Sunday, December 6, 2009
DefenceWire.blogspot.com Resurrected Here!
Dear DefenceWire Bloggers,
As you may have noticed, the DefenceWire (DW) blog is inoperative, because the Patriot who was maintaining that blogsite has gone AWOL (Absent With Out Leave), and we have been unable to contact him.
Therefore, several of us long-term bloggers at DefenceWire decided to create a replacement for the DefenceWire blog, called the SriLankaDefenceForum, and to operate it with a TEAM OF ADMINISTRATORS, so that that it would never again become unavailable to the bloggers because the sole administrator goes AWOL, and there is no one available to correct the problem.
The administrative policies operative at DefenceWire will be adopted unaltered here. To wit, the SriLankaDefenceForum will be
1. An unmoderated blog open to all without registration,
2. The administrators, will write and post the lead articles in turn, as newsworthy events occur,
3. The administrators, who have opinions of their own on every concievable subject, will not seek to administratively impose them on others, but will participate as individual bloggers as before,
4. Each comment will be limited in length to 4096 characters, as at DW, to inhibit spamming of the blog.
The administrative team consists, in alphabetical order of the blog handles, of the following five bloggers: Ananda-USA, Konappu Bandara, Moshe Dayan, Sam Perera, and Sujeewa Kokawala.
The SriLankaDefenceForum Blog Administrators email address is SriLankaDefenceForum@gmail.com .
Please contact us if you notice any problems with the blog, or want to suggest improvements.
Thank you all!
Let the Blog Wars begin!
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29 comments:
Right O' chaps. Lets start bashing Peelam scumbags instead of our own chaps for a change. I have purposely stayed on the sidelines in the President Vs. Former CDS mud wrestling contest. We still have a lot more to do in mopping up Peelam diaspora scummies.
My dear chaps, always remember that history is written by the victors. And, we are the victors in our beloved Lanka today.
Cheers!
Eelam thrpough the backdoor - Hard Talk
......continued 1........
Question:
Who in your opinion was most instrumental in defeating the LTTE? Claims of a varying degree from government side and the newly announced Presidential candidate Sarath Fonseka has left the people confused?
Answer:
Without the political commitment no one can win a war. It is the President who makes the decision to start military operations and gave the clear aim to defeat the LTTE. If you go through interviews given by Gen. Sarath Fonseka initially he has mentioned that without the political will and direction nobody can win a war. The Army is only a department of the government. It acts according to the wishes of the government and implements the policy of that government. No Army Commander can do otherwise. This explains why this victory could not be achieved before under previous leaderships.
It is the President of a country who decides whether to talk to the terrorists or start military operations. And it is the President alone who can decide how much money to spend on a war, or if to increase the numbers in an army. And one of the key factors for the victory was the increase in the numbers. And this is very clear by the fact that various previous governments decided to increase or decrease the numbers. Then there were the decisions regarding equipping the men, getting the right arms, the salaries etc.
It is very clear to anyone it was the President's political commitment and decision to start military operations that all this was possible. Don't forget that Gen. Fonseka wasn't born just 4 years ago. He was in the Army for 35 years. But what has he done? Has he achieved one tenth of what we had achieved during those years? Take for examples Generals like Kobbekaduwa, Janaka Perera, Wimalaratne etc. Everyone talks about them.
They didn't become Army Commanders or SF commanders but their contribution was very effective. Kobbekaduwa as a Brigadier conducted Wadamarachchi operation and Wimalaratne was a Colonel at that time, but everyone knew about them because they performed well. But we have not heard of Gen. Fonseka in the same manner. And if he says that he alone did this whole thing why did he not perform one tenth of this during the past years. There are a lot of failures under him. In fact he's the one who ordered to withdraw troops from Jaffna in 2000.
I'm not saying that he's not a good military officer, but that without the political direction and assistance a military officer can't do certain things. This is why under different governments, different officers performed in a different way. Gen. Fonseka himself performed in a different way during the Wickremesinghe regime as he did differently under the Rajapaksa regime.
The best example is how the same officers who had to coordinate with the LTTE during the Wickremesinghe regime ended up killing the same seniors of the LTTE during the end of the war. And don't forget the contribution of everyone from privates whose numbers were the most sacrificed in the field, to SF commanders or the battalion commanders or Brig. Shavindra Silva whose division captured Pooneryn and going all the way to Pudukudiiruppu. If the Army Commander claims that his was the only contribution then what of all these persons? Then everyone can individually start claiming credit. This was purely the work of team effort. And what about the Navy thanks to whom the Sea Tigers couldn't get out to the sea, or the Air Force? This is the selfishness. It is wrong to give this impression.
