Bring home the mistress, but shoot your mother first

The Marxist/Leninist uprisings of the 70s,80s and the 90s and the Tamil Tiger scourge running parallel to it have sought to destabilize a small country that is unlike any other in the world. This article attempts to outline the degeneration of Sri Lanka’s reputation, linked directly to the rise of Tamil insurgents.

How is Sri Lanka doing, even after all that war…

• Literacy Rate- Ranked 55^th in the world (90.7%)(HDI)
• Per capita income- US$ 4,595. Highest in South Asia(HDI)
• Life expectancy at birth- 71.6 years (higher if not for the civil war(HDI)
• Free Health and Welfare (How Americans suffer without it? Watch ‘Sicko’)

Social welfare

In theory, a welfare state must provide cash welfare benefits like pensions and in-kind welfare services like healthcare. Despite rebellious uprisings destroying it from inside to out, Sri Lanka has been providing its citizens free healthcare and pensions for old-aged persons, including Prabhakaran’s father, a Retired District Land Officer.

Education

The Institute of Policy Studies estimates that since 1949, the main source of funding for education has been government. By 2002, a total of 9,829 government schools functions in the island, cincluding Sithamparam Vidyalayam in Oorikkadu, Valvettithurai where young Velupillai Prabhakaran learnt to read and write. University education is also free in Sri Lanka at a number of government universities for all ethnic groups, including the University of Jaffna where Mathivathini studied.

Economy

Sri Lanka has maintained an annual growth of 5.5% GDP despite a war budget of over $3billion in some years. In 2003, as the hostilities ended, the Sri Lankan Stock-Market was the worlds highest performing.

What we are famous for now?

Traditionally Sri Lanka has been famous for tourism, tea, gems etc. Since the 80s, Sri Lanka and Sri Lankans have been drawing some dangerous attention to itself, thanks mainly to the LTTE.

• Suicide Bombers- Over 300 suicide attacks both nationally and internationally causing collateral damage, targeting of civilians, local and regional political leadership, using females and disabled suicide bombers, etc.
• Foreign Terrorist Organizations banned by the civilized world- The U.S. Department of State banned the LTTE as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (TRO) in October 1997, and in November 2001, named the LTTE a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) under Executive Order 13224.
• Supporting international terrorism- US Country Report on Terrorism 2006 Chapter-2 states “Many LTTE innovations, such as explosive belts, vests, and bras, using female suicide bombers, and waterborne suicide attacks against ships, have been copied by other terrorist groups.”
• Transnational Criminals- The Swiss estimated that Tamil refugees were responsible for some 20% of the narcotics entering their country. The Italian prison system had over 200 Tamil heroin smugglers and traffickers. (McKenzie Institute 2003)
• International Refugees-“Prabhakaran realized that, if these refugees could find new homes in the Western World, they could contribute much more on a regular basis.The resulting Diaspora has taken full advantage of Western immigration laws and social support systems, to move over 500,000 Sri Lankan Tamils in twenty years into Australia, Britain, Canada France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, and the United States.” (McKenzie Institute 2003)
• Diaspora criminal gangs extorting money in Western countries- The VVT gang, Toronto's Tamil gangs, London Tamil gangs etc. Video-1 BBC, Video-2
• Human Rights Violations-(Human Rights Watch report)
• Child recruitment (Human Rights Watch report) Video
  

What next?

In the Sinhala language there is a saying that best describes the quest for Eelam. That is ‘Atuwa Kada Putuwa Hedeema’ meaning, Making a Chair with Timber from a Demolished Attic! No sane man would attempt that considering the costs incurred, especially when there are much better alternatives to destroying what we already have in pursuit of a dream.

Submitted by defenceAnalyst

Thailand safeheaven to LTTE no more

Despite the embarrassing encounter between the Sri Lanka government and Thai authorities over the arrest of Kumaran Pathmanathan last year, the Thai government and its Security Forces seem to have curbed LTTE activities in that country to a large extent.

