Rifts rife in faltering LTTE bracing for more humiliation

Mystery surrounds deaths of several top cadres; Tigers mum on Soosai

INTERNAL FRICTION: The LTTE hierarchy has been totally perturbed by events that unfolded during the past few weeks. The Eastern debacle has put them in a more desperate situation.

There is a reason for them to be disturbed by the current situation especially after their humiliating defeat in the East as it was never expected by the LTTE at a time they were vigorously campaigning their cause internationally with the maximum use of their network.

The Tiger leadership is now engaged in a desperate attempt to defend their strongholds in Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu while making a desperate attempt to save the lives of nearly 200 cadres now trapped in the Peraru jungles in Trincomalee.

The threat on the LTTE is very much high as their defences are at the risk of falling to the hands of the Security Forces if they make any move to take on Security Forces in Wanni, Mannar or Weli Oya at this critical juncture.

Amidst this situation the Tiger outfit had intensified their violent campaign against the Security Forces in the Wanni as all their attempts to unleash violence against the civilians in the South went down the drain due to

 the alertness of the public, Security Forces and the Police.

They first came out with their attack on the Security Forces, a failed attempt to overrun Army detachments in Mannar and Madhu areas.

The troops engaged in search and clear operations in Madhu and West of Mannar areas facing stiff resistance from Tiger defences as they have fortified their defences in the West of Mannar in view of a pending assault by the Security Forces.

Technical sources have so far confirmed that nearly 1,000 Tiger cadres have perished in the battles fought west of Vavuniya and Madhu area during the past few months.

The Security Forces also suffered a large number of casualties during these battles with nearly 500 Security Forces personnel sustaining injuries due to Tiger mortar and artillery fire continuously directed towards the Security Forces.

It is now apparent the Tiger outfit will not hesitate to adopt most inhumane methods to defend their strongholds as they did during the Vakarai battle using the civilian population as a human shield.

Security Forces complained that LTTE had moved their artillery guns to the Madhu church area which was declared a no war zone in view of the Madhu feast that is due to be held on August 15 with the participation of thousands of Catholic devotees.

Eventually, the Tiger outfit may use the forthcoming Madhu feast to achieve their goals making use of this religious place located inside the uncleared areas as a launching pad to direct artillery and mortar fire towards Security Forces.

The claymore attack targeting a bus transporting soldiers going on leave from Mannar to Medawachchiya was a clear indication that they will resort to cowardly attacks of this nature in future too.

As of yesterday 12 soldiers were killed in the claymore attack with nine of them killed on the spot while three others succumbed to their injuries after admission to the Anuradhapura hospital.

The other major task vested upon the Tigers is to save the lives of Tiger cadres who fled the Thoppigala jungle to escape towards the Wanni via jungle patches west of Vakarai and south of Trincomalee.

Security Forces are now tracking Tiger cadres entrapped in close to Kuriyankulam in Thavulvewa at the edge of the Peraru jungle.

According to military personnel engaged in this mop up operation in the Peraru jungles there are about 100 to 200 Tiger cadres who fled from Thoppigala and the Tiger cadres who arrived from Mullaitivu now operating inside Peraru jungle.

Two soldiers attached to 3 Commando regiment who were engaged in the search operation to track these Tiger cadres were killed inside the Peraru jungle three days back, confirming the presence of Tiger cadres inside the jungle.

During this search operation troops also recovered a few locations which had been frequently used by the LTTE as transit camps on their treks to the Eastern theatre.

These transit camps were found in Kuriyankulam, Thavulavewa, Mailavewa, Peraru and Kotiyakulam in the West and North of Trincomalee.

It has also been found that nearly 60 Tiger cadres have arrived in Poduwakattu, Kallar in the North of

Trincomalee on July 8 from Mullaitivu amid Naval fire towards a flotilla of Tiger boats that arrived from Mullaitivu.

Therefore, the Security Forces now in the process of tracking them along with the Tiger cadres who fled from Thoppigala jungles towards the Peraru jungle and they expect these Tiger cadres would definitely come out of the jungle as they are now running out of food.

Under these circumstances the LTTE is now under tremendous pressure to secure their strongholds and also their leaders who have become victims of claymore attacks and various other explosions inside their own territory.

Amidst this situation, intelligence reports confirmed that sharp differences and internal conflicts have arisen as their lives are not secure even in Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu.

The speculations about the fate of the Sea Tiger leader 'Colonel' Soosai still remains a mystery as the Tiger leadership has not made any clarification about the rumours on Soosai, the second most senior leader in the Tiger outfit in parallel with Intelligence leader Pottu Amman.

Even people living in Kilinochchi say something serious has happened to Soosai on the eve of July 18 as he was inspecting an exercise by the Sea Tiger cadres in the Nanthikadal lagoon.