Eelam Through the Backdoor - Hard Talk
........continued 2....
Question:
He blamed weak military leadership, not political leadership, for allowing the LTTE to survive so long. He said that in 1999, he had told President Chandrika Kumaratunga in reply to a question that the war could be finished off in four years when 4 other military seniors had not supported that view. He also claimed that the army was modernized during Kumaratunga's regime. Is this an indication that the contribution of the Rajapaksa Presidency has really been minimal in providing political commitment to war?
Answer:
How can you say that when it is the President who decides whether to go on or give in when international pressures come in? It is the President who has to face that and decide whether he goes ahead or stops. How do you explain the decision to stop the Wadamarachchi operation despite it being a successful operation during a previous regime? How can you blame that on a weak military leadership when Wadamarachchi was won?
There were much better leaders in the Army than Gen. Fonseka. Who was he before 2005? Now he's trying to become a cheap politician. He shouldn't try to disgrace the military this way. Officers like Chagi Gallage, Shavindra Silva, Jagath Dias or Kamal Gallage were products of Wijeya Wimalaratne. So where is the weak military leadership when he was an excellent officer? We had enough brilliant officers. Who created the Special Forces or the Commanders? They were not done during the last 4 years? If the military leadership was weak how can these happen? They were the ones who made these sacrifices, who trained these officers, who were simply not given the proper political direction because the political will was not there. How can he blame the men of this great Army going back 35 years like this to portray himself as the only good one? He's ridiculing the entire army.
Question:
He levels some very serious charges against you on grounds that you are threatening his security by lowering the numbers allocated to him. Gen. Fonseka claims that Military Police personnel had entered his house midnight on the 25th to remove the vehicles provided the General on an order issued by you. He alleges that you are threatening his security by such measures. His notion is that if the President still needs 2000 people for security and if you need 500 people for your security, how is he expected to manage with 25 men and 3 vehicles? What is the basis for these charges?
Answer:
First he must remember that he is a retired army officer when you lose some privileges. But when he went to meet the President and requested certain security to which the President agreed and then when he mentioned a certain number the President said to give that in writing. In that letter he wrote a certain number of security and we gave everything requested except for the 6 women's cadres. That was also because there were certain administrative problems related- remember he was going out to civilian life where you needed a certain structure to be maintained. Still we approved even these 6 although the lack of it is not a serious weakness in a security structure! It is sheer hypocrisy to go for a FR case asking for a tenfold number in security, when we have given everything he has requested. This is lying to get the sympathy of the people by showing a completely different picture. It's very clearly a political game he is playing; one unbecoming of an officer.
Eelam Through the Backdoor - Hard Talk
.....continued 3....
Question:
But according to intelligence reports available to you what is the level of threat to his life at present? He claims that the Security Council is trying to reduce his security to get him assassinated. He alleges that if anything happens to him the President has to take direct responsibility?
Answer:
We understand that if possible, LTTE will target the President, myself or any one of the Commanders. But don't forget that the situation is very different today. The LTTE has been destroyed. But when he removed Gen. Parakrama Pannipitiya from the Eastern Command for whatever the reason, when the war in the North was still on and suicide cadres were in Colombo, Sarath Fonseka removed his security. This was the man who was responsible for clearing the East. And when Gen. Panipitiya filed a FR case Fonseka gave an affidavit agreeing to give only 6 people when there was a definite threat to his life.
Question:
He cites Intelligence Services Head J B Galanayaka on information that an explosive laden van had come to Colombo to target a VIP. He alleges that the government is using these tactics 'intentionally' to ensure that he gets blasted on the road?
Answer:
I'm trying to bring legislation to provide security to the three commanders. But it takes time. I initiated that and he knows that. I always say that we should give security. I have no issue with that. But when we have given security and then ask for unreasonable amounts just to ridicule us or gain sympathy is not right. I'm the one who initiated the action to provide life time security to all Commanders which is now in Legal Draftsman's Dept. I don't say that he shouldn't get it. But the situation has changed in the country today which is why we had decided to open up the roads and not even close them for VIPs. We have defeated the LTTE now we have to bring normalcy to the country. That threat has passed. And if we have given what he requested what is the issue?
Question:
He also points a finger at you on defence purchases claiming that if there is any corruption it is you, the President, and the Tender Board that must take responsibility?
Answer:
How can he say that? Again he's trying to cover the truth behind this. He himself alluded to this. He told an interview that although normally the Chief of Staff sits on the Tender Board, 'but I changed that and I sat on the Tender Board' he said! Then what is he talking about. What Tender Board was he referring to? I don't want to get in to the blame game but all I want to say is that as there are various allegations that have come in various papers etc. that the Army has purchased various things from his son-in-law's company. All I can say is that this is unethical and illegal, because he himself accepted that he himself sat on the Army Tender Board. Again he's trying to cover certain things and project a different picture which is not right.
