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National Plan of Action against Terrorism
Full text of the National Plan of Action against Terrorism
by National Movement Against TerrorismForeword
The whole of Sri Lanka is now being swallowed by Tamil terrorism. Its aim is the establishment of a state of Tamil Eelam in the North and East of Sri Lanka, and then the capture of the whole country. Subsequently their aim as revealed in Indian documents is the establishment of a Dravida state in South Asia - so called "Greater Eelam". In order to achieve this objective, not only is the LTTE carrying out an ideological, propagandist and protest campaign, but also a brutal military campaign in Sri Lanka. The Tigers are also carrying out in other parts of the world such as India, Africa and parts of the West, a political and ideological campaign through demonstrations and propaganda to achieve their objectives.It has therefore become an immediate and critical imperative for Sri Lanka and the whole of South Asia to totally annihilate Tiger terrorism. The supreme priority of all peace loving and democratic-minded persons who value human freedom in Sri Lanka, as well as South Asia and in fact the entire world is to eradicate this Tamil terrorism. This should be done politically, ideologically, through propaganda and protest campaigns, as well as through military operations.
We the people Sri Lankans who have protected our identity, integrity and historical heritage through many centuries including from external aggression should now take the lead. We place before the nation, this comprehensive Plan of Action as an essential and necessary step to wipe out racist Tiger terrorism.
This is a plan emphasising policy and principles. It is not a document recommending particular military strategies. Ours is not a forum to discuss particular strategies and tactics relating to military operations.
National Plan of Action against Terrorism
We reject the myth that Tamil terrorism has been caused by grievances specific to the Tamil community. Similarly, we reject the myth that the entire Tamil community supports the Tigers. We need to distinguish between the Tamil community and the Tamil Tiger movement. It is a long time since the Tiger movement alienated itself from the democratic Tamil community.Therefore, we reject also the other myth that the only way to win over the Tamil community is to once again appease the Tigers by amending the Constitution transforming Sri Lanka’s unitary status which already has the federal features of the Indian one into a still looser federal state. Several countries have proved in recent years, that in the case of instransigent groups, annihilating terrorism is the only path. We reject unequivocally that the Tiger movement can be weakened militarily through limited military operations, and then be persuaded to accept a political solution through the devolution of power.
We reject the notion created by pro-Tiger NGOs etc, that the Sinhalese people are racists.
The fact that the Sinhalese as a whole are not a racist community has been amply proved since 1983. Even after 127 civilian attacks on civilians and bombings of economic and civilian targets by the terrorists, the Sinhala community remained unprovoked, and did not carry out any reprisals. In spite of this, excessive media campaigns have been launched locally targeting only the Sinhalese to give up racist attitudes, while ignoring the blatant racism prevailing in the Tiger infected areas as well as the racism articulated by several Tamil parties. These one-sided campaigns serve only the interests of Tiger terrorists and strengthens the hand of terrorists, and waste national wealth, erode national pride.The cause of the war is barbaric tiger terrorism. The tiger movement acts according to the barbaric ideas and objectives of its leader. It draws its strength from the international underworld. They raise funds from trafficking in drugs, arms and armaments and from extortion of money from ordinary Tamil people. Because of the irresponsibility of successive governments they also obtain large stocks of arms from the military forces.
A national aim and objective for fighting the war
The collective psychology of a people is a critical element in winning a war. Without such a back up from the people and clear objectives, essential economic and moral support cannot be obtained to defeat the Tigers. In order to motivate the nation and build the support of the people for the war, the following course of action should be taken.1. The people as a whole should be called upon to become directly involved in activities, assistance and services connected with the war. Any other country, which has lost so many, would have mobilised the entire population by now.
In order to obtain manpower and material resources for the armed forces, committees directed against terrorism could be established in all state institutions, private enterprises, all workplaces, educational institutions, in towns and villages. With co-ordination with the armed forces, these committees could be organised, both for intelligence and defence activities. These anti-terrorist committees should not consist of bias and partisan political appointees.
2. In order to crush Tiger terrorism, all nationalistic political parties and national organisations should come together and form a National Coalition.
The members of such a coalition should be carefully chosen with a clear view of its objectives and with total focus on the job at hand. This coalition should necessarily exclude all politicians/organisations, about whom there is the slightest allegation of being funded by LTTE front NGOs or other foreign organisations advocating separatism of minority communities, or is suspected of receiving foreign funding on matters detrimental to our sovereignty.
3. The re-organisation of school curricula in order to develop a sense of patriotism among school children
From a tender age, school children should be taught a correct and accurate history of our country, and be given an awareness of the barbaric activities of the Tigers, of the fraudulent Eelam myths, which are today being publicised. This is an immediate imperative at this present juncture. The favourable consequences flowing from such a course of action will be felt in a matter of a year or two. It will result in thousands of committed young men and women coming forward to fight the war.
