NEWS

Sri Lankan armed forces resist ceasefire implementation

Barely a week after the Norwegian facilitators hail-ed the rapid progress in Oslo's peace initiative in Sri Lanka, the military is refusing to implement the terms and conditions stipulated in the indefinite ceasefire agreement signed on February 22, while actively violating other aspects.

In the past week Sri Lankan military personnel have arrested a Tamil Tiger political leader, confronted a Sea Tiger convoy registered with ceasefire monitors, blo-cked LTTE political cadres from access to government-held civilian areas and impe-ded civilian movement along the A9 - the opening of which was a key aspect of the truce.

The problems come as one hundred LTTE political cadres prepare this week to enter government-controlled territory inline with the terms of the agreement to join fifty other who began work a month ago.

Triggering a sudden standoff last week, the Sri Lanka Navy suddenly declared the islets of the west coast of the Jaffna peninsula which are home to several thousand Tamil civilians as a 'military zone' and barred LTTE political cadres presently working in Jaffna town from entering. The Navy also said the Tigers could not bring their radios or wear their cyanide capsules. The LTTE this week formally registered a strong protest with the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM), arguing that the agreement explicitly allows its political cadres access to these areas.

The Sri Lankan military is dragging its feet over the withdrawal of troops from public places. Troops should have vacated temples and places of worship by March 24, but most remain occupied. Residents in Batticaloa say the army still occupies at least 10 places of worship there, for example. A schedule of withdrawal the Army had to produce is still outstanding. Although Sri Lankan forces have to vacate schools within 160 days of the ceasefire coming into effect on February 23, no troop movement has yet taken place.

Lorry owners in Jaffna town complained this weekend that the SLA was only allowing a restricted number of vehicles into Jaffna through the Muhamalai checkpoint, with delays of up to a week building up. Over seventy lorries were parked at Muhamalai on Sunday, waiting for the army's permission, they said. The number of civilians allowed through Muhamalai is being arbitrarily capped, Jaffna residents say.

The Army has also failed to disarm Tamil paramilitaries operating alongside its troops - something which should have been completed within the first month of ceasefire. But in Jaffna, cadres of the paramilitary Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP) continue to bear arms in the islets that were declared a military zone last week.

There are fears the escalating ceasefire violations by the military, along with SLA's failure to withdraw from public places such as schools and temples could further delay the first direct talks between the LTTE and the Sri Lankan government, tentatively set for mid-June in Thailand.

When the Norwegian Deputy Foreign Minister Vidar Helgesen met LTTE leader Vellupillai Pirapaharan on April 17, the latter had expressed dissatisfaction with Sri Lankan delays in the implementing of the terms and conditions of the truce agreement.

The cease-fire agreement had to be fully implemented before peace talks went ahead in Thailand, the LTTE had pointed out to the Norwegian delegation. The Tigers also reiterated that Sri Lanka's ban on the movement had to be lifted before direct talks.

Last Wednesday, the Sri Lanka Navy launched a flotilla to intercept senior LTTE officials from the eastern province returning home after meetings in the Vanni with top LTTE commanders and Tamil and Muslim politicians. Despite having being informed of the scheduled Sea Tiger convoy through the SLMM, the Navy launched a sudden raid. Although the Navy failed to apprehend

India plans for ‘credible nuclear deterrent’

India, which has been in a tense military standoff with Pakistan for months, plans to set up a nuclear command structure, a move seen as a demonstration of its resolve to build a "minimum credible nuclear deterrent."

A Defense Ministry official told Reuters last week the government had given "in principle" clearance for such a command, but it was not linked with the dangerous stand-off with Pakistan.

"The government is working at it," he said. "It can take several months. But we have reached a general agreement that the command will be headed by the air force for the time being."
The plans for the command structure come four years after India conducted nuclear tests and follow comments by Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf that his country could use nuclear weapons against India if its security was threatened.

