Second thrust on Jaffna

Military pushes east to Kilali

THE Sri Lankan Army launched a four-pronged assault on eastern Thenmaratchy and Vadamaratchy areas in Operation Sunray II on 19 April to gain control of the entire Jaffna peninsula.

Western Valikamam and Jaffna town are under Army control following the first phase of Operation Sunray in December 1995 leading to an exodus of over 220,000 refugees. As a prelude to Operation Sunray II, the government extended Emergency to the entire island from 4 April. Curfew was imposed in Jaffna and censorship on military news re-introduced on 19 April.

The major line of advance into Thenmaratchy for 20,000 troops was from Puthur, 8 miles north-east of Jaffna town, through Mattuvil. Within two days Chavakachcheri and Kachchai had fallen. Troops accompanied by heavy artillery and air support captured the key lagoon crossing at Kilali on 26 April cutting off the Jaffna peninsula from the mainland.

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) did not offer major resistance, but say around 50 civilians including several people waiting to cross the Jaffna lagoon at Kilali were killed by helicopters. The Army says over 200 Tigers died in action. According to some reports the LTTE has moved equipment and arms to the Vanni on the mainland.

The LTTE has accused the Army of atrocities against returning civilians. The Tigers say a head teacher and a doctor were killed and a woman raped by soldiers. According to the LTTE, returning youths are being held in separate camps.

Observers believe that the attack on civilians at Kilali was aimed at preventing another exodus into the Tiger-controlled Vanni. As the military operation reached a climax Deputy Defence minister Anuruddha Ratwatte and Army spokesman Brig. Sarath Munasinghe claimed that 200,000 people were pouring into Valikamam as if they were returning voluntarily. Observers believe the government figure is inflated and refugees have been forced to move into Army-controlled areas in the west of the peninsula through a corridor at Puthur.

Dr Michael Schubert of British NGO, Medical Emergency Relief International (Merlin) confirmed after visiting Jaffna for a rapid assessment that thousands of Tamils were returning. Mr Schubert who spoke to returnees says the LTTE was not preventing people leaving but warned them not to speak to the Army. Tiger newspaper Kalathil says that a large number of people have left Vadamaratchy.

After Merlin s fact-finding mission, a number of NGOs have been asked by the government to return to Jaffna. The NGOs jointly say that a comprehensive independent assessment of the Jaffna situation is necessary before a decision.

The military offensive in the north did not deter cabinet minister and Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) leader S Thondaman from launching a weeks strike on tea and rubber plantations from 22 April. Over 600,000 workers joined the strike demanding wage increase and 300 days work in a year. Plantation minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayakes 14-point plan in mid-April to solve the outstanding problems within 12 months was rejected by the CWC.

The long-standing feud between the two ministers boiled over when Mr Thondaman initiated a no-confidence motion in Parliament against Mr Wickremanayake in late April and sought the support of the main opposition United National Party (UNP).

The UNP handed a million-signature petition to President Chandrika on 18 April, demanding more security for Colombo city. The petition followed a daring LTTE suicide attack in Colombo harbour on 12 April. Nine Sea Tigers were killed in the assault and a LTTE vessel was blown up. The government says three vessels in the harbour were slightly damaged. Tiger claims that six naval vessels were sunk were discounted by local sources.

After the oil refinery attack in November and the Tiger threat to blow up Colombo schools, Sinhala opinion in the capital is increasingly hard-line and Tamils fear a backlash. Defence minister Ratwatte says it is LTTE s major strategic objective to create new ethnic riots in Colombo like 1983 when over 3,000 Tamils were killed and 50,000 displaced.

Over 3,000 doctors in state service began a strike on 26 April after Health minister AHM Fowzie sacked 460 doctors on internship. The ministers decision followed allegations that the Health Ministry altered a merit appointment list favouring some interns.

Meanwhile President Chandrika returned with a promise of $20 million economic aid from Beijing after a three-day visit in late April. China is a major supplier of arms to Sri Lanka. On her return, five Tamil parties urged President Chandrika and the LTTE to agree a ceasefire. The Tiger London spokesman Anton Rajah called for unconditional peace negotiations mediated by a third party and appealed to international governments and international bodies to come forward to broker a peace agreement . The governments response has been predictably lukewarm. Defence Secretary Chandrananda de Silva told the BBC that a political devolution package was on the table today but that things must be clearer as to what purpose is to be served by talks.

Government forces will now push home their military advantage and LTTE is clearly preparing for long drawn-out guerrilla warfare. Control of the 220,000 displaced Jaffna civilians in the Vanni is the next prize.
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