Nanthikadal lagoon in the North of Mullaitivu has been declared by the LTTE as a 'High Security Zone', and has been frequently used by the Sea Tigers for their naval exercises.

According to reports the Sea Tiger leader was watching a naval exercise in which they were testing an explosives-laden boat and one boat had exploded close to the location in which the Sea Tiger leader Soosai and his son were watching the Naval exercise.

Intelligence reports confirm that the five-year-old son of 'Colonel' Soosai was killed in a sudden explosion of boats close to the boat in which the Sea Tiger leader was observing the naval exercise.

Intelligence reports also confirmed that the funeral of Soosai's son was held on July 21 in Puthukuduiruppu, Mullaitivu.

However, the LTTE so far has not admitted the death of Soosai's son and the injury caused to Soosai during this explosion. However, intelligence reports confirmed that Soosai is undergoing treatment at a hospital in Puthukuduiruppu in Mullaitivu.

Mixed reports are reaching about the seriousness of the Soosai's injury, as some intelligence reports indicate he had lost one arm while other reports indicate he is undergoing treatment for a spinal injury.

However, what has transpired on that day still remains a mystery as it was most unlikely that the Sea Tiger leader has become a victim of an accidental explosion specially in Mullaitivu.

According to reports from Kilinochchi none of the Tamil papers in uncleared areas had carried stories about this incident though they too have serious doubts about the destiny of the Sea Tiger leader and son Shankar. The fact is that the LTTE has never declared when their senior leaders got injured. They never admitted that Swarnam and Bhanu were injured in separate incidents in Vakarai battles early this year.

They only declare the deaths of their senior LTTE leaders as it is compulsory for them to pay last respects to these slain leaders. Otherwise, they never declare their casualties specially leaders.

The other factor is that when rumours are rife about the fate of their leaders, they used to make public

 appearances to show they are alive.

But, the history of the Tiger outfit clearly proves the fact that the Tiger leaders are facing unexpected situations due to internal conflicts.

There had been many conflicts within the organisation on various issues. With the split of Karuna, the most trusted man of Prabhakaran, a silent struggle had emerged between Intelligence Wing leader Pottu Amman and Sea Tiger leader Soosai as they are equal in terms of seniority.

There had been many attempts by Intelligence Wing leader Pottu Amman to sideline Soosai. Their relationship saw a stormy period during the split of Karuna.

Attempts were made by Pottu Amman to assassinate Ramesh who supported Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan alias Karuna Amman to escape from Batticaloa by using the vehicle of former UNP MP Ali Zahir Moulana.

Soosai strongly defended Ramesh when the Tiger leadership decided to imprison and kill Ramesh after summoning him to Kilinochchi from Batticaloa. Soosai's close relationship with Ramesh (brothers-in-law) was the main factor for Soosai to defend Ramesh. As Prabhakaran ordered the assassination of Ramesh, Soosai strongly protested the decision and was able to keep Ramesh under house arrest and later save his brother-in-law's life.

Later on, Soosai had a key role to play in Wanni and Kilinochchi once the country was hit by the tsunami on December 26, 2004. Prabhakaran had to hide as people were strongly opposing his leadership as they believed that they became victims of the tsunami due to the number of sins committed by him.

To escape the wrath of the public, the Tiger leader let Soosai handle the situation as he was the most suitable man due to his knowledge of the sea.

Soosai handled this situation very efficiently and was able to obtain international assistance for civilians living in Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu by talking to the international media.

Prabhakaran stopped him from appearing before the media as he suspected Soosai of taking undue advantage out of the opportunity offered to him.

After this the Sea Tiger leader had a low profile inside the organisation but his brother-in-law was sent to Thoppigala by the Tiger leadership as they saw no progress in the Eastern battle under the leadership of Jeyam, a man from Wanni.

Ramesh too could not show any progress and had to return empty handed prior to the fall of Thoppigala.

According to this background, many differences have arisen within the Tiger organisation leading to conflicts among leaders.

Therefore, there are fair reasons to suspect whether the Sea Tiger leader too has become a victim of such an internal power struggle at a time it is facing severe defeats at the hands of the Security Forces.

But the LTTE or the Sea Tiger leader Soosai himself should clear the doubts in the minds of the people specially the Tamil community living in Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu as they have all the right to know what took place at Nanthikada lagoon.

Soosai is not the only leader who has been facing death threats inside their territory. Weli Oya LTTE leader Kumaran also became a victim of an explosion a few days back and admitted to hospital in Kilinochchi.

Apart from this a senior member of the Charles Anthony Brigade was also killed in an explosion and the LTTE promoted him to the rank of 'Lieutenant Colonel', posthumously.

The Tigers, in total disarray in Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu, are struggling to bolster their defences in Mannar, Vavuniya and Weli Oya to face any impending threat.