Malin Abeyatunge

It has been reported that the of the Govt has almost 11000ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  out of 12000 LTTE fighters who surrendered ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ to the Government forcesƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  rehabilitatedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  bringing them into the main stream of the Sri Lankan society. Well thatƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s a fantastic effort and gesture on the part of the Government for ex-terrorists.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  But yet, GoSL has done it at the expense of the national security to appease the so called international community, the UN and its LTTE biased Agencies and the humanitarian organisations in the west. We have a big problem here. Those approximately 11000 ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ who were integrated into the main society have been once actively involved with the LTTE terrorist forces at different levels. Therefore , although they were released to the main stream, is there anything in place to monitor their movements, manouveres and behavioural pattern to ensure that some of them will not re-group and band together to fulfil PrabhakaranƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s dream of Eelam. Some developed countries who talk big of humanitarian policies , they have a system in place forƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  monitoringƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  the imprisoned criminals who are released to the main society after serving their prison terms or released on parole. Do we have something of that nature because how much an ex- terrorist is rehabilitated ,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  some bad blood or criminal elements can still remain in some of them to take vengeance. Apart from that, there are millions of dollars in the coffers of Tamil Diaspora to woe some of them through illegal means to tempt, entice and provoke the rehabilitated terroristsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  to take up arms against a legitimate Government. This is aƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  strong possibility when you observe whatƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s happening in Afghanistan.

In a speech made by Defence Secretary addressing a youth conference reported to have said that ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-quoteƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  a ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ significant number of the reintegrated beneficiaries are also being recruited to the Civil Defence Force, and will be paid a monthly salary and will work in farming and in development activities. As a result of these measures, even former members of the LTTE have been given a full and fair opportunity to build better future for themselves in a peaceful and stable Sri Lanka.UnquoteƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚. HavenƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t we compromised our national security by this act of recruiting ex-terrorists to CDF?

The ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ following are excerpts from a report from Middle East Editor Ariel Zirulunick of Global Reports on Security issues ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ in Afghanistan (Source-Ariel -Google) which bring jitters to Sri Lanka and warns as to why we should be so complacent and not alert of those who have been recruited to Civil Defence Force.

• ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 36 international soldiers (NATO) in 2012 alone killed by the Afghan forces (Police & Army) who were trained by the NATO forces.
  • There were 11 such attacks in all of 2011 and fiveƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  in both 2009 and 2010 on NATO soldiers by Afghan forces.
  • Last week two NATO soldiers shot dead by the Afghan Policeman ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ at check point in theNahr-E-Saraj district of Helmand province in southern Afghanistan
  • For the sixth time in two weeks, a member of Afghanistan‘s fledgling security forces opened fire on his international trainers today, this time killing two US soldiers.

The same thing can happen in Sri Lanka with the CDF. Those new recruits of the CDF from ex-LTTE cadres can turn their guns on their mates in CDF. We cannot rule out that this will not happen in Sri Lanka. ItƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s noteworthy to be aware that we are still recovering cache of hidden arms andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  ammunitions from the LTTE hide outs. Are we to believe that some ex- LTTE fighters both in the CDF and among the rehabilitatedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ that they are not aware of such hidden arms & ammunitions belonging to LTTE? Imagine that the GoSL has given a blank cheque for one time second in command of LTTE aka KP to run a NGO in the North. What is the guarantee that KPs NGO turns out to be a clandestine NGO to re- group the LTTE militants in hiding, ex-terrorists supposed to be rehabilitated and those who have been recruited to CDF? ArenƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t we clearing path to Eelamists to re-group?

Quote It is believed that TalbanƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s have infiltrated in to the Afghan Police trained by the NATO trainers. To overcome this, NATO has team of spies to spy on the Afghan police to avoid future killing the police and NATO soldiers by the Afghan Police.

The Telegraph reports on some of the steps being taken to combat the problem: Up to 300 extra specialist counter intelligence personnel have been drafted into the Afghan Army to spot potential assassins.the Pentagon instituted a “guardian angel” program early this year, whereby members of U.S. military units are picked to watch their fellow troops’ backs as they eat, sleep or patrol with Afghan counterparts (Source-Ariel-Google).ƒÆ’†’ƒ…-nquote

Here in Sri Lanka , we have recruited the ex LTTE combatants to the CDF presumably without thinking of the future dangers and possibility of remnants of LTTE still in hiding may infiltrate into the CDF through these recruits to create mayhem again.

But what are we doing? Instead of being alert of those Ex- LTTE fighters absorbed into the CDF, to be in the good books of the western block, UN & its Agencies, Australia and India, Ohay bakang nilagena Innewa. We will open our eyes on a day when some of these EX-LTTE fighters in the CDF turn their guns against their mates. Then it will be too late.

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