How could Sri Lankan armed forces hit at precise targets of the LTTE?

(January, 14, London, Sri Lanka Guardian) Sri Lankan intelligence has made significant achievement in pinpointing and attacking specific targets. The recent killing of LTTE top leaders like Thamilchelvan, Charles and others are victories Sri Lanka did not experience in the scale it is enjoying at present.

Though there are counter argument that death of Thamilchelvan is an internal work of the LTTE, and events unfolding since Thamilchelvan’s death makes one to believe that Sri Lankan intelligence has made significant inroads into LTTE controlled territories.

The question arises whether Sri Lankan intelligence were able to carryout these operations single handily without any base level support from the LTTE is questionable. One needs to consider the pros and cons of circumstances helping the government forces.

Since the latest unofficial warfare with the LTTE which started from November 2006, there have been large numbers of LTTE cadres leaving the movement. These are mainly young recruits. Some of them crossed the boarders without any difficulties, but couple of hundreds of them were mercilessly shot and killed by the army while they were crossing to the government side. Few of them were taken into custody and put through torture to extract information about the LTTE. Of these, few became regular operatives for the government intelligence service and the forces. Chances of these elements providing high level intelligence are questionable.

Assuming that Thamilchelvan died in the precise bombing of the air force, one has to question how the government intelligence obtained the information about his whereabouts. Corroborating the news releases of the LTTE and the government on his death there is some doubt that the government forces knew Thamilchelvan will be at the location. However a target was found, even if the intelligence did not know Thamilchelvan is housed there and an attack had taken place at the precise location. This location would not have been known to the intelligence without any inside dealings with LTTE sources.

Recent death of Charles and his team in the hands of the Deep Penetration Unit of the army give startling evidence that intelligence had firsthand information about the movements of the victims. The army intelligence must have been alerted by someone close to the hierarchy of the LTTE that Charles & Co are heading towards a particular area for them to plant the landmines and explode it at the right time.

LTTE that thrived on the secrecy, loyalty and fear regime imposed by it for many years must now accept the reality that things are going wrong for it to exercise the level of controls it enjoyed before.

It is known that LTTE did not have a cohesive structure. Those who have some internal knowledge of the functioning of the LTTE will say leaders under Pirabkaran were fighting among themselves to establish their own control of the movement. Pirabakaran guarded by five hundred odd elite cadres is a prisoner of his own. Though he has the overall control, his remote dealings with the command structure have helped infightings developing into fractional animosity. Karuna was one of the fractions before he left the LTTE. If he did not leave them at the opportune moment, he too would have been a victim of the factional infighting. Soosai’s near escape from death last year is another fact supporting this claim of factional fighting.

Insiders say, since Karuna’s departure, there have been two main factions within the LTTE. One headed by Castro and the other by Tamilchelvan. Castro is supported by Tamilchelvan’s successor Nadesan. Tamilchelvan had a bigger support base which included LTTE’s Pottu Amman. There were reports that Castro has established his own intelligence setup within the LTTE. The bitter feud between Nadesan and Thamilchelvan in Geneva which lead to angry Nadesan packing his bags back to Vanni are well reported news confirming factional fights.

With the demise of Tamilchelvan, Castro was able to further extend his power base. Death of Charles and Sri in the recent Deep Penetration Unit attack is body blow for Pottu Amman as both of them were highly admired by him for their loyal service. Both Charles and Sri were encountering difficulties with Castro’s men. Pottu Amman is the only leader in the LTTE at present from outside the LTTE’s traditional Valvettithurai (VVT). He is from Nallur- a place faraway from the Pirabakaran’s Valvettithurai. He is also the only upper class (Vellalan-farmer) Tamil in the LTTE. Most of the positions are at present controlled by chaps from Valvettithurai and Myliddy fishing villages.

Elimination of Charles and Sri recently is major body blow for Pottu. Veerakathy Manivannan alias Castro is a disabled man needing day to day care and he is dependent on wheel chair to move around. But his eagerness to exert total control on the LTTE is feared by many in the LTTE. In the early 2000, he was purged from his rank following Anton Balasingam’s involvement. But within months he was elevated to the position of Head of International Finance.

LTTE sources say Castro is the only person who could challenge Pirabakaran’s orders. There were occasions when he had barged into Pirabakaran’s place with persons whom the leader did not want to have dealings.

Compelling circumstances are pointing the finger at Castro and his men for the debacles faced by the LTTE. But the LTTE is accusing the NGO’s for their predicament. Since Castro has established his overwhelming control of the LTTE, the NGO’s have become scapegoats to take the blame of the conspirators in the LTTE.