Sri Lankan defence sources in Thailand told DefenceWire a short wile ago that the Thais had expressed resentment over the manner in which sections of the Sri Lankan defence established last year handled a confidential communication regarding the arrest of Kumaran Pathmanathan, the God Father of LTTE's international arms procurement and money-laundering wing--The "KP Department".

Pathmanathan, who is married to a Thai woman, was connected to some high authorities in Thailand during the height of the KP Department's operations in Thailand when it was used as the hub for LTTE activities in the region.

Former Director General of Military Intelligence Ret. Maj. Gen. Kapila Hendevitharana was instrumental in curbing LTTE activities in Thailand with assistance from Thai authorities. Him and other officials thereafter had warned the Thais of emerging ties between the LTTE and Islamic Jihadists in Thailand like the Pattani United Liberation Organization.

Although the Tigers have now shifted its smuggling operations base to Indonesia, there too the Tigers encountered problems from other western intelligence organizations. This and the Sri Lanka Navy's blue-water mission eliminating Tiger floating warehouses, the Tigers are now forced to keep shifting operations from place to place.

AK-47 vs. M16 vs. the 6.5 Grendel®

One of the biggest firearms debates in history is to crown the world's best Assault Rifle. The two main rifles competing are from two former Cold-War enemies. They are the Russian AK-47 and its variants and the US made M16 and its variants.

Although the debate will never end, recent developments in ballistics and firearms design could settle the debate once and for all.

The AK-47/T-56

The Russian AK-47 with bayonet and the Chinese NORINCO Type 56

The AK-47 (Avtomat Kalashnikova-1947) and the Chinese Type 56 are perhaps the most well known assault rifles in the world. Developed during the Second World War to protect Russia, the "AK" is the most affordable and widely available light-weight rifle in the world with a devastating 7.62mm, powerfully recoiling rifle with over 400m kill range.

The gun, sold from $50-300, is a weapon of choice for many state and non-state armies. It requires minimum maintenance and pose a grave threat to those using the M16/AR15 platform of rifles due to the 7.62NATO rounds they use, which are more powerful than the common 5.56MM rounds used by the M16/AR15.

The M16/AR15

The M16 is in use in many NATO armies as the main Tactical Assault Rifle. It is a highly accurate, light-weight rifle capable of firing from 5.56mm rounds to 7.62mm rounds and even 40mm grenades when equipped.

M16-M4/AR-15

The M16 5.56mm Carbine is a lightweight, gas operated, air cooled, magazine fed, selective rate, shoulder fired weapon with a collapsible stock. The weapon is still affordable and available to terrorist groups at $586 per gun.

The 6.5 Grendel® Tactical Assault Rifle

The 6.5 Grendel® is one of the latest Tactical Assault Rifles introduced to Special Forces in NATO countries. It is giving a comparative edge to elite units over insurgents, guerrillas and terrorists alike using a basic M16/AR-15 chassis. The advantage comes from the 6.5mm round the Grendel® uses instead of the 5.56mm or the 7.62mm. Surprisingly, this new 6.5 Grendel® generates more kinetic energy than the 7.62mm.

The longer warhead and stockier 6.5mm Grendel round in the middle

The firearm, developed by a US company called Alexander Arms, is able to out-shoot the AK-47/T-56 commonly used by state and non-state actors in many of the global wars. The Grendel® shoots at supersonic speed at anything within 1200-1400 yards with half the recoil of the AK-47/T-56.

In the years to come, this weapon will provide a comparative advantage to state forces who can afford it. The Grendel®, combined with the light-weight and highly accurate M16/AR15 chassis, is a rifle here to stay. (6.5 Grendel® Video)

Major General Sarath Munasinghe has passed away

Former military spokesman and former Deputy Speaker of Parliament Major General Sarath Munasinghe has passed away in the Asiri Surgical hospital in Colombo after a brief illness a short while ago. He was 59.

A battle hardened infantryman, Major General Munasinghe also served as a career Intelligence Officer and one time held the Deputy Director position at the Military Intelligence. Old boy of Maliyadeva College in Kurunegala, he became the first military spokesman of the defence ministry and did a commendable contribution to the war against the LTTE.

