A Sri Lankan naval commander’s account of the fourth Eelam War, which resulted in the defeat of LTTE

After the Presidential election held on November 17, 2005, the incumbent Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa became the fifth executive President of Sri Lanka. One of the most important promises, among others, he made to the public during the election campaign was to bring about “dignified peace” in the country. For a country engulfed in a civil war for more than 25 years, this gave a sign of hope. The public, Sinhalese, Muslims and the majority of the Tamils were weary of war, mainly due to the atrocities committed by the LTTE, and wanted peace.

The morale of the armed forces was also at a very low ebb. Despite the ceasefire agreement that was in force, the security services had to face humiliation at the hands of the LTTE for the sake of peace. The government ordered the armed forces to exercise utmost restraint when provoked by the LTTE. The ceasefire monitors, the SLMM, who were supposed to monitor the activities of both parties impartially, were heavily biased towards the LTTE.

Against this backdrop, the slogan of “dignified peace” gathered momentum during the election campaign and attracted many votes. After winning the election, the President had to deliver what he promised. And he...

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