Eelam Through the Backdoor - Hard Talk
.....continued 4.....
Question:
But he says that the political leadership has failed to give priority for democracy, national security, including the people in the North and East, those displaced. Would you say that you have failed to win the peace as alleged?
Answer:
I don't know how he can talk on democracy and media freedom or the minorities. This is just politics. It's unfair for a person who held such a position in the army to talk like that now that he has retired. I know his ideas and how he spoke in the Security Council. It's ungrateful of him to talk like that just because he's in politics, especially because he knows how we brought in a process of democracy to the East by holding elections and disarming the paramilitary groups. What about the development work that was done there and bringing normalcy to that part of the country. Now because he's standing with the people who opposed the war for his personal ambitions, and said we can't win the war or that he himself was not fit enough to lead the Salvation Army, he's coming out with these things. This shows his character. He's teaming up with a politically bankrupt crowd, an unpatriotic lot to win his political ambitions.
Question:
There is sufficient indication to confirm a regrouping of the LTTE internationally. What is the government doing to face this threat?
Answer:
We are doing a lot to curb this threat. The government didn't believe its work ended after defeating the LTTE here, we went ahead and captured KP; who went on international TV and said he was the new leader. Again Gen Fonseka can't take responsibility for it, it was the team effort of everyone involved that helped capture him. And such work is continuing.
One success of the operation was the secrecy maintained. No one knew about it till the capture. Very soon you will see more arrests, acquisition of LTTE assets and frozen accounts. We are working with international intelligence to continue this work. Even locally our policing are working out very well, in interrogations and making more important arrests. All this continues while we are pursuing the development programs, and bringing investors in etc. During the last 4 years we have signed many international agreements that help us share information between the countries. Of course there are pressures coming through from some of these countries but we have to work with them and win them over to neutralize the LTTE coming through. I know even countries like Canada wants to help break the LTTE network there. It's a problem for them. There is a threat of LTTE's shipping network being used by any other terrorist organization thereby threatening any country in the world. All these countries have to work together if they are working to rid the world of terror.
Eelam Through the Backdoor - Hard Talk
.........continued 5....
Question:
How do you see the pressures that threaten to come through in the form of you and several other key members of the defence team being charged with war crimes violations?
Answer:
Of course although a lot of countries appreciate our victory, there are some who are disappointed due to various reasons. Maybe it's because of the Diaspora activities, because LTTE's presence outside has become a political power which affects the governments in those countries. They can influence these countries. This maybe also due to certain strategic interests they have in our country. There are certain elements of the international community who see the President taking a hard stand on the international community when the war was on, taking it personally. Maybe these elements want governments like this changed.
We certainly see an international conspiracy to oust the President. I don't point my finger at any government, but there were pressures that came through to safeguard the LTTE. These elements want to see the President out. Maybe they see that they can come out in a different way to give the LTTE Eelam. We have to be aware of this situation. The people have to be mindful of this danger.
These charges of war crimes are very unfair. It's not the time to punish political leaders or officers or military leaders for fighting against terror. We defeated a terror organization that caused so much destruction to property and stalled democracy and destabilized the country. The LTTE caused more harm to the Tamil culture; they killed more Tamil people than any one. The international community must understand this. They should help us build this country and bring the communities together. All these war crimes charges don't do that.
Very interesting developments regarding IDPs.
Recently, the GOSL declared that ALL IDPs could leave for their former homes, and allowed them to return at any time to the IDP camps if they wished to do so.
Those who choose to return permanently are given a package of essential supplies (food, cooking utensils, clothing), and material to reconstruct their homes (12 tin sheets, 10 cement bags, latrines, etc) and funds ($500 - $3500 approx) to restart their lives.
As we know, the GOSL was assailed by foreign governments and Eelamists abroad for "maintaining concentration camps".
The GOSL's assertions that demining has to be done before they can return, that other infrastructure essential to life, such as bus transport, post offices, police security, and most importantly .. jobs .. have to be arranged-for beforehand was derided by these critics as "EXCUSES" stemming from some Machivellian Plot to deny the IDPs their freedom.
Well, now these same folks are complaining that the IDPS who have gone to their former homes cannot restart their lives BECAUSE ... you guessed it ..
There are buried mines,
There is no transportation,
Their houses are damaged or destroyed,
The aid given is not sufficient,
There is no government infrastructure support,
and NO JOBS, of course!
