would continue to serve the people by ensuring the safety of people. We are doing this for all communities in Sri Lanka. We have done this and will continue to do so in future.


- Sri Lanka Guardian
T.Douglas said...

The Sri Lankan Government and the global community are culpable in the creation of the LTTE movement. From 1947 to the 1970s, the Sri Lankan Government engaged in Horrific abuse and Discrimination against the Tamil minority, and yet peaceful Tamil protests yielded zero results. This provoked the creation of a violent separatist movement the LTTE. The Black July of 83 is a well planned Genocide against the Tamil Minority in Sri Lanka. Over 5000 Tamils have been killed by the Sri Lankan Security forces and more than 40,000 Tamil homes been looted and burnt down. Several hundreds of Tamil women were raped by the Majority Sinhalese.
The lesson to be learned is that when oppressive dictatorships like Communist China and Islamic Malaysia commit horrific abuse against peaceful minorities, like Tibetans and Malaysian Hindus, other democracies must intervene and force justice for the oppressed. Otherwise, frustrated minorities may be forced to take up arms to achieve justice.
The LTTE took up arms to fight the injustice and atrocities perpetrated against the Tamil Minorities in Sri Lanka for the past 4 decades.
Breaking News:
Massacre grave unearthed in Batticaloa in the Sri lankan Army controlled Area
A mass grave, containing skeletons bearing gunshot wounds, has been discovered Wednesday morning at Paalameenmeadu, 6 km north of Batticaloa city, near a Tsunami resettlement. The grave was found after the IDPs, who were engaged in digging wells near their camp, unearthed body parts in one of the wells Monday. At least 52 pieces of skeletons have been recovered with cloths since 9:30 a.m., when Judge B. Ramakannan from Batticaloa visited the massacre site with Judicial Medical Officer (JMO) M.M.A. Rahman and the Police. The site, located 1.5 km from a Sri Lankan military post, manned by police and later by the Sri Lankan Special Task Force (STF) and the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) for the past 10 years.

Emptied rounds were also located from the mass grave, according to initial reports, which alluded that the killings could have taken place 4 years ago and that there could be more than 16 slain inside a single grave.

There were also speculations that the victims are civilians who were arrested, shot and killed and buried by the Sri Lankan Special Task Forces,

However, police said it was too early to give any indication on the number of bodies which they are still unearthing or the period when the massacre has taken place.

Both male and female clothes have been recovered in the massacre grave.
The Amnesty International strongly condemned this Act of Genocide by the Sri Lankan Security Forces.

velvatahurai nazi said...

Rama to Ellala, Raja adi raja to madras seapoys, our genocide of islanders runs to many millions. This is why we talk only of 40 years, that too only half the story. GG Ponna was a racist way back in 1915, Chelva 50:50 during 50's, no Sinhala and Muslim in Jaffna, no Sinhala students tolerated in north-eastern univerities, we kill or expell. Do kuppa, think Bramah. Tamil-only eelam = saintly innocence ??

The difference between conventional and unconventional modes of war, according to Colonel Hariharan of Chennai, is that firepower is concentrated in the former while in the latter it is unleashed in “penny packets”. It should be obvious to any observer and all sufferers of Eelam wars over the last thirty years that the penny packets of violence have inflicted far greater havoc on our civilian populations and physical resources than the unleashing of concentrated firepower in territorial battlegrounds.

velvatahurai nazi said...

It is now confirmed the mass grave is the remnants of some of the surrendered 400 ploicemen (Non-Tamil; Sinhala and muslim)who were exterminated by wanni fascists!!