Death of Balraj and the dearth of experience
May 28th, 2008
by Col R Hariharan (Retd.)
The death of Balraj (given name Balasegaran Kandiah), one of the competent and battle-scarred commanders, due to heart attack on May 20, 2008 could not have come at a worse time for the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), which is fighting a losing war with its back to the wall. His death is sure to aggravate the organisation’s ever increasing problem of dwindling number of field commanders with operational experience. And that could affect future operations.
Balraj’s cameo of guerrilla career eloquently presented by the TamilNet and better informed columnists like DBS Jeyaraj give a glimpse of the making of a modern guerrilla commander from an ordinary civilian. It also represents the milestones of LTTE’s growth from a rag-tag outfit to a monolithic and modern insurgency outfit with multiple capabilities, with its attendant bureaucratic trappings and ponderous ways. The career growth of Balraj from an armed cadre to a loyal trustee at the time of internal crisis in the LTTE did not stop there. He went on to command the Charles Anthony Brigade, the LTTE’s first conventional military outfit.
To start with Balraj had suffered from two handicaps that could have put an end to his career in the LTTE. The first was Balraj’s earlier affiliation with the Peoples Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE)-an organisation Prabhakaran had sworn to eliminate. The second was his latter day association with the much maligned LTTE leader Mahattya, who was sentenced to death for his alleged disloyalty to Prabhakaran. Balraj not only overcame these handicaps but gained Prabhakaran’s confidence. He proved his loyalty to Prabhakaran in the internal struggle for power and later showed his battlefield capability in 1999-2000 in the LTTE’s Unceasing Waves III (Oyatha Alaikal III) operation that led to the investment and capture of Elephant Pass resulting in resounding victory for the insurgents.
When we had interacted with Balraj during the days of the Indian Peace Keeping Force, he was neither a senior leader nor a military commander of proven competency, but a green horn member of the 9th batch of LTTE cadres trained in India. He cut his military teeth in operations against the IPKF.
By 1989 Balraj quickly climbed the leadership ladder when the sub unit leaders from earlier eight batches of were almost liquidated during operations with the IPKF. In fact, when the IPKF operations engulfed the rest of the peninsula and pushed Prabhakaran to seek refuge in the steamy jungle confines of Wanni, Balraj’s proximity to the leader increased. But Balraj over the years went on to become a multi-faceted guerrilla leader with conventional warfare capability. He put the two decades of war and peace to develop his competencies. The latter day entrants have neither the luxury of such a long exposure in leadership role in operation nor the time horizon to enable them to emulate Balraj.
Conventional armies have a clearly laid down succession process which comes into play automatically at times of war. However, the LTTE despite its claims of conventional capability is essentially an insurgent force. In the LTTE to fill the berth of a senior military commander like Balraj, the successor will have to fulfil twin requirements – proven operational experience, and unswerving loyalty to its supreme commander V Prabhakaran. Balraj, in his quarter century of service in the LTTE came out successful on both the counts.
Insurgent bodies which are highly paranoid crack both at the operational and leadership level when they come under severe operational pressure. So far Prabhakaran, despite the aberration in mishandling Karuna and losing him, had warded off such a development thanks to commanders like Balraj. But as the juggernaut of security forces inches forward beyond Adampan today, and probably towards Mullaitivu tomorrow, Prabhakaran needs experienced commanders who understand the nuances of conventional warfare and fight steadfast a battle of attrition. The moot point is can Prabhakaran find them?
As it is there are just a handful of experienced field commanders left alive. They are aging, and some of them like Soosai are not in good health. And as the war continues more heads will roll. The newly inducted commanders, unlike the earlier ones, are more likely to be post 1983 products who were blooded at the cadre level only in the last Eelam war between 1995 and 2000. Their active conventional operational experience at a little higher level would have been in response to the security forces offensives during the last two years.
The security forces have superior force levels and fire power than the LTTE, and as the war progresses further into the north, their superiority is likely to increase. In the face of such odds, only the commitment of LTTE commanders and their ability to inspire the cadres can compensate for LTTE’s organic limitations (as it probably happened at Muahamalai in April 2008). But thanks to the LTTE’s emotive but self-defeating tactics of suicide bombing both in land and sea, the LTTE gallery of martyrs is already filled with names of potential leaders who could have made the difference with their experience and motivation.
Even in the present situation, Prabhakaran’s unique ability to pick the right person to lead his teams should not be under estimated. In the past he had demonstrated an uncanny ability to bounce back in the face of defeat with such commanders. It was enabled by the 1983 vintage veterans like Mahattaya, Karuna, Balraj and the like who are no more available.
Can Prabhakaran do it all over? Will the new commanders have the same level of personal loyalty, commitment and military competency? The answer will probably emerge in the battlefronts in the coming months. [saag]
(Col. R Hariharan, a retired Military Intelligence specialist on South Asia, served as the head of intelligence of the Indian Peace Keeping Force in Sri Lanka 1987-90.He is associated with the South Asia Analysis Group and the Chennai Centre for China Studies. E-mail: colhari@yahoo.com)
Entry Filed under: transCurrents
31 Comments Add your own
1. Sudalaimaadan. | May 28th, 2008 at 9:08 am
Hariharanji,
Can you tell what is India’s actual policy towards Srilanka?
“Khabi Dhost,Khabi Dushman”?We know Thamilnadu is only a state within the Union Territory Of India.And India is ruled by the North Indians,most of them have little knowledge of the ongoing conflict here.
