The Ceylon News

President Rajapakse says his government will rescue Tamil civilians trapped in the conflict zone [AFP] Tamil Tiger rebels have killed hundreds of civilians trying to flee the northeastern war zone, a defector from the rebel ranks has told the Sri Lankan state television. In a video interview released on the Sri Lankan defence ministry website, Daya Master also alleged that children as young as 13 have been conscripted by the rebels even if they were ill, Al Jazeera's David Chater reported. Master said 200 civilians were shot by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in a village inside the conflict zone in January. "They attack Tamil civilians trying to get away. People were shot and many died. Nearly 200 civilians died due to LTTE fire," he said. Master, a former spokesman of the LTTE, has been under interrogation in Colombo, the capital, since crossing the government line from the combat zone 10 days ago. In video LTTE defector accuses group of civilian murder He said: "The propaganda by the LTTE was that these people died because of military shelling by government forces. "They forcibly recruit children even if it is just one child in a family ... When the children were taken the parents attacked the recruiters and they [rebels] retaliated by beating the parents." 'Children forcibly recruited' Chater said it was impossible to verify whether the interview was conducted under duress or to challenge Master's claims. The UN has accused the LTTE of conscripting child soldiers, including the 16-year-old daughter of one of its own staff. Chater said that in footage released from pro-rebel Tamil websites and TV stations, heavy shelling inside the conflict zone is shown. He said it was impossible to verify when the pictures were taken. The Sri Lankan army insists its forces only use small arms fire in what they still describe as a "hostage rescue mission". In depth Interview: 'Colonel Karuna' In an interview conducted by the Associated Press news agency by email, a Tamil Tiger political chief denied holding Tamil civilians as human shields and said the rebels would not surrender. The rebel chief said the fight for a separate Tamil state would continue regardless of what happens on the battle field. Fighting between the rebels, who are seeking a separate state, and the Sri Lankan government has been raging for months. 'No ceasefire' Mahinda Rajapakse, the Sri Lankan president, has said the government will not halt its offensive against the rebels, despite calls from the EU and aid organisations to do so. He said on Thursday: "We have no plans to go for a ceasefire with the Tigers [and] they have a little time left to drop their weapons and surrender." His comments came a day after the foreign ministers of Britain and France, David Miliband and Bernard Kouchner, visited the island to push for a truce and aid agency access to civilains trapped in the conflict zone. The president said he would not bow to international pressure for a ceasefire, and promised he would work to "rescue" Tamil civilians. Focus: Sri Lanka Q&A: Sri Lanka's civil war The history of the Tamil Tigers Timeline: Conflict in Sri Lanka 'High cost' of victory over Tigers Caught in the middle The UN estimates that up to 50,000 civilians are trapped in the fighting along the island's northeast coast. According to the UN as many as 6,500 civilians may have been killed and another 14,000 wounded in the government's offensive against the LTTE so far this year. The government has blocked most aid agencies from working in the north, and has put civilians who are escaping the fighting into camps guarded by the military. Aid workers who have visited the camps have testified to food shortages, lack of sanitation, a desperate medical situation and chronic overcrowding. Although the LTTE has been condemned for using civilians as human shields, the UN says both sides in the conflict may be guilty of war crimes.

Neither the United Nations nor European foreign ministers have convinced the Sri Lankan government to stop what they say is their final push to end the 25-year civil war.

British and French foreign ministers on Wednesday urged the government to implement a humanitarian ceasefire in the battle. Earlier this week U.N. Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes called for both sides to stop fighting while on his three-day mission to the tiny island nation.

"Protection of civilians is absolutely paramount at this moment. The LTTE [Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam] must end preventing civilians leaving the conflict zone and the fighting must stop," British Foreign Secretary David Miliband told reporters, according to Reuters.

Miliband and French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner are calling for the government to allow the U.N. and aid workers access to the war zone. The Sri Lankan government has also denied independent press access to the conflict areas.

The United Nations estimates that about 50,000 civilians are still trapped in a 4-square-mile stretch of land in rebel-held territory on the country's northeast coast.

The civil war began nearly three decades ago with the LTTE's desire for a separate homeland for Sri Lanka's ethnic minority Hindu Tamils who they believe are treated like second-class citizens. The Buddhist Sinhalese government strongly denies this claim.

On Monday, the Sri Lankan military ended the use of heavy weapons and combat aircraft in what it says is an effort to protect the tens of thousands of civilians caught between warring sides. Although shortly after the announcement, the rebels claimed the government had not kept its word, according to TamilNet, a Web site created for the ethnic minority Tamils.

The Media War: State TV Broadcasts LTTE 'Confession'

Earlier today, two top former LTTE rebels confessed on Sri Lankan state-run television that the Tamil Tiger rebels had killed fleeing civilians.

"LTTE stopped people from leaving, but the strong managed to escape. The LTTE killed many fleeing civilians," said George Master, a translator for an LTTE strategist.

British Foreign Secretary David Miliband has met with Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama and urged him and the Sri Lankan Government to put a cease-fire in place.

Bogollagama is reported to have told Miliband and French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner that Colombo is doing everything possible to save innocent Tamil civilians trapped in a six kilometre area along with the rebel LTTE in the northern part of the country.

He also rejected suggestions that LTTE chief Vellupillai Prabhakaran has escaped from the country, and added that his concern was for the civilian population and not for Prabhakaran.

The British and French foreign ministers are on a one-day trip to Sri Lanka amid efforts to secure a truce between the army and rebels.Miliband and Kouchner will meet top officials and visit an area where displaced people are living in camps.

The Ministers are to visit Vavuniya, where many of the displaced people are living

Earlier, the Sri Lankan Government barred the entry of Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt, prompting the Scandanevian nation to recall its envoy for consultations.

The Czech presidency of the EU called the decision a "grave mistake".

Sri Lanka has had tense relations with the Scandinavian former monitors of its peace process, though its main problems have been with the former principal mediator, Norway.

Sri Lanka said it was taken by surprise by the EU''s strong reaction over Bildt, who it said would be welcome to visit next month.

The British and French ministers were visiting at the foreign ministry''s invitation, while very little notice of Bildt''s plans had been given, a Sri Lankan official said.

The Sri Lankan military has restricted Tamil Tiger rebels to a six sq km (5 sq miles) area of land in the north of the islands and believes it is close to defeating them.

Tens of thousands of civilians have been trapped in the area, and the EU and the UN have urged Sri Lanka to observe a pause in its campaign to let them out.

Sri Lankan Navy Wednesday thwarted a Sea Tiger attack by destroying six LTTE vessels which approached the coastal area of the no-fire zone off Mullaittivu coast and killed 25 rebels.

The Sri Lanka Navy thwarted an LTTE attack on ground troops in the seas off Mullaittivu early this morning," the Naval officials said.

A flotilla of six small vessels, including four suicide boats, attacked the troops in Vallaimullivaikal area in the no-fire zone, officials said.

The naval troops retaliated and destroyed all the six boats, they said, adding at least 25 Sea Tigers were killed in the operation.

