நேற்றையதினம் தமிழீழக் கடற்பரப்பில் பெருமெடுப்பிலான கடற்சண்டை இடம்பெற்றிருக்கிறது. சிறிலங்கா இராணுவத்தினரை ஏற்றிச்சென்ற கப்பல் தொடரணிக்கு பாதுகாப்பாக சென்ற கடற்கலங்கள் மீது இத்தாக்குதல் நடாத்தப்பட்டதாக கண்காணிப்புக்குழு தெரிவித்துள்ளது. சுமார் 700 இராணுவத்தினரை சுமந்து சென்ற கப்பல் தாக்குதலிலிருந்து தப்பியிருக்கிறது. ஆனாலும் இரண்டு சிறிலங்கா டோரா படகுகள் அழிக்கப்பட்டிருக்கிறது. அதில் இருந்த இருபதுக்கு மேற்பட்ட படையினர் கொல்லப்பட்டிருக்கிறார்கள்.  இதுவரை காலமும் சிறிலங்கா அரசால் மேற்கொள்ளப்பட்ட மட்டுப்படுத்தப்பட்ட தாக்குதல் நடவடிக்கைகளுக்கு பதிலடியாக விடுதலைப்புலிகளால் மேற்கொள்ளப்பட்ட மட்டுப்படுத்தப்பட்ட இராணுவ நடவடிக்கையா? இது என்ற கேள்வியும் இல்லாமல் இல்லை. சுமார் இருபதுக்கு மேற்பட்ட சண்டைப்படகுகளில் வந்த கடற்புலிகளால் இத்தாக்குதல் மேற்கொள்ளப்பட்டதாக சர்வதேச கண்காணிப்பாளர்கள் குறிப்பிட்டுள்ளார்கள். திருகோணமலையில் சிறிலங்கா படைகளால் விமான தாக்குதல் நடாத்தப்பட்டபோது அது ஒரு மட்டுப்படுத்தப்பட்ட இராணுவ நடவடிக்கை எனவும் - இருபதுக்கு மேற்பட்ட அப்பாவி பொதுமக்கள் கொல்லப்பட்டு பல்லாயிரக்கணக்கில் மக்கள் இடம்பெயர்ந்தபோதும் – பொதுமக்களுக்கு சிறிய அளவில்தான் இழப்புக்கள் ஏற்பட்டதாகவும், இவ்வாறான தாக்குதல்களின்போது இவ்வாறான உயிரிழப்புக்கள் இயல்பானதுதான் எனவும் வக்காலத்து வாங்கிய கண்காணிப்புக்குழு என்ன சொல்கிறது? விடுதலைப்புலிகள் கடலில் செயற்படுவதற்கான உரிமை இல்லை எனவும் அவ்வாறான முழு உரிமையும் சிறிலங்கா அரசுக்கே உள்ளதெனவும் கூறியுள்ளது. ஆனால் நேற்றுக்கடலில் நடந்த கதை என்னவென்பதை தூரநோக்குடன் சிந்தித்தால் சமாதான வழியில் தீர்வு காணலாம் என்பதை உணர்ந்து கொள்ளலாம்.  நேற்றைய தாக்குதலில் மூழ்கடிக்கப்பட்ட படகுகளில் ஒன்றுவிடுதலைப்புலிகளின் தாக்குதலிலிருந்து தப்புவதற்காக 700 படையினரை கொண்ட துருப்புக்காவி இந்திய கடற்பகுதிக்குள் சென்றதை கண்காணிப்புக்குழுவின் பேச்சாளரும் உறுதிப்படுத்தினார். விடுதலைப்புலிகள் கடலில் பயணம் செய்யமுடியாது என சொல்லும் சிறிலங்கா படைகள் அதே கடலில் அவர்களுடைய தாக்குதலில் இருந்து தப்பியோடி இந்திய கடலுக்கு சென்று மீண்டும் இந்திய கடற்படையின் பாதுகாப்புடன் காங்கேசன்துறை துறைமுகத்தை அடைந்திருக்கிறது. இந்தியக்கடல் எல்லைக்குள் நின்றுகொண்டு தமதுநாட்டின் இறைமை என்றும் தமது கடல் என்றும் இப்போதும் அலட்டுவதற்கு தயாராக சிங்களம் இருக்கிறது. |
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The MV “Pearl cruiser” is a merchant vessel now used by the navy to transport men and materials by sea. The ship had started off from Trincomalee in the morning with 710 security personnel on board. These included a number of army and air force personnel in addition to navy sailors. The “pearl cruiser” was provided security by a convoy of four “Dvora” Fast attack craft. On the morning of May 11th the LTTE sent an urgent letter to the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission. The letter was curt and precise. ” We have on several occasions verbally informed you to refrain from boarding Sri Lankan Naval vessels. We have also given this request in writing to you twice so far. This is the third request from us to you to refrain from boarding Sri Lankan Naval vessels. Sri Lankan Navy is entering the sea adjoining the land in our control and disrupting the fishing activities of the people. It is also disturbing the LTTE exercises in doing so. If Sri Lankan Navy disrupts our activities we will definitely retaliate. SLMM monitors are used by the Sri Lankan Navy as human shields in order to continue with these disruptions. We urge you for the last time not to be on board Sri Lankan Naval vessels until further notice from us. If you chose to ignore our warning and request, we are not responsible for the consequences. Please take this as the last warning to you to not board Sri Lankan Naval vessels” it said.
