Let’s continue to support our Security Forces at this critical juncture :

Lakshman WICKRAMASINGHE

The nation owes a debt of gratitude to the Sri Lankan Security Forces for combining humanitarian element with military strategy, heroism, and patriotism from the time they accepted the gauntlet thrown by LTTE in Mavil Aru to the capture of Pooneryn, last week.

For the country and the Security Forces it has been an honourable, heroic and humanitarian journey undertaken against one of the most ruthless terrorist outfits in the world, amidst obstacles strewn in the path by some elements of the international community and tragically some sections of the local media and power-seeking political leaders.

Why write this piece at the fall of Pooneryn? The loss of Pooneryn is disastrous for LTTE for two reasons. The supply route from the North-west has been sealed, while the LTTE’s ability to harass troops in Jaffna and Palaly has also been curtailed. More importantly the fall of Kilinochchi is nigh as the garrison town is now open to military thrusts from the South, West, and the North. Thus the defeat of LTTE is now a matter of time.

The nation should be doubly grateful to our Security Forces for their humanitarian approach to the conduct of the battle. We know that the Forces are taking many precautions to protect civilians even if this means exposing themselves to the despicable ruses of LTTE.

The humanitarianism of our troops has been extended to LTTE cadres too. The story of Kugatharshini, (presented in the defence web page) the English teacher who was compelled to become a terrorist to save her younger siblings, is the most recent example of our soldiers’ humanity and magnanimity. Despite the LTTE brainwashing her to believe that surrendered women cadres would be raped and tortured by the Sinhala soldiers, she decided to surrender, as she wanted to live.

The utmost sympathy and respect shown by our soldiers to Kugatharshani and her two other colleagues symbolises the human qualities of our soldiers.

There have been many instances of such magnanimity over the last two and a half years by members of the Security Forces.

These military and humanitarian achievements have been possible due to the singular focus and political will of President Rajapaksa and the Government, the unwavering resource support and guidance extended by Gothabaya Rajapaksa, the Defense Secretary, to our Security Forces, and the highly professional and patriotic leadership of the Service Commanders.

The support of the vast majority of Sri Lankans was and is continuing to be vital to the success of the battle against terrorism. Our citizens including rank and file supporters of main opposition parties support President Rajapaksa and the Security Forces as they believe that based on LTTE’s past devious tactics, the only solution to the national problem is the military defeat of the LTTE and the offer of a reasonable political solution to the genuine grievances of the minority communities.

The reason for the success on the humanitarian front is the strict policy pursued by the present Government and the military establishment on avoiding civilian casualties and the traditional values and cultural conditioning of our troops, although many analysts and LTTE websites take pot shots at the predominantly Sinhala Buddhist background of our troops.

This is a highly critical period for the nation. It is as critical as the ‘wait’ for the opening of Mavil Aru gates. The LTTE, its lobbyists and apologists would try their utmost to constrain the march of our troops to the two terror bastions.

They may launch last-gasp military attacks or terrorist strikes against our troops as well as civilians. There may be many other indirect obstacles, political, propagandist and diplomatic. We the citizens, Tamil, Muslim and Sinhala should identify these obstacles, ‘read’ them intelligently so that the traps laid by the LTTE, and their lobbyists could be wisely avoided.

It is the duty of each and every Sri Lankan citizen irrespective of political leanings, to support the Sri Lankan Security Forces in the national battle against LTTE terror, at this most critical time in the history of three decades of terrorist oppression. Let’s support our Security Forces, despite probable last-gasp military or terrorist heroics of the LTTE, the anti-battle pronouncements of some Southern as well as North and Eastern political leaders who are still unable to learn lessons thrust on them by the LTTE, and some media analysts whose analytical tools seem to be losing academic rigour.

Let us all understand that without militarily defeating LTTE, the chances of effecting any political solution (barring the offer of Eelam) is next to zero.