On Monday, Sri Lankan Navy had destroyed a LTTE boat and killed four rebels in the same region.

Sri Lankan army yesterday breached two Tigers defensive fortifications in the no-fire zone and killed nine rebels.

The 58th division of the Sri Lankan Army has reportedly captured another LTTE post in Rettavaikkal.

Army officials said that the Rettavaikkal is a tactically important location considering the LTTE''s hold has been reduced to less than six square kilometers of territory.

The Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry has denied claims that LTTE chief V Prabhakaran has escaped via sea routes. It said that the LTTE chief has been restricted to a small 6km long strip being held by the Tamil Tigers.

According to reports, the army continues to mount pressure on the Tamil Tigers breaking through their two defensive fortifications in the no-fire zone on Tuesday.

Army sources said that they are yet to capture LTTE supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran.

The Sri Lankan Government has clarified that there is no ceasefire, though heavy combat operations have ended.

In India, the Vice Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Noble Thamburaj and the Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Sureesh Mehta, have said that a watch is being kept on the southern and eastern coasts to prevent the entry of escaping LTTE rebels. The Southern Naval Command and the Coast Guard have been placed on alert to counter the LTTE threat, said Lt. General Thamburaj.

In another development British Foreign Secretary David Mikliband has met his Sri Lankan counterpart and pressed for a safer evacuation of innocent Tamil civilians.

Mr Bildt said he had been given no explanation

Sri Lanka has refused entry to Sweden's Foreign Minister Carl Bildt, who was to have joined a European diplomatic mission, Mr Bildt has said.

Mr Bildt was to have arrived on Wednesday with David Miliband from the UK and France's Bernard Kouchner.

Sweden is to recall its top diplomat for consultation, Mr Bildt said.

A Sri Lankan foreign ministry official told the BBC this was not a snub but it could not cope with so many high-level delegations at one time.

Sri Lanka has had tense relations with the Scandinavian former monitors of its peace process but its main problems have been with the major ex-mediator, Norway.

Mr Miliband and Mr Kouchner have not been excluded from the visit. Mr Bildt said they would continue as planned.

Ceasefire pressure

Mr Bildt told Agence France-Presse news agency: "The Sri Lankan authorities have said that they don't accept me.

"I am not persona non grata because they say I am welcome at another time, but I am not intending to take up that invitation," he said.

Mr Bildt said the Sri Lankan action was "exceedingly strange behaviour" and that he was recalling the top Swedish diplomat in Sri Lanka, charge d'affaires Borje Mattsson, for consultation.

The senior Sri Lankan foreign ministry official told the BBC the country could not cope with all the delegations when facing the challenge of taking care of tens of thousands of civilians displaced by the war with the Tamil Tiger rebels.

The official said there had been an invitation to Mr Bildt for next month.

Wednesday's diplomatic mission is part of international efforts to put pressure on Sri Lanka to call a ceasefire in the north-east, where the army is battling the rebels.

European Union foreign ministers on Monday joined the UN in the call for the truce.

The Sri Lankan military has restricted the rebels to a small stretch of land and believes final victory is near.

With the humanitarian situation worsening in Sri Lanka's northern war zone, the Obama Administration recently held an interagency meeting to review the situation in the island nation where the military offensive against the LTTE is coming to an end.

The interagency meeting - the first if its kind for Sri Lanka - is believed to have taken place later last week, which was attended by senior officials from the State Department, Pentagon, National Security Council, USAID, and several other agencies, a senior White House official told.

Officials familiar with the meeting said this indicates that the US is taking the current situation in Sri Lanka very seriously, wherein both the Sri Lankan Government and the LTTE had repeatedly refrained from heeding to its call of protecting the civilians trapped in the armed conflict.

While US President Barack Obama has been receiving latest update on the situation in Sri Lanka as part of his daily presidential briefing, it is unlikely that he had any special briefing on the island nation. However, officials said the White House is closely monitoring the situation in Sri Lanka.

Meanwhile, the State Department said it was "very encouraged" by the Sri Lankan Government's statement that it's ending combat operations and use of heavy weaponry.

Thousands of civilians are trapped inside a strip of land held by Tamil Tiger fighters [AFP] The United Nations' humanitarian affairs chief has failed in his attempt to bring a halt to fighting between government forces and Tamil Tiger separatists in Sri Lanka. John Holmes was unable to get permission from Mahinda Rajapkase, the Sri Lankan president, to allow a UN aid mission into a pocket of rebel-held land that is surrounded by the Sri Lankan military. "We don't have agreement on this [failure to get a UN team into the conflict zone] ... I am disappointed about this," Holmes said during his visit to the country on Monday. The United Nations estimates that up to 50,000 non-combatants are still in the conflict zone, although the government maintains that the number is less than 20,000. 'No change' Holmes met Rohitha Bogollagama, Sri Lanka's foreign minister, before visiting camps in northern Vavuniya where more than 113,000 civilians have sought refuge in camps that are overcrowded and still without enough supplies. Focus: Sri Lanka Q&A: Sri Lanka's civil war The history of the Tamil Tigers Timeline: Conflict in Sri Lanka 'High cost' of victory over Tigers Caught in the middle But David Chater, Al Jazeera's correspondent in Colombo, the Sri Lankan capital, said that the UN official had not managed to secure access to the combat zone for a small team from the world body. "Absolutely nothing has changed as a result of John Holmes' visit, apart from another ten million dollars in humanitarian aid being pledged," Chater reported. "[That money could provide] at least a bit of relief for those who got out of the combat zone, but no relief for those still inside." Aid organisations, journalists and other independent observers are banned from entering the conflict zone, making independent assessment of the continuing fighting impossible. 'Army halted' The Sri Lankan military on Monday ordered its troops to end the use of heavy weaponry and aerial bombardment in their fight against the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), commonly known as the Tamil Tigers. The government said it would stop the intensive fighting in an effort to ease the suffering of civilians, although the statement contradicted earlier assertions that it would continue its fight against the Tigers who had offered a ceasefire on Sunday. A statement from the president's office said on Monday: "Combat operations have reached their conclusion." Soldiers will "confine their attempts to rescue civilians who are held hostage and give foremost priority to saving civilians". The military has also ordered troops not to use "heavy-calibre guns, combat aircraft or aerial weapons, which could cause civilian casualties", the statement said. The Sri Lankan government had previously said that no heavy weapons were being used in populated areas and that the operation was merely a "rescue" exercise. But Chater said that hostilities have not necessarily ended. "The government is determined there should be no pause in the fighting ... [The government] says it knows how ruthless [the Tamil Tigers] are and have no intention of negotiating with them unless they lay down their arms and surrender." LTTE accusation A pro-Tamil Tiger website on Tuesday accused the military of continuing to pound civilians. A day earlier, the website quoted S Puleedevan, an LTTE spokesman, as saying the government's announcement on non-use of heavy weapons was an attempt "to deceive the international community, including the people of Tamil Nadu [a Tamil-majority Indian province]". The Sri Lankan military has denied the LTTE claim, but says it does aim to capture more territory and that its aim is to wipe out the Tamil Tigers. Holmes' attempt to get access to the conflict zone was rbuffed by Colombo [AFP] Tamils in India have been pressuring the Indian government to intervene to bring about a ceasefire in Sri Lanka. Meanwhile, Sri Lankan forces are continuing with "humanitarian operations aimed at rescuing" the remaining civilians trapped in the island's northeast, where the LTTE is defending a narrow strip of jungle, the military said on Monday. "We reduced the coastline they have to 6km from 8km last week," Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara, a military spokesman, said. "Our operations are continuing, and yesterday we managed to rescue another 3,200 civilians," he said. About 110,000 civilians escaped from the LTTE-held combat zone last week after an ultimatum by the government for the Tamil Tigers to surrender. Sri Lanka's government has said it is on the verge of defeating the LTTE after 37 years of conflict, and has consistently brushed off international calls for a truce. On Sunday, the government also rejected an LTTE call for a unilateral ceasefire.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi ended Monday a hunger strike in support of a ceasefire in Sri Lanka after Colombo said it was ending "combat operations" against the Tamil Tigers.