4. All inessential functions and tamashas should be stopped. Cultural programmes directed at raising and developing patriotic feelings and love of the country among the people should be organised. A range of programmes should be organised through the media, through films, teledramas, songs, literature and other cultural activities to condemn Tiger terrorism.
5. The whole of the media should be utilised to publicise anti-terrorist propaganda relevant to combating terrorism, as has happened in other countries faced with a similar threat.
What is happening today is the opposite. Material now publicised through both news and other programmes especially in the State media is of assistance to terrorism. This has led to a blunting of the determination of the people to fight the war. On the one hand the government is recruiting soldiers and sending them to battle, on the other hand elements of its state media are depicting that the war is unwinnable and unjust. This is a direct Tiger cry and drives the people to accept defeat. It is a disservice to the brave soldiers scarificing their lives so that we may live.
This situation has to be changed immediately. The media has to be run by persons who have a manifest love and concern for this country. The Wasantha Rajas of the media should be immediately exposed and chased away. The blood of innocent soldiers is on their hands.
6 Legislation relating to the proscription of the LTTE should be further strengthened, and persons who give support to the LTTE should be apprehended and prosecuted.
NGOs, media organisations and individuals that through subtle means romanticise the Tigers as heroes should be charged as traitors and punished. This would be their fate in other countries faced with a similar situation. In addition, the activities of foreign funded and Tiger infected NGOs, who through propagandist programmes, through TV, by seminars, so-called research publications directed at preventing the recruitment of soldiers for the armed services and the police should be stopped. Legislation should be brought to cover and prevent these activities whose final outcome is the dismemberment of the country.
7. Adequate investigation of Tamils migrating to the South must be made and their anti-Tiger affiliations and sympathies verified.
The fact that Tiger terrorists hide themselves among the Tamils who migrate to the South from the North is a threat to all in the South, including innocent Tamils. Accurate statistics should be compiled regarding the numbers of Tamils who have migrated to Colombo, Kandy, Negombo, Dehiwala- Galkissa, Kotte etc. from the North since 1987. They should be issued with special identity cards. Should a member of family be involved in terrorist activities, the family should be held responsible. Steps should be taken to develop a programme whereby Tamil citizens’ organisations take responsibility for the actions of these families. If not, due to uncharted Tamil expansionism terrorist activities such as bomb blasts in Colombo Kandy etc, cannot be prevented.
8. Systematic educational programmes directed at the Tamils should be organised.
In order to rescue sections of the Tamil population, who have been deceived by Tamil racist myths and the fraudulently manipulated history of this country, the suffering and disaster undergone by the Tamils because of such manipulations should be instilled into their minds. These ideas should be impressed on them through educational and publicity campaigns.
They should be convinced that the problems facing them are not specific to the Tamils alone, and that the problems will not be solved through a violent division of the country.
9. Tamil organisations which harass or persecute the Tamils should be proscribed, disarmed, and their members, taken into custody.
At the moment, armed Tamil gangs described as "moderates", brandish their weapons, and harass innocent Tamils. Not one of these organisations has rejected the call for Eelam. They should be disarmed immediately to enable the Tamils to live in peace.
10. Tamil organisations opposed to Tiger terrorism and separatism should be assisted to the maximum.
Measures should be taken immediately in the plantations. In addition, in areas cleared by the armed forces, welfare and development programmes should be organised through the armed forces, welfare and development programmes should be organised through the Local Government bodies. Ordinary Tamils’ community organisations should be encouraged to participate in these activities, and they should be given protection.
11. Programmes should be put in place to isolate Muslims from separatist ideas. Publicity campaigns should be carried out among Muslims to create awareness among Muslims about the catastrophic consequences of Tamil racism and Tiger terrorism. Muslims who support peace should be encouraged to join the fight against terrorism
More dedicated soldiers to the front
It is often reported that the armed forces are incapable of meeting the terrorist threat. Hence we propose that the following proposals be activated.1. A war agenda should be formulated and put into place.
Even though political leadership is essential to fight the war, security operations should not be conducted to suit political objectives. The professionals in the forces should be given the power to take independent decisions regarding the conduct of the war.
2. In order to constantly maintain the patriotic and war like mentality of the soldiers, we suggest that the following steps be taken:
• In the operational areas, continuous educational programmes and publicity campaigns in this regard should be conducted.
• Promotion in the ranks of the armed forces should be made on suitability heroism and ability and on active participation at the front and not on the superiority of service.
• Land, houses and other facilities should be provided for the soldiers on a major scale.
• A special civil authority should be established to look after the needs of the families of soldiers and be of assistance and comfort, in case of death of a soldier.
