True benefits of Ceasefire with LTTE

Former Prime Minister and UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, testifying before the Presidential Commission of Inquiry investigating the Easter Sunday carnage, has rightly pointed out the many benefits the Sri Lankan government gained during the period of the Ceasefire Agreement (News, 7 Oct). In the preceding years, the LTTE were able to cause grievous damage to Sri Lanka with terrorist bombs in the south killing thousands of civilians and devastating the economy. In the year 1999/2000, economic growth was negative. The army was in such a poor state that in May 2000, the LTTE came close to capturing the whole Jaffna peninsula.  

The signing of the CFA dramatically reversed the situation. The Sri Lankan economy enjoyed record economic growth and this enabled the government to massively rearm and retrain its armed forces. The size of the army more than doubled. The LTTE, however, suffered its most damaging split in 2004, when the government persuaded Karuna and his forces to join the government side. These were the factors which led to the Sri Lankan armed forces having one of their most impressive victories in the war, when the whole east was recaptured in a matter of weeks with very few casualties.

The results of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) showing that the LTTE were committing more than 95% of the ceasefire violations, persuaded the EU to join Britain and the US in banning the LTTE, considerably reducing its ability to collect funds abroad. US satellite data enabled the Sri Lankan Navy to destroy all the LTTE’s  arms smuggling ships. Coupled with the loss of coastline in the east, there was a dramatic reduction in their ability to smuggle arms from abroad.

It is apparent that during the period of the CFA, Sri Lanka enjoyed a sustained period of economic growth and some of its most impressive military victories. The LTTE suffered, in contrast, its first major split, substantial loss of territory, considerable damage to its armed forces and ability to resupply weapons. This turnaround led to the final victory in the north. 

Dr R P FERNANDO

UK