The 85-year-old DMK patriarch accepted a soft drink from his wife to signify the end of his protest, hours after he dramatically went on a fast at the memorial of party founder C.N. Annadurai at Chennai's Marina beach.

One of India's most experienced politicians, Karunanidhi told reporters in the morning that Sri Lanka was indulging in "cruel acts" against the Tamils and sought an end to the military offensive against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

"I have decided to add my life to the increasing numbers of lives lost due to the Sinhalese regime's continuing cruel acts against the Tamil minority in Sri Lanka," Karunanidhi said.

Karunanidhi was joined in the protest by his wives Dayalu and Rajathi Ammal, son and Local Administration Minister M.K. Stalin, daughter and Rajya Sabha MP Kanimozhi, grand nephew Dayanidhi Maran and Electricity Minister Arcot N. Veerasamy.

As thousands gathered in support and sporadic violence erupted in parts of Tamil Nadu, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi frantically telephoned the DMK chief and assued him that New Delhi was doing its best to persuade Colombo to halt its military offensive that has claimed the lives of hundreds of civilians besides combatants.

Soon after, Sri Lanka's National Security Council met in Colombo and announced it was ending all "combat operations" and that soldiers would in future only be engaged in rescuing civilians trapped in the small area still with the LTTE in the coastal belt of Mullaitivu district.

Karunanidhi broke his fast after Home Minister P. Chidambaram telephoned him to convey the Sri Lankan decision.

"Sri Lanka has ordered a ceasefire. So I am breaking my fast," the chief minister told reporters from a bed that had been placed for him at the protest site where doctors kept a close watch on his health.

In Colombo, the government said that its combat operations against the LTTE had reached their conclusion and security forces would end the use of high calibre guns, combat aircraft and aerial weapons "which could cause civilian casualties".

In its official statement, the Sri Lankan Governemnt said, "The Government of Sri Lanka has decided that combat operations have reached their conclusion. Our security forces have been instructed to end the use of heavy caliber guns, combat aircraft and aerial weapons which could cause civilian causalities."

"...Our security forces will confine their attempts to rescuing civilians who are held hostage and give foremost priority to saving civilians. An official statement said the security forces would end the use of heavy calibre guns, combat aircraft and aerial weapons that could cause civilian casualties."

Chidamabaram said later that Indian leaders had been in touch with Sri Lankan authorities "very closely over the last 72 hours".

He said Colombo had decided that their combat operations had reached their conclusion, that security forces had been instructed to stop using high calibre weapons and that the military "will confine itself now to rescuing civilians who are held in hostage" by the LTTE.

"It is our understanding that this amounts to a cessation of hostlities. We have been demanding a cessation of hostilities. We should all be relieved that hostilities have come to an end.

"For the present, the whole country must feel relieved that hositilites have come to an end."

Congress general secretary M. Veerappa Moily said in New Delhi earlier that the prime minister was concerned about Karunanidhi's health.

An emotive issue in Tamil Nadu, the Sri Lankan issue took a political turn after AIADMK general secretary J. Jayalalitha said Saturday that the establishment of a separate Tamil state was the only way to end the Sri Lankan crisis.

The ferment in Tamil Nadu comes amid Colombo's determination to crush the LTTE, now confined to less than 10 sq km land area.

The widespread civilian suffering caused by the war has raised international concern. On Sunday, Colombo rejected the LTTE'S ceasefire offer, calling it a "joke".

A buoyant Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Monday hailed the victory of his coalition in the Western Provincial elections as a message to the international community that people are against "brutal terrorism".

"This Western Province mandate has sent a decisive message to the international community," Rajapaksa said after the victory in which his United People Freedom Alliance (UPFA) secured almost a two-third majority.

"It (electorate) has categorically declared that no power has any right or moral justification to bail out brutal terrorism at a time when the last lines in the final chapter are being written," Rajapaksa said in a statement.

The ruling United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) led by Rajapaksa gained over one million votes and 64.73 percent of the votes polled in the elections held yesterday. It got 68 seats out of the 104 as against 59 seats in the previous Western Provincial Council elections held five years ago.

The main Opposition United National Party led by former Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe won only 30 seats in the elections while obtaining only 29.5 percent and getting 6.89 lakh votes.

The splintered Marxist People's Liberation Front (JVP), which fought the election alone managed to garner 3 seats, whereas Sri Lanka Muslim Congress won 2 and Democratic Unity Alliance obtained 1 seat.

"This overwhelming majority of the UPFA in the Western Provincial Council coincides with the end of terrorism which plagued the country for three decades, rekindles new aspirations that augur well for the Motherland," Rajapaksa said.

"I would like to mention here that the priority of the newly elected Western Provincial Councillors should be to be in the forefront of the efforts to create a united Sri Lankan nation. I appeal to all, including those in the Opposition to join me fraternally for the same," he said.

The Minister of Mass Media and Information Anura Priyadharashan Yapa said the voters were "highly inspired and clearly responded to the call of the President for a united Sri Lanka.

"The President believed in himself in wiping out terrorism, and the people also believed in him," the minister said.

Reflecting mounting global concern over the humanitarian catastrophe in Sri Lanka's northern war zone, foreign ministers of Britain, France and Sweden on Sunday decided to visit the Island nation on Wednesday to take stock of the situation.

Britain's Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has been closely monitoring the developing situation in Sri Lanka, where thousands of Tamil civilians are trapped in the war between army and the beleaguered LTTE, which announced unilateral ceasefire on Sunday.

British Foreign Secretary David Miliband, last week discussed the situation with External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, among other world leaders.

"Foreign Secretary David Miliband, together with his French counterpart Bernard Kouchner and Swedish counterpart Carl Bildt, will visit (Sri Lanka) on Wednesday," a statement from the Prime Minister's Office said.

Miliband has reiterated Britain's call for a ceasefire, and said that lasting peace could come about in the island nation only through a "fully inclusive political process".

"We have always been very clear that there can be no military solution. Lasting peace in Sri Lanka can only come about through a fully inclusive political process that takes into account the legitimate aspirations of all the Sri Lanka's communities - Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims.

