SLA caught in its own trap: LTTE

[TamilNet, Monday, 27 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
"The Sinhala army leadership wants to draw the Tigers widely into battle by opening several fronts simultaneously and thereby destroy their strength of resistance. However, it is caught in its own trap" says the latest issue of the LTTE's official organ 'Viduthalai Pulihal' which is published in the Vanni.

The paper's editorial strongly criticises the PA's slogan "one nation one people".

"The truth that Chandrika's package is aimed at the Tamil homeland and Tamil nationalism has now become clear."

"The 'lady' has transformed the ancient chauvinist ideology that this country only belongs only to the Sinhala Buddhists into the slogan 'one nation one people' to suit the times."

"The old Sinhala chauvinists are unable to understand this sophisticated chauvinism and even if they do understand they are stubbornly insisting that only their position is right."

"The government of the 'lady' is engaged in subtle political conspiracies to destroy Tamil nationalism in the same way the neutron bomb kills people while leaving buildings intact."- says the Viduthalai Pulihal editorial.

The paper has published an analysis of the SLA's ongoing Operation 'Jaya Sikurui'.

According to this analysis the government had taken it for granted that when it launched the operation, the Tigers would not be able sustain resistance to the forces of Op. 'Jaya Sikurui'.

This was assumed on the basis that the army had already captured the Jaffna and Kilinochchi hospitals which had facilities for surgery - hence it was thought that the Tigers would not have facilities to treat a large number wounded fighters if 'Jaya Sikurui' were to go on for a long time.

"It has surprised all military analysts that the Tigers have been able to manage the logistical requirements of a conventional war" says the paper.

In another analysis which compares 'Jaya Sikurui' with other operations launched by the Sri Lankan government against the Liberation Tigers, the Viduthalai Pulihal states that 662 LTTE troops died in the 145 days since 'Jaya Sikurui' commenced in May.