Didn't the GOSL tell them that it is TOO EARLY to go home and survive on their own?
Didn't the GOSL tell them that demining of mines buried by the LTTE is incomplete and their lives will be at risk?
Didn't the GOSL provide for them a safe and secure place in the IDP camps with EVERYTHING found at TAXPAYER cost to wait until these things can be done?
Isn't the GOSL still allowing them to return to the camps when the truth hits home?
Apparently, the IDPs who left are returning to the IDP camps in DROVES!
Why is it that EVERYTHING done by the GOSL for the IDPs is VIEWED as part of a Machiavellian plot, by people who should know better?
I wish the ordinary people of Sri Lanka also had Government benefits such as these.
Not even the victims of hurricane Katarina in Liousiana in the US had it so good (relative to cost of living) .. and this is in a poor 3rd world country, Sri Lanka!
It Makes me MAD!
Sri Lanka to introduce solar energy generating system
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
Dec 03, Colombo: Sri Lanka plans to develop renewable energy sources in the country by generating electricity from solar power.
The cabinet today approved a proposal submitted by President Mahinda Rajapaksa in his capacity as the Minister of Finance and Planning for the introduction of clean energy by a solar electricity generation system.
The project to be implemented by the Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority under the supervision of the Ministry of Power and Energy is to be funded by the Government of Japan.
The Japanese government has agreed to provide a grant of Japanese Yen 860 million (Approximately. Rs. 1.075 billion) to construct a 400 KW grid connected solar power generation plant at Baruthandanda, Hambantota, the government said.
The Government of Japan is assisting the efforts taken by the Sri Lankan government to address the issues on climate change and to produce clean energy.
Call to Patriots: Alternative Energy Projects in Sri Lanka
Patriots,
I am putting together several Alternative Energy Projects to be built and operated in Sri Lanka.
The first of these projects is a 10MW hybrid Wind and Solar energy power plant. I expect a minimum 18% annual rate of return, which is the typical ROR expected for the risk associated with these kinds of power projects. The minimum investment is tentatively set at $10,000.
I am inviting Patriotic Sri Lankan Expatriates to invest in this venture. If you are interested in having a stake in Sri Lanka's future growth, and would like further information, please email me at LankaPatriot@gmail.com .
Remember, however, you will have to disclose your real identity from the very outset.
Thanks!
A Marxist group of Tamil militants with connections to the Palestinian Liberation Organisation and Cuba is preparing to mount a new insurgency in Sri Lanka six months after the Government declared an end to the 26-year-old war there.
The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) was founded in eastern Sri Lanka four months ago and has vowed to launch attacks against government and military targets unless its demands for a separate Tamil homeland are met.
“This war isn’t over yet,” Commander Kones, head of the PLA’s Eastern District military command, told The Times during a night meeting in a safe house in the east of the country last week.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article6946605.ece#cid=OTC-RSS&attr=797093
Bugger! UK Times desperately trying to revive their dead terrorist coolies. If the Times reporter actually met with this 'Commander Kones', he or she needs to be detained by SIS and interrogated to find out details of when and where the meeting took place. We cannot allow these smelly Brit hippies to ruin our country again by engaging in spying and anti-Lankan activities. If true we need to get KP a new roommate; a certain 'Commander Kones'.
Cheers!
We need to spread the word that DW blog has been moved to this site.
Think this would be a better site as DW seem not to care about defence stuff any more since the war ended.
Konappu,
Your post is highly suitable for a main article, not just a comment.
Thusitha,
I have emailed all SriLankaPatriotsBlog members about the SriLankaDefenceForum blog.
I will post at Mahen's blog also.
Please do whatever you can to spread the word. Thanks!
Konappu,
This PLA must be some bunch of lunatics even to try this when we have the world's finest guerrilla warfare forces. I hope that our MI, LRRP, SF, and Commandos are already trailing them. Regardless, any monkey trying to mess with the sovereignty of Sri Lanka shall be sent to Eelam without any delay.
Iran powers rural electrification: Govt begins ambitious scheme to electrify 1000 remote villages
By Rohan Abeywardena
Nation.lk
December 6, 2009
The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) has begun an ambitious scheme to electrify 1000 remote villages with available funds, pending the signing of a loan agreement soon with Iran’s Export Development Bank (EDBI), Power & Energy Ministry Secretary M.M.C. Ferdinando said yesterday.
...More
Ananda-USA said...
Thusitha,
I have emailed all SriLankaPatriotsBlog members about the SriLankaDefenceForum blog.
I will post at Mahen's blog also.
------------------------------
There is already a post in Mahen's blog. I already posted in puligal as well. Otherwise Asthiri might get bored.