Thousands of civilians have been caught up in fighting between the Sri Lankan army and the LTTE [AFP] The Sri Lankan government has rejected a unilateral ceasefire declaration by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), saying the announcement as "a joke". The LTTE declared the truce earlier on Sunday, after suffering devastating military losses in their secessionist war with the government. "In the face of an unprecedented humanitarian crisis and in response to the calls made by the UN, EU, the governments of India and others, the [LTTE] has announced a unilateral ceasefire," a statement on the group's website said on Sunday. But Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the Sri Lanka defence secretary, said: "That is a joke. "They were not fighting with us, they were running from us. There is no need of a ceasefire. They must surrender. That is it." 'Propaganda war' Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara, the Sri Lankan military spokesman, told Al Jazeera: “We have very clearly indicated to them from the beginning that they have to lay down their arms and come and surrender. "We expect all the LTTE cadres to come and surrender. It will automatically become a ceasefire if they lay down arms and surrender.” David Chater, Al Jazeera's correspondent in Colombo, said: "The [LTTE] announcement was just another weapon in a propaganda war. "The government has said all along there would not be a pause in the fighting ... as the Tamil Tigers have previously used it to strengthen their positions and take child soldiers into their ranks. "By declaring a unilateral ceasefire, it put pressure on the Sri Lanka government as it means ... any pause would allow John Holmes [the United Nations' humanitarian chief] to go in and assess the situation." 'Military bombings' Earlier, Sri Lanka's air force denied claims that it has dropped bombs close to civilians trapped in a conflict zone held by Tamil Tiger rebels. The denial came after a Tamil television channel in Canada released a video appearing to show a Sri Lankan warplane shelling areas as civilians sheltered in trenches, saying the raids had been carried out over the past two days. Janka Nayakkara, Sri Lankan air force spokesman, told Al Jazeera: "These are just baseless allegations. "I don't see how anybody can identify that these bombs have been dropped on Sri Lankan soil or whether the aircraft has markings of the Sri Lankan air force." He said the air force had not carried out any "offensive operations". It is impossible to independently verify the veracity of the video footage as journalists and aid agencies are banned from entering the country's conflict zone. 'Civilians trapped' The claims came as Holmes arrived in Sri Lanka for talks with the government on getting aid to people trapped in the conflict. Civilians remaining in the conflict zone are believed to be without sufficient food [AFP] "The top priority remains the preservation of the lives of the tens of thousands of civilians still trapped inside the combat zone," Holmes said. Gordon Weiss, the UN spokesman in Sri Lanka, told Al Jazeera that Holmes would press "top government officials" to allow UN teams and aid to reach trapped civilians. "He will be taking to them the very clear message that has been repeated many times ... that civilians must not be made to suffer in the course of this conflict to the extent that they obviously are," he said. The civilians' situation has deteriorated in recent days with the Sri Lankan military pressing ahead with its offensive to destroy the LTTE in a war that has been raging for a quarter of a century. Aid workers say more than 100,000 civilians have packed into government-run camps for the displaced after managing to flee the conflict zone. The Tigers, listed as a "terror group" by many Western nations, have been fighting since 1983 for an ethnic Tamil state in the north and east after decades of what they call marginalisation by governments dominated by the Sinhalese majority.

A top U.N. official pressed Sri Lankan leaders Sunday to let aid into the northeastern war zone, as the ruling party won a sweeping victory in an election seen as a referendum on its fight against ethnic Tamil rebels.

The government has pushed deep into the Tamil Tigers' strongholds in the north in recent months, surrounding the beleaguered rebels and vowing to end the quarter-century war. But reports have grown of starvation and casualties among the tens of thousands of civilians trapped by the fighting.

U.N. Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes held meetings Sunday with senior officials in Colombo and was "underscoring the urgent need for humanitarian access by the U.N. to the combat zone," U.N. spokesman Gordon Weiss said.

Aid workers have been barred from the region since fighting escalated in September.

Holmes, who arrived late Saturday, had previously called on the government to suspend its offensive to allow the estimated 50,000 trapped civilians to escape.

The government has brushed off calls for a cease-fire, saying the rebels will use a pause to regroup. Meanwhile, the fighting continued, with the military reporting a string of battles and sniper attacks in the war zone Saturday.

Holmes was to head Monday to the northern region of Vavuniya to inspect displacement camps and hospitals that have been overwhelmed by the more than 100,000 civilians who fled the war zone over the past week.

Despite growing international criticism of the offensive against the Tamil rebels, it is wildly popular with many in the Sinhalese majority, and the ruling party has used it to cement its power in a succession of provincial elections.

On Sunday, President Mahinda Rajapaksa's coalition was declared the overwhelming winner in the latest poll, sweeping nearly two-thirds of the vote in the Western Province. The coalition even won in the capital, Colombo, long a stronghold of the opposition United National Party, which advocated talks with the rebels.

The governing coalition now controls all eight of the country's provincial councils.

"The electorate ... clearly responded to the call of the president for a united Sri Lanka," Media Minister Anura Yapa said. "The president believed in himself in wiping out terrorism, and the people also believed in him."

The rebels, listed as a terrorist group by many Western nations, have been fighting since 1983 for an ethnic Tamil state in the north and east after decades of marginalization by governments dominated by the Sinhalese majority.

The U.N. says nearly 6,500 civilians have been killed in the fighting over the past three months. Holmes said Saturday that the trapped civilians were suffering a "very high" casualty rate, and from lack of food, clean water and medical supplies.

"The situation of those people is very dire and that's why we need to find a way to stop the fighting and get them out of there so we can look after them properly," he told AP Television News in Thailand en route to Sri Lanka.

The government insists it has sent food and medicines and accuses the rebels of holding the civilians as human shields. It is not possible to verify the claims because the government has barred independent journalists from the war zone, arguing that it is too dangerous for them to work.

Sri Lanka has become a living laboratory on how to and how not to fight terrorism. Governments from around the world have started to study the Sri Lankan case. Western and other military, law enforcement security and intelligence services are today consulting the Sri Lankan government on how they reduced the LTTE power from a formidable to a mediocre organization. Sri Lanka provides the best case study of how to dismantle a terrorist group militarily. Sri Lanka still needs to develop its core competencies to fight LTTE's domestic and foreign support base politically, economically and diplomatically. Until then the conflict will subsist and may even revive, said Prof: Rohan Gunaratna

In an interview with Asian Tribune Prof: Rohan Gunaratna added unfortunately, both Sri Lankans and foreigners lacked an understanding of the LTTE, especially of Prabhakaran - Asia's master of terror. To educate our friends in the West, Sri Lanka needs to train its diplomats and others concerned on how the LTTE operates in the West. Otherwise, LTTE will hoodwink the international community, the press and others making them behave like LTTE's agents of influence.

