The largest hostage rescue in the world's history
(By : Professor Sunil J. Wimalawansa)
 Hostage takings have been reported sporadically,
throughout the world. However, none was even closer to the recent
captivity of approximate of 250,000 of civilians by the Tamil Tiger
terrorists (LTTE) in the north eastern jungles. Over the past three days
60,000 hostages were rescued by the Sri Lankan Forces; the largest
number of hostages rescued in such a short period, anywhere in the
world.
LTTE is banned world-wide as a terror outfit for their
work on suicide bombings, child soldiering, organized crime, and
unlimited human rights violations. In addition to the billions of rupees
in property damage, LTTE violence has consumed over 140,000 lives; the
majority had been women and children. Three decades of
government-initiated and third party mediated negotiations as well as
peace discussions were failed. Terrorists have constantly violated all
ceasefire agreements. The final turning point towards defeating
terrorism in Sri Lanka was attained in mid-2008, after three years of
careful and strategic planning by the current Sri Lankan government.
LTTE terrorists never anticipated such a rapid advance of the military,
which has now completely encircled them.
It is important to note that in spite of the military
disadvantages of it, to-date, the Sri Lankan government continues to
supply food, water and medicine to the terrorist held areas. Up to now,
about 180,000 civilians have been fled safely from the terrorist's
captivity. To safe guard these civilians and to establish a safe route
for them to escape LTTE prison, in concurrence with the UN, a no-fire
zone (a safe haven) was established by the Sri Lankan government. Many
who attempted to escape were shot or maimed. UN and other agencies, and
those civilians who survived from the captivity confirmed that
terrorists used them as human shields, forced them to fight with them
and to participate in suicidal missions.
In addition to the strategic ground and navel blockade
of weapons supply, destruction of its naval hardware, the fall of LTTE
is also in part due to sheer exhaustion and the lack of confidence in
its leadership. Nevertheless, some of these terrorists have managed to
escape by intermingling with civilians, and are currently engaged in
sporadic attacks on civilian targets in the rest of the country, to
divert attention from the battle front in the North. Meanwhile, the
government has initiated a massive US $150 million humanitarian
programme to care for the IDPs with the assistance from the UN and
others.
Under the direct supervision of the Sri Lankan Army
Commander and the Defense Secretary, three major army divisions
surrounded LTTE terrorists in an area of about 200 sq. kms. Due to
successful army advances, this area has now been reduced to less than 18
sq. kms; a relatively thin strip of land consisting of the no-fire zone.
Battle hardened ground troops have been supported by Special Forces and
the Air Mobile Brigade, as well as an increasingly sophisticated Navy
who have developed the skills to carry out targeted, small group
operations minimizing collateral damage. Meanwhile, terrorists keep on
resorting to the inhuman practice of suicide bombing and use of
civilian, human shields.
Sri Lankan government had repeatedly requested the
terrorists to surrender, to end this siege. However, LTTE leadership has
opted not to do so, and have ordered them to fight to death. This
decision had already led to the demise of most of the LTTE terrorist's
leaders. Those remaining few hundred fighters, half have been assigned
to protect its leader; another example of the self-centered leadership
style of the LTTE.
It is only a matter of days, before the Tamil Tiger
Terrorists are completely eliminated. Hence, there is no reason for the
continual suffering inflicted upon these hostages by the Tamil Tiger
terrorists. Many governments and leading agencies including the UN have
repeatedly requested the Tamil Tigers to release their captives
unharmed; but these terrorists have refused to do so. All key players
including the four Co-chairs, India, the UN as well as independent
groups like the Crisis Group, and envoys like Lakdar Brahimi and Load
Neseby, etc., have said that the quickest and most humane way to end
conflict now is to release the hostage, for LTTE to disarm and surrender
its cadres and for the GOSL to consider fair trial for cadres. Recent
interviews by the Chair of the UK-all party MPs, Lord Naseby (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZtl4t7LJXs)
on 16/4/09, and the UN under-secretary, Sir John Holmes, also confirmed
this.
The UN Secretary General has refused to call for a
ceasefire. He welcomed the Government's recent approach of two
no-hostility periods, further facilitating the safe rescue of trapped
civilians. Yet, LTTE has unequivocally stated that they will not release
civilians from their hostage. Therefore, a ceasefire would make no
difference to detained civilians. Ceasefire would only allow terrorist
an opportunity to re-arm and re-group, which can lead to further hostage
taking, and causing chaos, death, and misery. If anyone currently
suggesting a ceasefire, they must be reacting to misguided information
provided by the LTTE-related paid lobbyists.
The majority of Tamils in Sri Lanka lives happily and
successfully, outside North and the North-Eastern areas, and do not want
a separate state (so-called Elam). It is ironic that there is a recent
worldwide sudden rush of destructive behavior by small groups of Tamils
who are pleading with their governments to impose a ceasefire in Sri
Lanka. Who are these suddenly emerging protestors, and why are they
protesting now? Accumulating evidence suggest that they have little
interest towards the trapped hostages or their safety. Moreover, there
does not seem to be any sincerity of these self-serving, sporadic
protests by a handful of Tamils in various countries. The main interest
appears to be to save the LTTE leadership. Many of expatriate Tamils
protesting abroad seem to be the ones who have been donating significant
amounts of money to this terrorist group. They suddenly realized that
their long-term investment will soon disappear without any chance of
return for their investments.
Currently, the Sri Lankan government is rightly
proceeding with the help of its armed forces to free thousands of Tamils
held in captivity by the LTTE. Sovereign Sri Lanka can handle its
internal affairs, and it is unwarranted and unwise to interfere with its
national security issues by outside entities. Recent liberation of over
30,000 captives in a single day, from the world's largest hostage
taking, further demonstrates its capabilities to handle the situation.
Terrorism and the violence will never succeed. The Sri
Lankan government will soon effectively eradicate the LTTE terrorism. In
spite of the carnage they created over a three decades, LTTE has
miserably failed both domestically and internationally, wasting hundreds
of lives and infrastructure worth billions of rupees. LTTE has also
disappointed its worldwide; thousands of financial donors who fueled
this misery. Those who funded this war with selfish expectations for
major favors in the future from the LTTE regime must now be deeply
disappointed. This has now led to the recent sporadic protests by Tamil
expatriates. The civilized world will never condone nor reward
terrorism, child soldiering, or hostage taking.
-The Ministry of Defence bears no responsibility for the ideas and opinion expressed by the numerous contributors to the “Opinion Page” of this web site-
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