There is a strong Sri Lankan Tamil Diaspora in several countries.!!! They have ability to raise funds!!! They have a good propaganda network..!!!

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Last modified on: 4/29/2010 12:31:23 PM "Master Strategist" of winning war speaks to Indian Defence Review
Sri Lankan Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa was in New Delhi on a low key visit early this year. President Mahinda Rajapaksa's younger brother is known as the 'master strategist' in the power circles in Colombo. Gotobaya is credited with several military strategies that enabled the Sri Lankan military to defeat the LTTE. One such tactics now described as the 'small boats' strategy came up for discussion with Indian defence planners and strategists.

"General Fonseka will be tried for treason and politicizing the Army." GOTABAYA RAJAPAKSA

Sri Lankan Navy's 'small boats' strategy outflanked and out-manoeuvred the Sea Tiger's naval capability. This is being closely studied by Indian strategic planners because New Delhi is mulling over a 'small boats' strategy for India's maritime security and surveillance. In an exclusive interview to Indian Defence Review, Rajapaksa says, "General Sarath Fonseka will be tried for treason and for politicizing the Army".

What is the government's thinking on General Sarath Fonseka's entry into politics?

The commander succumbed to personal ambitions. He worked for four and half years with us as a team member. Then without any justifiable reason he teamed up with the very Opposition that had been so critical of him and the Army's war against terror. He teamed up with people and groups that were critical of the military campaign against the LTTE. He teamed up with people who were against him. He betrayed our national cause for his personal ambition.

The Sri Lankan government says Fonseka has committed treason...

From the day he decided of coming into politics he began projecting the military campaign in such a manner so as to get public sympathy.

Is that the reason why he has been arrested?

The action taken by government is not based on politics. We are purely doing the right thing. Any person has the right to come into politics. But when you exercise that right there are rules and regulations, rights and wrongs to follow.

What are the charges against Fonseka?

The biggest damage he did was to the military. Our military was out of politics for so many years. Army, Navy and Air Force was apolitical. Unfortunately, Sarath Fonseka politicized the Army. He should have joined politics after making a clear break from the Army. Military is such an important institution. He served it for 38 years. He commanded the Army. As the Army Commander he constantly talked about discipline. But for his personal and political advantage he used the military. He used the military for personal gains. He used senior officers for his political campaign.

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He even started his political campaign from the Army Commander's official residence. He kept the military resources allocated to him by the government because of his status as the Army Commander and used it for political purposes. He has committed several illegal acts. Merely because he contested the Presidential Elections, one cannot turn a blind eye to it.

So by arresting Fonseka the government is signalling its intention to purge politics out of the Army?

It is the responsibility of the government, senior officers of the military and me to roll back and reverse the politicization of the Army. If no action is taken it will give a wrong message to the military. We have to take remedial measures. Taking legal action against Sarath Fonseka may not be wise politically. But to do the right thing is important.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa eventually won the Presidential elections quite comfortably. What's the first priority of the government?

The damage done by LTTE's terrorism over the last 30 years is visible to everyone. The hidden part of this damage was the stagnation of economic development. While the world has technologically advanced, Sri Lanka remained bereft of this advantage because the entire national attention was focussed on combating terror. The first port of call for investors visiting Colombo is to the office of the Secretary of Defence! I have had to meet with several investors concerned about the safety of their investments. Over the last five years I have met investors who wanted to know whether we could defeat terror.

So the investors interested in Sri Lanka would be feeling reassured now?

Real victory will be achieved when we bring the economy on track and move towards a high rate of growth. Real victory will be achieved when we pass the benefits of a booming economy to the Sri Lankan people. We have to focus on the rural economy. It is the rural areas that need to be developed and it is principally in these regions where development initiatives must be focussed.

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Why focus so disproportionately on the rural economy?

Most of our soldiers are from rural areas. They are our real heroes. Eighty four percent (84%) of people who died in the war were soldiers who had one month to two years of service. Almost all of them were from rural areas.

Is this a conscious effort to keep the military happy?

Sri Lanka's Armed Forces have done so much of sacrifices. In the last 30 years 30,000 military personnel were killed in action and 20,000 disabled.

Clearly, the government is keen to keep the military operationally ready. Why?

We cannot allow LTTE terror to come back. The first phase of the war is over. The LTTE's war machinery, its fighting ability and its leadership in Vanni have been decimated and destroyed. The second phase of the war will be in a different form. So we can't relax. Our operational preparedness must be high, but invisible. Our security strategy has to be in a different form.

Keeping peace is more difficult than fighting a war?

We have to develop superior intelligence gathering abilities and mechanisms. We have to develop military intelligence. We have to develop a national intelligence gathering infrastructure. We must dominate the jungles and prevent remnant LTTE members or supporters and sympathisers from setting up bases. We have to dominate the coastal belt to ensure that weapons and ammunition are not brought in from the sea. We now know how much weaponry, artillery pieces were brought in from the sea by LTTE ships. Therefore, maritime surveillance is of utmost importance to prevent any new group that takes the mantle of LTTE to bring weapons to the country.

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At the same time we want to bring normalcy. We had imposed a lot of restrictions that adversely affected our economy. Like the restrictions on fishing activities. We want to change the image of Sri Lanka. We are removing bunkers and toning down security presence on the streets. Our security presence will now be largely invisible with a strong emphasis on gathering real time tactical, technical, and human intelligence.

So the remnant LTTE organization outside Sri Lanka continues to remain a threat?

The LTTE has developed a good network outside Sri Lanka. They have a good network in Europe, America and in South East Asia. Over the last three decades they have developed fund raising capabilities. There is a strong Sri Lankan Tamil Diaspora in several countries. Within this Diaspora there is a significant pro-LTTE section. They have ability to raise funds. They have a good shipping network. They have a good arms procurement network. They have a good propaganda network.

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There are several LTTE assets invested in legitimate businesses in countries having sizeable Tamil Diaspora presence. Moreover, even though the LTTE is destroyed in Sri Lanka, fact is there are still several LTTE operatives active in countries outside Sri Lanka. With the help of foreign governments we have been successful in getting KP (Selvarasa Pathmanathan alias Kumaran Pathmanathan) and Rajan (The Terrorist Investigation Division announced Rajan's arrest on January 28, 2010. Rajan was involved in procurement of weaponry and military hardware for the LTTE). Colombo's quiet diplomacy seems to be paying off...

There is international interest to dismantle LTTE's network spread over several countries and liquidate their assets. The only stumbling block is the presence of Tamil Diaspora in several Western countries.

Courtesy : Indian Defence Review

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