Sri Lankan born Prof. Rohan Gunaratna is the Head of the International Center for Political Violence and Terrorism Research and Professor of Security Studies at the Nanyang Technology University in Singapore. A world authority on Al Qaeda, Professor Gunaratna was a former Senior Fellow at the Combating Terrorism Centre at the United States Military Academy at West Point. Today, he holds several honorary appointments including as Honorary Fellow and Member of the Advisory Council, International Policy Institute for Counter Terrorism, Israel. He holds a masters degree in international peace studies from Notre Dame, US, where he was Hesburgh Scholar and a doctorate in international relations from St Andrews, where he was British Chevening Scholar.

Leel Pathirana interviews Prof. Rohan Gunaratna exclusively for Asian Tribune:

Asian Tribune: Welcome to Asian Tribune Professor Gunaratna. You have been a keen watcher and an analyst of the LTTE, its methods of warfare and its organizational structure. You have stated in previous occasions that LTTE is a resilient group and is difficult to defeat militarily. How was it now possible for Sri Lankan Forces could wipe out LTTE, within three years?

Prof. Rohan Gunaratna: The LTTE belongs to the most ruthless and cruel class of terrorist groups that engaged in mass fatality and mass casualty attacks. If the LTTE had access to a nuclear, chemical, biological, or radiological weapon, it would use it. Together with Al Qaeda, the Pakistani Taliban, the Lebanese Hezbollah, the LTTE belongs to the “A” team of terrorists.

Nonetheless, the Sri Lankan case study has demonstrated that even a threat group like the LTTE can be militarily defeated. There is no terrorist group in the world like the LTTE that has targeted and killed so many quality leaders. Sri Lanka is the first country in the world to defeat a terrorist group that employed suicide attacks to such an extent. The reason why the Rajapaksa government succeeded and others failed is clear. None of the previous governments had the political will and the military skill to defeat the LTTE. Furthermore, the previous governments had no national plan and a well coordinated strategy to defeat the LTTE.

Asian Tribune: After 27 years of fighting with the LTTE, the major factor is the overwhelming public support for the armed forces and the Police, how do you see these changes?

Prof. Rohan Gunaratna: Public support is crucial in the fight against terrorism and insurgency. The Sri Lankan government understood the vital importance of public support for recruitment to the armed forces and the police. Unlike previous governments that had a dual policy of war and peace, the Rajapaksa government generated public support by explaining its position: that is, the government will fight to the end. Government also highlighted its victories. Success generates success. People want to join the winning side. Government also respected those killed, maimed and injured in battle as war heroes. Government also took the right step to work together with Tamils leaders and masses. By building bridges to the Tamils, government criminalized the LTTE by highlighting its atrocities, extortion, and more recently the mass hostage taking orchestrated by Prabhakaran.

Asian Tribune: Ongoing war is fought on multiple fronts. Ground, sea and air followed by intelligence and the Police support. In which perspective do you see this strategy?

Prof. Rohan Gunaratna: The government understood the importance of fighting the LTTE on all its fronts. Towards this, government engaged and locked the LTTE on all its fronts, except the international front that needs to improve. Unlike previous governments, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, the Secretary of Defence coordinated the armed forces, the police, the intelligence service and other kinetic capabilities. He was ably assisted by the army chief Lt. General Sarath Fonseka, Navy Chief Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda, and the Air Chief Air Marshall Roshan Gunatillake.

They had all suffered from the LTTE: their friends, colleagues and family members were killed. They were highly motivated, dedicated and competent commanders. They had all experienced battle and knew what exactly the ground commanders and troops needed to win. They worked hard, day and night, and every day, supporting the frontline warrior to fight to the end.

Asian Tribune: For a longtime, the LTTE was a dangerous and ruthless terrorist outfit. But they suddenly collapsed within 3 years. How can these lessons be applied to other terrorist outfits in the world? And will this be a symbolic event for the rest of the world in terms of fighting against terrorism?

Prof. Rohan Gunaratna: Sri Lanka has become a living laboratory on how to and how not to fight terrorism. Governments from around the world have started to study the Sri Lankan case. Western and other military, law enforcement security and intelligence services are today consulting the Sri Lankan government on how they reduced the LTTE power from a formidable to a mediocre organization. Sri Lanka provides the best case study of how to dismantle a terrorist group militarily. Sri Lanka still needs to develop its core competencies to fight LTTE's domestic and foreign support base politically, economically and diplomatically. Until then the conflict will subsist and may even revive.

Asian Tribune: I remember according to the most of the defense and military analysts, commanders of all three forces emphasizes, that operations for countering LTTE activities should be first started from the North-East, and to be liberated. Subsequently they adopt that strategy and the "Mavil Aru" issue also came at the same time. Thus, the entire North East could be liberated and the civilian's could be re-settled. Do you think this was a good start?

Prof. Rohan Gunaratna:As Sri Lanka is one of the smallest countries in the world, any citizen should be permitted to live anywhere in the country. For fear of the LTTE, over a million Tamils and Muslims live in the south. Similarly, Sinhalese should be permitted to live anywhere in the country. There should be no organized settlement anywhere in the country.

Our aim should be to create a united Sri Lanka and reinforce a Sri Lankan identity. This cannot be done in one generation and through forced settlement. However, if we encourage Tamils, Muslims and Sinhalese to live together in harmony in this generation we will have a Sri Lankan identity in the next generation. To do this we need time to heal, programs to reconcile and visionaries to build bridges between communities and faiths.

Asian Tribune: After CFA (Cease Fire Agreement) signed on 2002 between the LTTE and the United Front Government led by Mr. Ranil Wickramasinghe, they managed to smuggle large numbers of military hardware. Did they hoodwink the then government or were they aware about the LTTE acquiring the military hardware? Can you elaborate how they strengthened and develop militarily during that interim period?

Prof. Rohan Gunaratna:Prabhakaran once told a group of Black Tigers that wanted to recommence operations to be patient. Prabhakaran said that achieving Tamil Eelam was like a journey from Jaffna to Kathiragama. As the journey could not be made without resting in Vavuniya, Anuradhapura, Colombo, and Galle, Prabhakaran equaled these resting places to peace talks. Prabhakaran argued how every period of peace interludes benefited the LTTE. The LTTE recruited domestically and procured globally during all the ceasefires. There were no exceptions. If there is a cessation of hostilities tomorrow, the LTTE will regroup, reorganize and fight back! Many diplomats and international civil servants do not understand the LTTE model of political behavior. They think that Prabhakaran is as sincere as they are. Prabhakaran never does what he says. Prabhakaran is one of the most deceptive terrorist leaders in the world.

Unfortunately, both Sri Lankans and foreigners lacked an understanding of the LTTE especially of Prabhakaran, Asia's master of terror. To educate our friends in the West, Sri Lanka needs to train its diplomats and others concerned on how the LTTE operates in the West. Otherwise, LTTE will hoodwink the international community, the press and others making them behave like LTTE's agents of influence.

Asian Tribune: Vice versa, most of the heavy damages took place to our forces and the materials during Chandrika's regime. For instance, Mullaitivu Army Base captured by the LTTE and in one night we lost 1526 soldiers, then Poonaryn, Nagasevanthurai Naval base pre-down attack we lost 625 soldiers, Then the Colombo Airport Attack etc., can you describe why these attacks could not be prevented?