He was in the LTTE hit-list for a long time as he commanded the platoon which killed Charles Antony alias Seelan in early 80s in Jaffna.
In 2000 he entered Parliament and held the Deputy Speaker position for a brief period. Major General Sarath Munasinghe has published a book titled "A soldiers version"after he retired from the service in early 2000.

SF Gear: The CRRC

2 SF soldiers disembarking from a CRRC in this cutout- source unknown

The above picture shows a possible 12-man team from the Sri Lanka Army's 3-Special Forces Regiment on a mock amphibious assault/raid disembarking from Zodiac Combat Rubber Raiding/Reconnaissance Craft (CRRC).

Both 2 and 3 SF raiding/recon parties use Zodiac CRRCs for beach reconnaissance, surveillances and limited strike operations closer to beaches. 3 Special Forces established in 1996 is primarily a Seabourne force.

On 18th January 1993 the Sri Lanka Navy also established its elite seabourne force, the Special Boat Squadron. The SBS is also renowned for their use of the Zodiac CRRC.

International use and developments

The Zodiac CRRC is used by the world's best amphibious assault teams including the US Navy SEALS, US Marines' Force Recon, Royal Marines, Shayetet 13 etc. It can inflate in seconds to a highly maneuverable craft recognized the world over by elite units.

One notable weakness of the craft is its inability as an inflatable dinghy to withstand amphibious ambushes. The United States Navy is currently testing out an armoured version of the CRRC. The 'Armour -Flate' design uses a light-weight ballistic protection system that uses a synthetic polyethylene fibre called Dyneema, which is 15 times stronger than steel but much lighter.

The Balistic Protection Flate Armour is strapped along the sides of the CRRC and is inflated in under 5 minutes forming a protective ridge around the dinghy with the support of an 80 cubic foot air-tank. This gives the raiders an opportunity to escape unharmed if ambushed.

LTTE attempted breach halted

The Sri Lanka Air Force struck an LTTE training base situated at Vishwamadu at Iranamadu this morning. Damages caused to Tigers yet unclear.

SLA also engaged a group of Tigers attempting to breach the Weli Oya FDL at Nikawewa -Kambiliwewa killing ten and recovering one dead body.

LTTE Regiments: Charles Anthony

Charles Anthony Regiment Insignia

The Charles Anthony is the LTTE's first conventional regiment (Padai Pirivu). The number one in the above insignia probably explains its seniority. The emblem has a significant criss-cross of LTTE's earliest rapid-fire gun, the Sub Machine Gun.

The Regiment was commanded by many famous LTTE 'Commanders' including 'Col' Swarnam, 'Col' Nagulan and 'Lt. Col' Nakulan. At its inception 15 years ago, the Charles Anthony Regiment was actually a guerrilla unit with some semi-conventional warfare capabilities.

The Charles Anthony Regiment could have as many as 1000-1500 cadres presently. Hardcore cadres could be around 500. They are almost entirely northern Tamils. Charles Anthony was Prabhakaran's earliest conventional military formation. The unit has also been trained by LTTE Military Wing Leader 'Col' Balraj.

The name Charles Anthony comes from Prabhakaran's personal friend and comrade-in-arms Charles Anthony, an early LTTE recruit from Trincomalee District. He was killed by the Sri Lanka Army at Meesalai on 15th July 1983. Pirapaharan named his first conventional unit the 'Charles Anthony Regiment' as a tribute to his close friend. The LTTE leader later named his only son Charles Anthony Seelan, as a further tribute to his old comrade.

The Charles Anthony Regiment has fought against the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in Cease-less Waves -I (Oyatha Alaikal-I) to capture the Mullaithivu SLA base, the Kilinochchi SLA base, Cease-less Waves II, against the Jaya Sikurui Operation and the second successful LTTE attack to capture the Elephant Pass Base.

The Regiment, considered part of the LTTE's Special Forces is suffering almost daily casualties at the hands of normal infantry regiments of the Sri Lanka Army.