• Maximum publicity should be given to heroism shown by soldiers in the field, and they should be honoured as national heroes.
3. All activities that break the morale of soldiers should be stopped forthwith. The main obstacle preventing the recruitment of manpower to the armed forces is the negative publicity given both by the state and the private media, specially the State media. The Tiger ideological point of view put across by the Sudu Nelum movement, the Ministry of Ethnic Affairs and National Integration and the foreign-funded NGOs is an embarrassment and a danger. These pro-Tiger propaganda programmes erode and loyalty of young men and encourage soldiers to desert. Some of these organizations have become so traitorous that they can be considered LTTE fronts.
The propaganda of the Sudu Nelum movement and that of the Ministry of Ethnic Affairs and National Integration should be reviewed forthwith, and the traitorous activities of the foreign-funded NGOs should be stopped and perpetrators prosecuted.
4. Every recruit who joins the armed forces should, in addition to being trained in the use of weapons, follow an educational course. This should include:
a) Our history and how our ancestors defeated foreign invaders
b) The evolution of Tamil racism and the development of Tamil terrorism
c) The experiences of eradicating terrorist forces in the world.
d) The Tiger movement and its strategies
e) A knowledge of languages, particularly Tamil
In this manner, the soldier will know what he is fighting for. Such courses should be held for higher-ranking officers as well, at a higher academic level.
Special training for security forces personnel
Only about 10% of our armed forces have received specialised training in anti-terrorist operations. Therefore, we propose that at least 50% of our armed forces should receive specialised training in guerilla and anti-terrorist warfare. In this manner, we believe we can raise the quality of our armed forces.
Many of the specially trained personnel are not at the front, but are in the security details of Ministers and MPs. However only a select group of Ministers and MPs need special protection. Hence, we propose the special protection offered to Ministers and MPs should be cut by 50%.
6. A broad based programme should be organised in order to recruit young men from universities, technical colleges, schools and youth organisations.
In order to recruit new manpower for security forces, a broad plan of action targeting universities, technical colleges, schools and young people’s organisations should be put into place. An islandwide propaganda campaign should highlight the catastrophe faced by the nation, and the duty and the responsibility of the youth to rescue the country. Such programmes should be clearly focused on the task of obtaining manpower for the armed forces.
In addition, propaganda campaigns should be carried out in universities, technical colleges, schools and villages in order to summon young men to the warfront. Our correct history should be explained to them, and they should be made aware of the destruction caused by Tamil terrorists to our national property and to Buddhist places of worship.
7. A new Security Task Force should be established for civil security duties.
A large proportion of the armed forces is not at the front but are engaged in search operations and similar civil sccurity duties. This is a national crime. All these civil security duties should entrusted to an authority specially established for this purpose, and personnel of the armed forces now engaged in civil security duties should be released to the front. This institution could be affiliated to the Defence Ministry. When young men are recruited to this force, it should be made clear to them that they will not be sent to the front. That their official duties would be to man check points, provide security duties at public functions etc. and that their civil security duties would be outside the North and the East. It would be comparatively easy to recruit persons on this basis.
They should be given training in such areas as detection of plastic explosives and connected materials, recognition of persons likely to be terrorists, from their behaviour, use of light weapons, the development of an ability to think quickly to suit the occasion.
a) A certain level of civic duties can be entrusted to civilian security groups, affiliated to the police, such as cadet battalions, citizens’ committees etc.
b) Every state and private sector organisation should establish para-military task forces for civil security duties. For this purpose, the services of retired army personnel can be obtained
8. In order to give protection and cover to villages which are militarily important in the North & the East, 100 Groups of paramilitary and militarily villages should be established.
All sections of the population who have been driven out of the East by Tamil terrorists should be resettled in their former homes. The government should be held accountable for utilising in a fair and equitable manner rehabilitation funds allocated by the state for the resettlement and rehabilitation of Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims. In order to carry out these measures, the compiling of lists of displaced persons in the East should be undertaken immediately. These resettled persons should be made directly responsible for all regional activities connected with the war. In this manner, the soldier in the field will be relieved to a great extent of their social and individual trials and tribulations, and they could develop loyalties towards their village as families and as patriots. Lands in those areas should be given to soldiers in the regular army.
Ethnic cleansing being carried out by Tamil and Muslim parties or organisations, claiming that the East is their exclusive homeland should be treated as traitorous and dealt with thus under the law.
Better weapons for the armed forces
The armed forces will require the latest modern weapons, in addition to those that they are now using.
Therefore, the following measures should be taken to achieve this end:
1. Manufacture of arms.
An arms manufacturing-complex under the control of the Ministry of Defence should be established for the manufacture on a major scale of such weapons as light and heavy weapons, ammunition, mortars and mortar launchers, armoured vehicles, boats etc.