Prof. Rohan Gunaratna:The security forces and defense ministry was poorly led and staffed during the Chandrika regime. A well intentioned lady, President Chandrika Kumaranatunge appointed people who were loyal to her but utterly incompetent.

Mr.Chandrananda de Silva, a former elections commissioner, who was clueless about military and security matters, was appointed as defense secretary. Appointing Chandrananda as defense secretary was like getting a gynecologist to perform a brain surgery. He had no core competence and made blunder after blunder for which the nation paid heavily. Camp after camp fell, billions of rupees of weaponry and equipment were taken away by the LTTE, and thousands of soldiers, killed, maimed and injured. Based on an assessment by Professor Gerard Chaliand, the foremost French counterinsurgency specialist, I recall Nanda Godage, one of Sri Lanka's finest ambassadors briefing Chandrananda of the imminent collapse of the Elephant Pass camp. Chandrananda did not understand the subject, so he chose to ignore the threat. After such a monumental defeat, any self respecting defense secretary would have resigned, faced prosecution for neglect of duty or faced firing squad in an African country. Both to the intelligence service and to the armed forces, President Chandrika Kumaratunge also appointed others who could not do their job properly. Both when in government and afterwards, I told her this but she is still under the impression that she had appointed the best.

Asian Tribune: Turning point of the Intelligence sector can be pointed out, precisely targeting the Head of the LTTE’s political wing, S.P. Tamilselvan, Head of the LTTE military intelligence Col. Charles (Shanmuganathan Ravishankar) killed in Pallamadu, Mannar and destroying massive "Floating Warehouses" (which carried military hardware) in the international waters … How do you see these successive missions?

Prof. Rohan Gunaratna:Three principal strategies worked against the LTTE. The strategy of the army adopted by General Fonseka was to fight the LTTE everywhere. It was not a fight for territory but to reduce the military strength of the LTTE. The LTTE made a mistake by pouring in its fighters and resources to challenge the advancing government forces. Once the overconfident LTTE was stretched out and weakened, the military started to dominate strategic stretches of land and close in on the LTTE leadership. The strategy of the navy was to detect and disrupt the flow of weapons and other equipment to the LTTE fighting force. The strategy adopted by Admiral Karannagoda was to go after the LTTE.

Unlike any previous commander, Admiral Karannagoda guided his fleet to go out to the international waters and destroy LTTE ships supplying the killing machine in Sri Lanka. In addition to destroying high value targets, the strategy of the air force was to work closely and support the army and the navy to do their job effectively and efficiently.

Asian Tribune: Sri Lanka police is playing a major role behind the scene specially stabilizing security in Colombo and suburbs. Arresting and interrogating suspects, acquiring vital information etc., what is your comment?

Prof. Rohan Gunaratna:Securing the capital city, the nerve centre of any country, is crucial. Prabhakaran understood the importance of targeting the economic hub and the political centre. Whenever Colombo suffered an attack, it nearly paralyzed the nation. The LTTE successfully penetrated Colombo and maintained between 200-400 spies, operatives and logisticians at any given time. By bombing civilian targets, the LTTE destroyed not only the lives but the dreams of Tamils, Muslims and Sinhalese. They also killed some of Sri Lanka's best and brightest including the hardworking President Premadasa, the outstanding foreign minister Lakshman Kadiragamar, parliamentarian and a legal scholar Neelan Thirchelvam, and a respected counter terrorism specialist Colonel Thuwan Nizam Muthalif.

As defense secretary, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa forced the different security and intelligence agencies to work together. The recent success to securing Colombo is because the different agencies have started to work collaboratively. Although the threat to Colombo persists, the police and the intelligence services have been able to secure Colombo to a large extent.

The CID, TID and other specialist investigative and intelligence agencies have played a crucial role in dismantling the LTTE infrastructure in the south. Operating under constant threat the leaders and staff of these agencies risked their lives to collect intelligence and arrest LTTE spies, logisticians and operatives. As the true guardians of security of Sri Lanka, these men relentlessly targeted LTTE's vast support infrastructure that provided recruits, funds, supplies, safe houses, transportation and other material.

This infrastructure recruited from the criminal world and even well to do Sinhalese to work for the LTTE for commercial gain. Long after Prabhakaran has been neutralized, it is essential to secure and protect Colombo from infiltration and attack.

Asian Tribune: Can you explain how exceptional Col. Tuwan Nizam Muthalif is?

Prof. Rohan Gunaratna:Without exception, there was no one in the Sri Lankan military, law enforcement or the intelligence establishment who knew more about the LTTE than Colonel Muthalif. He built his knowledge of the battlefield and understanding of the LTTE though sheer hard work, dedication and commitment. Highly respected by the Sri Lankan and foreign intelligence community, Colonel Muthalif understood that intelligence was the spearhead of counter terrorism. More than any other officer, he interviewed so many LTTE sympathizers, supporters, members and leaders. After engaging them in dialogue, Colonel Muthalif turned so many LTTE cadres to abandon violence and enter the societal mainstream. He educated, trained and mentored a young generation of intelligence operatives who like him functioned fearlessly. While serving in Jaffna, Batticaloa, Vauniya, and Colombo, he disrupted and dismantled more than 100 terrorist cells planning to kill, maim and injure. Considering the sustained and grave damage inflicted by Col Muthalif to the LTTE, Prabhakaran and Pottu Amman decided to assassinate him. However, the Sri Lankan government failed miserably to protect this invaluable son of Sri Lanka. At the time the LTTE assassinated Col. Muthalif in Colombo, he was commanding officer of the Military Intelligence Corps. The knowledge and understanding built of the LTTE by Col. Muthalif and his team of Tamil, Muslim and Sinhalese officers and soldiers enabled Sri Lanka to achieve this current victory.

Asian Tribune: In fighting with a Terrorist outfit, new methods should be formed in order to countering them and those strategies should be unconventional if I am not mistaken. Let me ask you, innovation or setting up of the DPU (Deep Penetration Unite) and elite SF (Special Forces) how do you see their missions as a counter Terrorism analyst?

Prof. Rohan Gunaratna:Terrorists adapt, evolve and change to survive. When fighting terrorism, the terrorist should become the mentor. Unless government shadows the terrorist, the government cannot win. Unless government forces both in sea and land adopt LTTE technologies, tactics and techniques, the government cannot effectively interlock and engage the enemy. Understanding and adopting the modus operandi of the enemy was crucial for the government to defeat the LTTE. The navy using small boat operations at sea and the army using small team operations on land denied the LTTE the freedom to operate. In terms of expertise and experience, the Sri Lankan naval and land Special Forces units are the best in the world.

Asian Tribune: Let's talk little about diplomacy, India trained the LTTE and both lost their head of states Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi to terrorism. War against terrorism has almost come to and end. Before it comes to and end, before restore peace in the areas, before resettling the internally displace civilians, India is pressing about a political solution and sometimes ask for an immediate ceasefire. Is this a prudent approach when the government engages in a decisive moment?

