by Bharatha Malawaraarachchi and Ranil Wijayapala

Defence Minister Tilak Marapana yesterday assured that the government will never abandon the strengthening of Security Forces at the expense of peace and said it has plans, troops and equipment to face any situation.

Winding up an adjournment debate in Parliament on the present security situation, the Minister said the increase of the LTTE presence around the Trincomalee harbour has been taken into account in the preparation of military strategies to defend the harbour and civilians.

The Minister said it was true that with the ceasefire and the MoU many opportunities have been afforded to the LTTE to strengthen themselves.

"But I believe that is the price we have to pay if we are to pursue the peace process to a permanent solution to the problem," he said.

The Minister said that it was true the LTTE strength in the area surrounding the Trincomalee harbour had increased during the ceasefire.

"I do perceive this as an increased threat, but the threat to the harbour was there from a long time ago, perhaps from about five, six years ago," the Minister added. Marapana said in 1995, the entire area was well secured with many Army camps and a large number of troops surrounding the harbour both to the North and the South. But the troops were withdrawn for operations in Jaffna and gradually the LTTE established a foothold.

By the time of the ceasefire, the LTTE had at least four major camps, two to the South and two to the North of the harbour. The heavy artillery was also within striking distance of the harbour, the Minister said.

"That was the scenario even before the ceasefire. So the threat was there," he said. What happened with the ceasefire was that the army did not move about from their camps into the area South of the harbour.

"We claim this area to be under our control, but we have since the withdrawal of several camps and troops from this area since 1995, not been able to affectively dominate this area. The LTTE has taken advantage of this and increased their presence in this area," Marapana said.

"To my mind the significance is not the number of camps in which this increased strength are stationed in, but the fact that the LTTE strength has nearly doubled since the ceasefire. That we were well aware of, because there is a regular monitoring of LTTE presence everywhere," the Minister added. The Government has taken this into consideration in the preparation of military strategies to defend the harbour and the civilian population in this area as well as for any eventual offensive against the LTTE should the occasion arise, Marapana said.

"So I assure this House that it is not as though the Government and Forces have blissfully permitted the enemy to surround us without making adequate preparation to counter any threat. We have the plans, we have the troops and we have the equipment if the need arises," the Minister added.