A new thread has started.
Thanks for creating the new blog. This would have been done a long time ago.
Who were the DW folks? Any speculations?
I wish you guys replaced the word 'Defence' by something like 'Development' since that word is no longer needed.
May be you wanted to keep the continuity.
I wonder the space here can be rented in the future for commercials and if there is enough money, that can be pumped to small projects in Sri Lanka.
I am interested in Ananda's project and will contact him soon about it.
Lankatruth said ...
[Thanks for creating the new blog. This would have been done a long time ago.
Who were the DW folks? Any speculations?
I wish you guys replaced the word 'Defence' by something like 'Development' since that word is no longer needed.
May be you wanted to keep the continuity.
I wonder the space here can be rented in the future for commercials and if there is enough money, that can be pumped to small projects in Sri Lanka.
I am interested in Ananda's project and will contact him soon about it.]
Lankatruth, brother,
Yes, we wanted to keep the continuity from DW intact. In addition, our concerns regarding national defence and security are far from over. For examle there was an announcement of a new Tamil "People's Liberation Army" that I will post today.
Your suggestion regarding including Development is a good one. I will add it to the Blog description below the Blog title, and formally open the door to those discussions as well.
We should seriously consider deriving income from advertisement and directing it to either small projects or support of disabled veterans, as you have proposed. Let us discuss how it can be done transparently, so that none of us will be accused of profiting from it personally.
I am glad you responded to my Alternative Energy call; can you identify the real person behind your handle as well? I will send you information on who I am, because where investments are involved we have to deal with real people.
Hello Ananda-USA,
All SL Patriots seem to be MR supporters. SF has been cast as a traitor and quite correctly DW has gone missing!
Since even the vote is taken for MR's victory, I hasten to say that there will be no "SriLankaDefenceForum" after victory is declared by MR.
Max_Headroom,
Speaking for myself, I would like to say that SF is not a traitor as long as he directly of indirectly support division of our country. That applies to anybody in Sri Lanka including MR. The only issue with SF is that he is dancing to the tune of top scum of Sri Lanka, quite contrary to the stance he always maintained in the past. Instead of identifying himself with his strong side, he is aligning with Mangala-Mano-Rauf-Ranil unholy alliance, his weak side. That is a no show for his potential voter base.
Ananda
If you are a Sri Lankan professional based in USA and deal with few hundred ad money generated per year at most, I have my full trust in you that you will not put that in your pocket. Since you guys were the ones created this, it is up to your discretion to decide on that.
One more request is to limit the number of new posts. That way people can continue their discussions under one thread for few days without being jumping on to a new one.
I will contact you using my real credentials.
I too agree with Sam that SF is not a traitor.
I think SF is on his next patriotic mission to defeat unpatriotic Sinhalese since he has conquered LTTE.
In his secret mission, he will manipulate our national Traitor RW to hand over his consecutive 14th loss to create a new guineas world record for the political leader with most losses.
At the end, he will form a coalition government with MR and become Sri Lanka's next prime minister.
Max_Headroom said...
[Hello Ananda-USA,
All SL Patriots seem to be MR supporters. SF has been cast as a traitor and quite correctly DW has gone missing!
Since even the vote is taken for MR's victory, I hasten to say that there will be no "SriLankaDefenceForum" after victory is declared by MR.]
Hello Max,
1. I am disappointed in SF, my hero of yesterday, but dare not yet cast him as a traitor, lest I be accused of ingratitude.
2. All SL Patriots are not necessarily MR supporters, unfortunately for Sri Lanka at this critical time. We recognize that, and hope that all Sri Lankans will use their best judgment in the coming elections; Sri Lanka's security and prosperity, and the quality of their own lives will depend upon it.
3. SriLankaDefenceForum will continue well beyond the elections, hopefully for decades, because Sri Lanka will need more than one "Ran Weta" to defend her interests, and help her thrive well into the future. This is a forum to help achieve that.
4. Our team approach is designed to do enable SriLankaDefenceForum survive in the long term, by bringing in younger patriots to replace us and take up the reins, as we older ****'s wither and fade away!
Apey Ratna Deepayata, JAYAWEWA!
Lankatruth said ...
[One more request is to limit the number of new posts. That way people can continue their discussions under one thread for few days without being jumping on to a new one.]
Yes, you are absolutely correct.
Therefore, let me request the Blog Admins to please keep the number of new threads down, and open a new thread only after at least 1000 comments have been posted on the previous one, or some absolutely RIVETING event, that deserves a new post, has occurred.
I think, the announcement of the new Tamil PLA may qualify as such an event, and Sam Perera attended to posting that.
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