Prof. Rohan Gunaratna:India has a huge responsibility to share for spawning and sustaining the Sri Lankan conflict. Although India accuses Pakistan of supporting terrorism, India is guilty of state sponsorship of terrorism in Sri Lanka. The first batch of Tamil Tigers was trained in Establishment 22 in Chakrata, north of Dehra Dun, India's principal military training facility in Uttara Pradesh. The second batch of Tamil Tigers was trained in Himachal Pradesh. The training was conducted by serving instructors of the Indian government. The remaining seven batches including the batch that included Tenmuli Rajaratnam alias Dhanu who killed Rajiv Gandhi was trained in Tamil Nadu. In addition, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), India's foreign intelligence service provided specialist training in another number of states including underwater demolition training in Vishkhapattnam. India's covert role is meticulously documented in "Indian Intervention in Sri Lanka: The Role of India's Intelligence Agencies." If India has any sense of shame and guilt, New Delhi must resolve its domestic issues and not get involved in Sri Lanka again.

Sri Lanka must educate India using its foreign service, information ministry and its politicians. Sri Lanka must post its most able Tamil speaking diplomat to Madras and invest substantially to bring all the important Tamil Nadu politicians to Sri Lanka. This should include politicians in the opposition including those corrupt and poorly educated politicians who are in the payroll of the LTTE. Many Tamil Nadu politicians believe that the Sri Lankan government is engaged in atrocities similar to what the Indian military committed in Kashmir or the northeast.

Asian Tribune: The LTTE's international chief procurement man Selvarasa Padmanadan alias Kumaran Padmanadan (KP) was listed wanted by the Interpol. But he is freely traveling, isn't he? Then what is the role of the Interpol?

Prof. Rohan Gunaratna:To quote a LTTE leader in the U.K. that fought with KP, "It is KP that made everything possible." Until KP is alive, LTTE will remain a formidable threat and Sri Lanka will be under threat. For crimes, KP should be arrested and tried. Sri Lanka must not rely on Interpol to arrest KP.

Working with the Thai authorities, Sri Lanka must initiate its own operation. More than ever before arresting KP has become a national security priority. The principal function of the foreign service of Sri Lanka should be to advance its national security and foreign policy goals. The Sri Lankan foreign minister and the head of the Sri Lankan intelligence service must visit Thailand and remain in Bangkok until KP is arrested and handed over to Sri Lanka. If this cannot be accomplished in the next few weeks, government should request for US assistance and the US has significant influence over the Thai military. KP has cultivated Thais ranging from politicians to military generals and businessman.

Asian Tribune: Did Tsunami became a blessing for them, in order to get many foreign expertise to assist their arms manufacturing plants?

Prof. Rohan Gunaratna: As a group with a presence on the coast, when the Tsunami hit, the. LTTE lost a few hundred cadres and lost a dozen attack craft. Nonetheless, the LTTE benefited greatly from the Tsunami funds. Unfortunately, the Western nations from Norway to Canada and Australia were taken for a ride. These well meaning nationals and their nations contributed appreciably to the LTTE. With the help of funds raised in these countries, the LTTE improved the efficacy of its killing machine. Through the Tamil Rehabilitation organization, the LTTE channeled millions of dollars to modernize the LTTE land, air and maritime forces.

Asian Tribune: Sri Lankan internal separatist conflict and it's bloodshed over innocent civilians Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims has been a very "lucrative business" to the NGO's, and their affiliated Agents in Colombo, they wanted terrorism to be prevailed, what is your comment?

Prof. Rohan Gunaratna:It is true that the Sri Lankan conflict produced a group of entrepreneurs whose heart is not in ending the conflict. But it is a very small group and they must not be confused with the larger NGO community in Colombo that has rendered yeoman service. They must now look towards the future of Sri Lanka especially how they can contribute in a post-Prabhakaran scenario to develop Sri Lanka into a first world country. We have all the indicators present in a first world country from literacy to resources. With international governmental and non governmental funding, we must create employment, economic opportunities, and build a state of the art utilities infrastructure in the northeast.

We must bring the economic status of the northeast to the standard of the southwest. We must repeat the Malaysian success and build roads linking the northeast to the rest of the country. We must build a superhighway linking the north and the south. Without working with all the partners, Sri Lanka will fail to make the country a first world nation.

Asian Tribune: Most of the International organizations including the UN are creating a civilian catastrophe in order to avoid the capture of the LTTE leadership. How a Ceasefire will lead to release civilians as they have been keeping them hostage by the LTTE?

The Sri Lankan government should move fast to kill or capture the LTTE leadership. The operation to capture or kill Prabhakaran, a proclaimed offender in Rajiv Gandhi murder, is a matter for the Sri Lankan state. Like Hitlar, Pol Pot, and Osama Bin Laden, Prabhakaran is a mass murderer. Neither the UN nor Norway has a say in it. Both the UN and Norway has failed miserably in mediating or facilitating the Sri Lankan conflict. In many ways, their failure to understand the conflict has created a potential humanitarian crisis.

As the LTTE will try to use its network overseas to revive the LTTE in Sri Lanka, the government needs to reach out to the international community. There should be recognition that the LTTE is an international terrorist group. Although the LTTE kills in Sri Lanka, its network is global. As such, the foreign ministry of Sri Lanka has a major responsibility to formally and informally educate foreign governments, international organizations and others that have an international voice. After Minister Kadiragamar was assassinated, the Sri Lankan Foreign Service has failed to play the required role to keep world leaders, opinion makers, the diplomatic missions, international bodies, and the foreign media updated. Like the military, the foreign ministry should be proactive - before the threat develops, it must preemptively neutralize it.

It is very clear that Prabhakaran has engineered a humanitarian crisis to save himself and the LTTE. It is also clear that the LTTE is behind all the demonstrations from Canada to London to Sydney. However, only a few heads of missions and staff in the Foreign Service are capable of communicating this message effectively to foreign governments and other interested parties. They require training and education. Towards this, a proper Foreign Service school and a well staffed and resourced counter terrorism division should be established. Furthermore, an ambassador for counter terrorism should be appointed.

Asian Tribune: Did Karuna's (Ex-Eastern rebel commander) split become a blow to them?

Prof. Rohan Gunaratna: The LTTE could never have been defeated if not for Karuna's decision to leave the LTTE. The government should encourage more Tamils in the LTTE to defect. As LTTE is a conscript and not a volunteer group any longer, government should offer an amnesty to LTTE leaders and members. Except for Prahakaran, Pottu Amman and others who have committed serious crimes, every member of the LTTE should be entitled for an amnesty.

Karuna's decision to leave the LTTE was very timely. Prabhakaran depended so much on the East for recruits and resources. With Karuna realizing that Prabhakaran was not fighting for the Tamils but for himself and his group, Karuna decided to bid farewell to the LTTE. Both Karuna and his men tasted freedom during the talks and he never wanted to return to the jungles permanently. Although the intelligence community and the military worked well with Karuna, Ranil Wickramasinghe was responsible for opening the eyes of Karuna.