"Setting up of the strategic command is a step in the direction of greater transparency," nuclear affairs ex-pert P.R. Chari said Friday. It demonstrated the Indian government's resolve in pressing ahead with plans to build a "minimum credible nuclear deterrent," he said

The composition, size and chain of command of Indian and Pakistani nuclear weaponry is so far unclear, though India has said its command will be headed by an air force officer, suggesting the deterrent will be based on fighter plans rather than at sea. The only other thing known about India's highly secretive nuclear weapons program is that the button lies in the hands of the prime minister.

The announcement comes when nearly a million troops are mobilised on the Indo-Pakistan border.

Delhi tests 300km cruise missile

The Indian authorities say they have successfully tested a supersonic cruise missile developed jointly with Russia, the BBC reported Monday. A defence ministry spokesman in Delhi said the missile, known as Brahmos, had a range of 300 kilometres and could carry a 200 kilogram conventional warhead.

Brahmos can be launched from ships, submarines or aircraft, and can travel at twice the speed of sound. The missile was first tested last year. It is fuelled with a solid propellant and has a pre-set trajectory. But a sensor on its head detects the target and can change course to strike 20 km from the targeted range.

The missile was developed by a joint venture company formed in 1998 by Indian and Russian state defence organisations. India is vigorously pursuing its missile programme. The two countries have enjoyed close defence ties stemming from the cold war period. Nearly 70% of India's defence hardware is of Soviet origin and in recent years Delhi has ordered fighter planes, tanks and submarines from Russia.

Chief negotiator returns to London

The Liberation Tigers' chief negotiator and political strategist, Mr. Anton Balasingham, returned to London last week via the Maldives following several weeks of hectic diplomatic activity in the Vanni.

Accompanied by his wife, Adele, and Norwegian Foreign Ministry official Kirsti Tromsdale, Mr. Balasingham last Wednesday boarded a Maldives 'Air Taxi' twin otter seaplane which arrived at Irnamadu lake in the Vanni. The aircraft flew to Mal-dives via the island's east coast, crossing the Trincomalee area.

The Sri Lanka Air Force this week protested that the aircraft had deviated from its expected flight path (overland across Mannar to Maldives) and filed a complaint with the Lanka Monitoring Mission(SLMM). However, Mr. Balasingham who arrived in London late Thursday told the Tamil Guardian that the Canadian pilots selected the Norwegian-sponsored plane's flight path based on security considerations.

Sri Lankan press reports claimed the aircraft had risked being shot down by deviating from its scheduled path. The SLAF chief, Air Marshal Jayalath Weerakkodi, said the military were able to keep the plane under surveillance.

Mr. Balasingham flew to Vanni in late March to hold discussions on the Norwegian peace process with LTTE leader, Mr. Vellupillai Pirapaharan and other senior officials. Mr. Balasingham also participated in key meetings between the LTTE and the Norwegian peace envoys and others with Tamil, Muslim and upcountry political parties as well as a landmark international press conference held by Mr. Pirapaharan on April 10.

SLA seeks recruits, steps up training

The Sri Lankan Army this week began a new recruitment drive and said it had intensified training to levels higher than before the indefinite ceasefire was signed in February. The Deputy Chief of Staff Lohan Gunawardane also said arms purchases were continuing amid the ceasefire as the military needed to maintain its strength.

"Any army will use such a period to re-arm and re-train itself, and we are also doing our own training at a level much more than what we did during times of war," Gunewardane said.
"The Army has an approved cadre for the provision of maintaining security for Sri Lanka. Right now, there is a shortfall and we are recruiting only to fill up the shortfall," he said.

Beset for many years by desertions and low recruitment, the Army says it has a shortfall of around 15,000 soldiers annually, and that the same number is needed to replace those who reach retirement age. The Army expects to enlist 5,000 soldiers in its current campaign.
Gunewardane denied that the move implied lack of confidence on the part of the Army about the success of ceasefire with the LTTE. "I don't think it will go against the [agreement] because we are only stabilising ourselves."

"Because of the shortfall, we are finding it difficult to do our duties. Maybe if peace comes, we will reduce our side," he added.

Gunewardena also denied rumours about the military's reservations over the government's peace moves and said the Sri Lankan Army was “extremely supportive” of the Norwegian peace process because it was the soldier who suffered most during war.