India may carry out evacuation in Lanka

A Norwegian delegation is in Colombo to negotiate a halt in the fighting and hopes are high here that there will be a breakthrough within this week, possibly in the next couple of days.

Although the BJP’s Tamil allies are dead set against military intervention by India, a political consensus exists on the question of humanitarian aid. The Government is going ahead with evacuation plans on the strength of this after regular consultations with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi.

The evacuation will necessarily be a huge operation, involving movement both by air and by sea. Several thousand Defence personnel will have to be shifted out of the Jaffna peninsula to safer places in Sri Lanka. So will equipment, arms and ammunition that the Sri Lankan Government would not like to see falling into LTTE hands.

Operational details are being worked out but the Air Force and Navy are already in position. New Delhi is expected to send the green signal to move as soon as a ceasefire is in place. Significantly, Principal Secretary Brajesh Mishra met the three Service chiefs yesterday.

The decision to help with evacuation proceedings comes in the wake of reports that some Western nations have expressed their willingness to step in if India continues with its hands-off policy on the crisis. New Delhi is averse to Western military presence close to its shores.

While the rescue operation will in effect mean handing over Jaffna to the LTTE, Government circles here feel the Sri Lankan Government has no other option. The fall of Jaffna town is imminent and Colombo would prefer to get its men and equipment out rather than leave them to the mercy of the rebels.

The perception here is that a ceasefire would also be in the LTTE’s interest. Continued fighting will only mean more loss of lives and given the ratio (according to estimates available here, the LTTE has only around 5,000 men to the Sri Lankan army’s 30,000 odd), the rebels may opt to save their resources in exchange for peaceful capture of Jaffna.

It is not clear what India’s role will be after the ceasefire and evacuation but clearly New Delhi will have to abandon its studied passivity. In fact, the Sri Lankan Government has been urging India to be more pro-active in helping to resolve the ethnic conflict.

There are indications that New Delhi is in touch with both sides through unnamed intermediaries and the Government seems optimistic that a political solution may emerge. The Government appears to be relying on the reported LTTE assurance to the Norwegian peacemakers that it will begin talks with the Sri Lankan Government only after the capture of Jaffna.

An ENS report from Kochi adds that all ships and aircraft under the Southern Naval Command have been put on high operational alert. Unconfirmed reports added that though an order to move the ships was issued earlier in the day, it was immediately reverted. “But we are on standby and are ready to move at short notice,” sources said. The developments are an immediate fallout of the visit of Lankan Chief of Defence Staff Rohan De’Silva Daluvatte, it is learnt.

The Southern Command has readied its survey ships, offshore patrol vehicles, minesweepers and transport ships for the operation. This apart, surveillance aircraft and helicopters at the INS Garuda are also ready.

“Once we get the green signal, the ships and aircraft will be brought under the control of the Eastern Naval Command, which is controlling ongoing Operation Pasha. Launched as a joint surveillance exercise by the Navy and the Coast Guard in the eastern theatre, Pasha is to ensure that the country’s interests in the southern waters are not sabotaged,” sources said.

Heavily armed Kashin-class destroyers, Khanjar-class corvettes, patrolling vessels and aircraft are taking part in the calibrated show of strength along the eastern coast. Vessels of Southern Command would form part of this armada if India decides to intervene in Lank.