These arms factories should be government-owned and institutions such as the State Engineering Corporation should be directly affiliated. This should also stem the flow of foreign exchange for the purchase of arms, while providing employment.
This project should be started immediately and carried through under several phases in order to ensure that all Sri Lanka’s future requirements of arms and ammunition will be met.
2. An institute for research into strategy, tactics and weaponry
The Ministry of Defence should, in affiliation with the universities establish a research institute which will assemble data on modern weapons and armaments, carry out research and draw plans for arms requirements.
3. Regularising of all transactions in the purchase of arms and armaments.
All transactions with foreign countries in the purchase of arms and armaments should take place between the respective governments and the Ministry of Defence. All such purchases should be revealed to the National Coalition. Any individual who provides the enemy with arms, any middlemen and commission agents in the purchase of arms should be charged as traitors and punished.
Fighting Tiger terrorism at a global level
The organisational network of Tiger terrorists is based on international organisations, and not only on elements of Sri Lankan Tamil society. They obtain their funds, arms and ammunition, and disseminate their propaganda through this international network. Therefore, we should take the following steps in order to counter them.1. A security agreement should be entered into with the central government of India to prevent land, sea and air traffic by terrorists.
2. Ancient relations between India, especially north India should be strengthened, reminding us of the golden age of the Asoka period. It should be pointed out that the establishment of a future Dravidasthan could be the biggest threat to the national security of India.
3. A propaganda campaign highlighting the anti-Buddhist activities of the Tigers should be organised and directed at the Buddhists of India, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh.
4. Since countries such as Burma, Cambodia, Thailand and Taiwan have become centres of arms gathering by the Tigers, a propaganda campaign directed at the government leaders, Buddhist monks and the Buddhist society should be launched.
5. Since Pakistan and Afghanistan have become centres of drug trafficking and arms gathering by the Tigers, propaganda should target these countries highlighting the persecution of the Lankan Muslims by the Tigers.
6. A programme should be put in place, soliciting the active support of the many lakhs of Sinhalese and patriotic Tamils, resident in the USA, Europe and Australia in anti-Terrorist propaganda activities and in fund-raising for the war effort.
7. We should obtain the maximum political and military assistance from the US, Britain, France and other countries without permitting the erosion of our sovereignty. The official view of these countries on the so-called grievances of the Tamils should be countered with a correct picture of the current situation. These countries should be made aware that strengthening Tiger terrorism could invigorate and expand the terrorist groups in the world and endanger their own internal security through bogus asylum seekers.
8. Operations against the Tigers should be organised and carried out in foreign countries.
Conclusion
All politicians of whatever hue, if they are genuinely interested in eradicating Tiger terrorism should implement the ideas in this Plan of Action. We strongly believe that there is no other way to defeat terrorism and usher in peace in this country. We should dispense with what we have all tested out in the past, at the cost of massive destruction. These include the so-called peace talks and so-called devolution of power. ‘Peace talks’ and already attempted devolution of power should be abandoned forthwith. We cannot appease a Hitler.We reiterate that for the purpose of meaningful peace and of long-term social stability, we must totally eradicate separatist Tamil terrorism ideologically, politically and militarily. We maintain that the reason for absence of peace in this country is separatist terrorism. However painful it is, however high the price we have to pay, this is the only course of action for this nation.
We urge all to try out the ideas of this Plan of Action, a concerted approach which has never been adopted.
National movement against Terrorism
The whole of Sri Lanka is now being swallowed by Tamil terrorism. Its aim is the establishment of a state of Tamil Eelam in the North and East of Sri Lanka, and then the capture of the whole country. Subsequently their aim as revealed in Indian documents is the establishment of a Dravida state in South Asia -so called "Greater Eelam". In order to achieve this objective, not only is the LTTE carrying out an ideological, propagandist and protest campaign, but also a brutal military campaign in Sri Lanka. The Tigers are also carrying out in other parts of the world such as lndia, Africa and parts of the West, a political and ideological campaign through demonstrations and propaganda to achieve their objectives.It has therefore become an immediate and critical imperative for Sri Lanka and the whole of South Asia to totally annihilate Tiger terrorism. The supreme priority of all peace loving and democratic-minded persons who value human freedom in Sri Lanka, as well as South Asia and in fact the entire world is to eradicate this Tamil terrorism. This should be done politically, ideologically, through propaganda and protest campaigns, as well as through military operations.
We the people Sri Lankans who have protected our identity, integrity and historical heritage through many centuries including from external aggression should now take the lead. We place before the nation, this comprehensive Plan of Action as an essential and necessary step to wipe out racist Tiger terrorism.
