First Anniversary of sri Lanka’s victory over LTTE terrorism

First Anniversary of sri Lanka’s victory over LTTE terrorismArmed Forces to celebrate greatest post-independance accomplishment
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Sri Lanka will celebrate the first anniversary of the armed forces’ triumph over the LTTE with an unprecedented military parade on May 20 at Galle Face. President and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces Mahinda Rajapaksa will be the chief guest at the parade. Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, formerly of the Gajaba Regiment, who had paved the way for the greatest military success will be present. The rehearsals will commence next week under tight security.
Unlike any previous military celebration, the May 20 show will include separate contingents of the armed forces and police, including the elite Special Task Force (STF) to depict offensive action on the eastern, northern and Vanni theatres.
Military spokesman Maj. Gen. Prasad Samarasinghe yesterday said that they were still in the planning stages of the historic military parade. Responding to a query by The Island, he said that the parade commander would be followed by colours, fighting as well as logistical elements.
The Vanni element will be the largest contingent at the parade due to the battle on that particular front being the largest and the bloodiest in the entire war. Among the officers likely to join the parade will be those who had led the ground offensives in eastern, northern and Vanni theatres.
The then General Officer Commanding (GOC) Maj. Gen. Kamala Guarantee (53 Division), Maj. Gen. Shavendra Silva (Task Force I/58 Division), Maj. Gen. Prasanna Silva (55 Division), Maj. Gen. Nandana Udawatte and several others, who made a significant contribution to the war effort are expected to join the parade. The Vanni campaign involved five Divisions and three Task Forces, which gradually pushed the LTTE east of the A9 road and trapped them in an area close to the north-eastern coast. An army officer told The Island that officers and men, who had been actually involved in the war, would be on parade, though they may not hold field appointments at the moment.
Sri Lanka is the first country to totally eradicate a well trained terrorist organization, which had a well organized supply network to procure arms, ammunition and equipment and raise funds on a large scale to sustain its macabre project.
The Island would deal with several aspects of the offensive and the role played by the armed forces, police, including the STF and the unfortunate split caused by the then Army Chief Gen. Sarah Fonseka, who had spearheaded the amazingly successful campaign.
Although the LTTE fighting formations collapsed on the banks of the Nanthikadal lagoon with the killing of LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran on May 19 last year, the first anniversary celebrations will take place on May 20 due to President Rajapaksa’s official visit to Teheran. From next year onwards, the parade will be held on May 18, the day 4VIR (fourth battalion of the Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment) troops finished off Prabhakaran.
Although a section of the media had declared Prabhakaran dead on May 18 following an attack on an ambulance belonging to the army commandeered by the LTTE during the final phase of fighting, the terrorist leader was actually shot dead the following morning on the banks of the Nanthikadal lagoon. An officer told The Island: "Prabhakaran was gunned down between 6.30 am and 7 am.
The SLAF and the SLN, too, will display their assets, which played a critical role in the overall strategy directed at the LTTE, once considered invincible by the international community and a section of the media. A wide array of arms and equipment ranging from Czechoslovakian-built multi barrel rocket launchers to sophisticated radar as well as Chinese fighters capable of firing air-to-air missiles will be on display.
Gen. Fonseka and the then Navy Chief Admiral Wasantha Karanngoda, two of the greatest service commanders produced by Sri Lanka will not be on the military parade for different reasons. Had Fonseka not tried to take political advantage of his feat, the first anniversary over Sri Lanka’s victory would have been a joyous occasion for many more people. The victory was made possible by a cohesive effort by a political and military leadership and people, who threw their weight behind the government.
Defence Secretary Rajapaksa declared open monuments at Elephant Pass and Kilinochchi in the recent past to coincide with Victory Day celebrations.