The naval flotilla was in Northern waters off the coast of Vadamaratchy East when a fleet of eighteen Sea tiger boats turned up from the Vettilaikerny - Kattaikkaadu sea tiger base. They approacvhed the naval convoy from the rear. A sea battle ensued at a point about 30 nautical miles away from Point Pedro. The time was around 4. 15 - 20 pm. Two naval ships sailing ahead of the personnel carrier had gone too far ahead when the tigers struck The sea skirmish resulted in one “Dvora” (P418) getting sunk. Two officers and fifteen sailors are reported missing. Another Dvora was badly damaged. There was one Scandinavian ceasefire monitor aboard this damaged vessel. The gun boat was allowed to sail on towards Point Pedro. According to informed sources the personnel and monitor on board were later evacuated from the ship by a special air borne “Casevac” (Casualty evacuation) team.
The badly damaged ship was allowed to sink off the Kudarappu coast. Meanwhile the sea tiger boats surrounded the abandoned personnel carrier vessel at mid sea. Though the tigers could have destroyed and sunk the ship the objective seemed to be that of seizing the vessel with its crew and passengers. The ship also had a ceasefire monitor from Finland on board. A stand - off at sea was on. The SLMM headquarters in Colombo was furious at this threat to its members. Oslo too was angered. Massive pressure was exerted on the LTTE in Kilinochchi and abroad. The tigers were pressurised to call off its boats and let the “Pearl Cruiser” proceed safely. Meanwhile the personnel carrier was moving away towards international waters.
The other two Dvoras that had gone ahead also began turning back. All four Dvoras were modelled on the Israeli proto- type and constructed at the Colombo Dockyard. The Air force now got into the picture helicopter gunships zoomed in and targetted the tiger boats. It is reported that some LTTE boats were hit and that at least one was sunk. Four sea tigers were killed and more than two were injured. Though the navy says an explosive packed suicide tiger boat rammed into a navy ship other sources dispute it. At this point of time a desperate Government in Colombo contacted New Delhi urgently. Indian assistance was requested to rescue the ship from LTTE clutches and escort it to KKS or Trincomalee. According to informed diplomatic sources India was prepared to provide security to Galle but not to Trinco or KKS because of possible conflict.
New Delhi while ready to help Colombo out was not ready to risk its personnel or get dragged into unnecessary confrontation. By this time the personnel carrier had reached international waters. An Indian coast guard vessel was looming on the horizon. The Lankan air force was inflicting damage. Norway and the SLMM was exerting strong pressure. So the LTTE called off the operation and sea tiger boats returned to base in Mullaitheevu. The personnel carrier ship then reached Indian waters and remained at sea for a while. Indian ships stood guard. Meanwhile Colombo had started reprisal bombing and shelling on LTTE controlled areas in the North and East. It appeared that tiger fighting was over for the day.
The SLMM also obtained guarantes from the LTTE that the “Pearl cruiser” will not be targetted when returning. According to informed diplomatic sources Indian ships provided “quiet cover” to the Lankan ship to reach Lankan waters off Trincomalee. The personnel carrier reached Trincomalee during night. Thereafter the ship proceeded with additional ceasefire monitors on board towards KKS. The tigers had assured the SLMM that it would not be harmed. The SLMM says the LTTE atacked the convoy without provocation. The tigers say the ship encroached on the waters where they were engaged in training exercises. According to knowledgeable sources the LTTE was suspicious that the personnel carrier was coming towards the peninsula to enhance the security forces strength. With the security forces transporting men and material under curfew to Nagar Kovil frontline from Palaly the LTTE feared a massive onslaught on Vettilaikerny and then Elephant pass. It was in a way a pre- emptive strike by the tigers.
Though the tigers could have sunk the Pearl cruiser through its suicide boats the LTTE had refrained from doing so to try and capture the troops alive and also because the Finnish monitor was aboard. The Sri Lankan authorities in order to salvage some self - respect are saying that morre than eight LTTE boats were destroyed and more than fifty tigers were killed. The count is based on the assumption that ten to fifteen tigers on each boat. At the same time Colombo also says the boats surrounding the ships were all suicide boats and that the sunk Dvora was rammed into by a tiger boat. A suicide boat with packed explosives does not have more than two black tigers on board. So the arithmetic is faulty. It appears that the Sri Lankan authorities are simply flying kites and sections of the national and international media are dutifully lapping it up. The LTTE despite its victory in the sea battle has lost badly in political terms. It stands accused of flagrantly violating the ceasefire> It has incurred the wrath of the SLMM. It has brought about shelling and bombing in the North - East for which no international condemnstion is forthcoming.
Courtesy: DBS Jeyaraj Nitharsanam
By
thamillvaanan, at Friday, May 12, 2006 3:39:00 PM
By
சுதேசன், at Friday, May 12, 2006 4:21:00 PM
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