Karuna and leaders like him can play a crucial role in developing a rehabilitation program for former combatants. A leader like Karuna, Pilliyan and Douglas Devanda can kill the avowed vision of Prabhakaran to create an independent Tamil state. Long after Prabhakaran, both in Sri Lanka and overseas, a segment of the Tamils will still believe in an independent Tamil homeland. These mainstream Tamil leaders can politically, socially and economically play a role to empower the Tamils, and integrate them to the rest of the country, and make them think and act like Sri Lankans.

Asian Tribune: What will be the future of the LTTE? What Tamil Diaspora will do? Still they can finance them, can't they?

Prof. Rohan Gunaratna: If the current degree of pressure can be maintain in the next one and a half to two years, the LTTE can be dismantled completely. The LTTE international network will survive for about a year after the LTTE domestic network has been crippled. With the seizure of LTTE computers in Vishwamadu, the government is in possession of names and details of those who work and support the LTTE network overseas. Working with foreign governments, Sri Lanka should help foreign governments to investigate and prosecute those who support the LTTE.

Belatedly, both the Indian and Sri Lankan Tamils are realizing that Prabhakaran has inflicted untold pain and suffering on an entire generation of Tamils. As predicted by Thangathurai , the leader of the original TELO, if Prabhakaran assumes leadership of the Tamil national movement, Prabhakaran would sacrifice the entire Tamil community. Sending Tamils to their death in the guise of saving the Tamil community by Prabhakaran has been prevented. Leaders such as Minister Douglas Devananda, Minister Karuna, and other Tamil leaders have stepped forward to formally and informally explain the ruthlessness and cruelty of Prabhakaran. For sustained peace, it is paramount for the government to invest even more in shaping public opinion against violence.

Without public support no insurgency can be won. After the LTTE assassinated Rajiv Gandhi, Prabhakaran miscalculated the public opinion of the Tamils. The Tamils are a smart community of people. They knew that the LTTE and Prabhakaran could never create an independent Tamil state. A segment of the Tamil community that hitherto supported the LTTE has today abandoned Prabhakaran. They perceive Prabhakaran as a looser and the LTTE as an unwise investment.

However, there is a group of Tamils that live overseas that have a romantic notion of the LTTE and of Tamil Eelam. They have been exposed to high doses of terrorist and extremist propaganda, some false and others partly true. Living in foreign countries make a segment of the Diaspora should hark back and look at the LTTE as if it is going to solve all their problems.

Asian Tribune: April 05th is a historical day in Sri Lanka as the rise of JVP insurgency which subsequently led to a debacle, and last April 05th the LTTE encountered their major debacle at east of Puthukudirippu loosing their most senior commanders together with 520 cadres in a single incident, how do you see this, are they are really weak?

Prof. Rohan Gunaratna: In the recent offensive operations by the LTTE as well in LTTE counter attacks, the LTTE has suffered not only middle level leaders but commanders with long battle experience. They include Theepan, LTTE Battle Commander, Vidusha, Commander of women’s wing and Dugha, Deputy Commander of the women's wing and Gaddafi, Commander of the Black Tigers and the bodyguard unit. These developments demonstrate that the LTTE is desperate for quality leaders to lead its fighters in battle. With the LTTE suffering heavy fatalities and casualties, most of the fighters are newly minted. These inexperienced and poorly motivated fighters are no match for a battle hardened and well equipped Sri Lankan military. The LTTE is forcibly recruiting from a population that is no longer willing to support the LTTE. With no experienced commanders to lead, LTTE's ability to resist will diminish day by day leading to a military defeat of the LTTE.

In his attempt to survive, Prabhakaran ordered the LTTE to take a 100,000 civilians hostage. Today, pockets of civilians are resisting and revolting against the LTTE. This is despite the LTTE has brutally suppressed any expression by the civilians. The LTTE has also shot dead and detained civilians speaking out against the LTTE. The desire to survive from the LTTE has made the civilians attempt to escape against LTTE instructions that they will be shot.

When the LTTE attempted to prevent civilians fleeing, some brave civilians grabbed the weapons from the LTTE members and fled. Many LTTE members did not resist the civilians as they are demoralized. As there are many LTTE members that are keen to desert, it is essential for government to constantly announce its package to any LTTE member abandoning the LTTE.

(a) Safety and security for the cadre and the family

(b) A job and

(c) An amnesty.

Asian Tribune: Finally, let me ask you. A war against Terrorism can not be fought for the forces itself, if there's no political leadership behind them. President Mahinda Rajapaksa is the commander-in-chief and Mr. Gotabhaya Rajapaksa is the secretary of Defense, public security law and Order. How do you see their leadership?

Prof. Rohan Gunaratna:The best appointment Mahinda Rajapaksa made as President was to appoint his own brother Gotabhaya Rajapaksa as Defense Secretary. I am against appointing relatives and friends but in this case, Gotabhaya was the ideal man for the job. I have known Gotabhaya since he was a young Colonel in the frontline fighting against the LTTE. Gotabhaya has the vision and the mission. It is not the president but the defense secretary that is the number one target of the LTTE. He knows that one day he will be eliminated by the LTTE: yet, he is uncompromising in his service to his country and to his people.

While his brother Gotabhaya Rajapaksa is focusing on securing Sri Lanka, the President has three major challenges. First, he must develop a master plan to economically develop the country especially the northeast. As the first President of a country free of terrorism, President Rajapaksa, should focus on developing Sri Lanka into a first world country. To inject new life to the country, he must tap into Sri Lanka's most untapped resource - the expatriate community. The roads in Colombo are third rate worse than a very poor country in Africa. The airport needs to be upgraded and a pianist to welcome the arrivals. The amazing wildlife sanctuaries should charge both locals and foreigners a market rate. Second, he must institute good governance. He must prosecute his corrupt and sack his incompetent ministers and civil servants immediately. Third, he must make the Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims and Burghurs think and act Sri Lankan. Sri Lanka belongs to all its inhabitants. If a minority of the misguided Sinhalese claim that Sri Lanka belongs to the Sinhalese, then the Tamils will claim the north and Muslims the east. As the majority, the Sinhalese must be more generous to its minorities. Today, any majority community will be respected by the way it treats its minorities.

Misguided nationalists both Sinhalese and Tamils have nearly destroyed this country. Religion, language and caste are very private and they must never be used to build political strength. We all have an obligation to build the broken bridges between the different communities. We must treat all communities the same way. We must be very careful of ethnic and religious entrepreneurs that seek to divide people on the basis of their ethnicity or faith.

They are scoundrels that must be rehabilitated. If the government gives way to the ultra Sinhala nationalists, who advocate the Tamils as second class citizens, we will never have a united Sri Lanka. The same way, the Rajapaksa government has defeated the armed Tamil nationalists, Mahinda Rajapaksa has to use his Sinhala credentials to contain ultra Sinhala nationalism and build a truly united Sri Lanka. Building a united Sri Lanka where every ethnic and religious community can live in harmony should become his legacy. Otherwise, a segment of Tamils will cling on to the legacy of Prabhakaran. Within his term of office, the President should build a visionary plan and work towards making Sri Lanka the most developed country in South Asia.