Thamilnadu Politicians can only make verbal protest and nothing more towards Srilanka.
But India cannot simply ignore what is happeining in its tiny neighbour.
Because the Security of India is somewhat connected with Srilanka.
There is still lot of fighting left,and lot of fighting remains with the L.T.T.E too.
The I.P.K.F. landed in trouble without a proper assessment of the Srilankan conflict.This was during ‘old India’. India is now a modern state alteast with Information Technlogy.So I think lot of intelligence should be available with India about th ongoing conflict here.
Is India waiting for the right opportunity to intervene?
2. Vannian | May 28th, 2008 at 9:44 am
Thanks for the article. But pls donot come into big conclusions. Tamils live under constant war and kids grow up with war. I was one too. We know abt war than any average singala soldier coming to battle becos we grow up with war. Post 1983 kids are more competent abt battle than the 1983 generation. Post 1983 kids see all the attrocities and death caused by the Army karans and join the fight. On the other hand a average SIngala soldier only hears a Artilerry bomb exploding when he come to the battle field. It just shatters his morale and he deserts the SLA and flee.
Balraj death gives more opportunity for the younger generation to take over and beat up these singala army karans. We will not allow a foreign army to occupy our lands .period !
3. r.veera | May 28th, 2008 at 10:43 am
LTTE proved before they will prove again coming months.
4. Leon Andrews | May 28th, 2008 at 11:44 am
Many moons ago it was Charles Anthony, then came Victor, yesterday it was Thamilselvan & many more, today it’s Balraj. But, remember onething Mr. Hariharan, Tigers & our ONE & ONLY LEADER VP
5. aratai | May 28th, 2008 at 12:19 pm
What’s your point anyway? Do you want LTTE to make a comeback or giveup?
6. Kathir Shanmugam | May 28th, 2008 at 1:08 pm
I agree with Col. Hariharan that Balarj’s death is a big blow to the LTTE, and its hard to find field commanders like Balraj. Karuna, Balraj and possibly Pathuman were the LTTE field commanders responsible for LTTE’s military victories before 2003. All three had gone now. The only commander with substance now is Bhanu, and probably Theepan. Once these two are gone, LTTE’s military might as we know today, is done.
In the past months, LTTE lost several second and third-tier commanders. Some losses weren’t even acknowledged by the LTTE.
People like Balraj, Karuna and Theepan are the ones who correct the blunders made by VP. VP made blunder after blunder and was able to survive only because of these people.
Future doesn’t look bright for the LTTE..
7. rosy | May 28th, 2008 at 1:48 pm
WE ARE ONE & ONE CUNTRY
8. villa | May 28th, 2008 at 2:51 pm
Your analysis is good and valid for any organization that comes under predictable definition. Your thinking is conventional. LTTE is different and Prabaharan is different. This is not the first time it appears that they are fighting with their back to the wall. It is only an appearance but in reality the formation is like jellyfish. The fighting will drag on for years which will bring toll on the Sri Lankan government and the army. LTTE will then change its fighting strategy. There is no end to this unless there is an honest third party intervention unlike IPK.
9. Rathan | May 28th, 2008 at 3:13 pm
I think Col.Hariharan (Military Intelligence specialist) should note that those LTTE top rankers who died recently are mainly from those joined in 1983. Even Balraj was active in 1983, though he had PLOTE connections. I wonder how Col.Hariharan jumped from 1983 to 1995 in saying that the newly inducted commanders have expereince only from 1995! So how about those commanders in LTTE who joined LTTE after 1985 and during the IPKF period and those who joined in the early 1990s? Those who have closely watched the LTTE would realise that the cadres who joined in the late 1980s and the early 1990s are very much battle hardened. As far as conventaional battles are concerned they have much more front line expereince than several other top ranking commanders of the LTTE, as except Balraj most others are now commanding not from the battle front but from the command centres.
10. Eeeroppe Sinhaya | May 28th, 2008 at 5:40 pm
Today Balraj…and very soon the big Bunker will go too.
11. lion | May 28th, 2008 at 5:40 pm
feel sorry for your wishful thinking…you guys remind me of the famous sinhala saying “kakuluwa natanne thel thatchchiya rat wenkam witharailu!” ……..ha..ha…hooo.
12. Wassa | May 28th, 2008 at 6:03 pm
It is a sad fact that Tamil brothers who supports VP do not know how many intelligent and higly educated people were killed by LTTE just because they opposed LTTE.If Tamils want him as a leader why every and each Tamil want to escape from Wanni? Do all the Tamils believe that under VP there will be democracy?
It is also sad a higly intelligent ethnic group keeps a ruthless killer who massacred thousands of people including their own as a supreme leader.Do they lost their heads or are they like just sheep who follows a sheaperd?
Sooner or later SL Army will take control of Wanni as they did it in the east.After that many Tamil people will realise the destruction of SL caused by this ruthless man and will taste the true democracy with Singhalese bretheren.
13. Siva | May 28th, 2008 at 7:58 pm
LTTE is our savior. Without them we are finished. This is the bottom line. So yes we need for LTTE to make a comeback. Comeback with vengeance and chase the Sinhalese army back to Sri Lanka.
14. Seelan | May 28th, 2008 at 8:04 pm
Many think that Hari is an ex Indian soldier. I am told that he is an ex Sri Lankan soldier. Can Hari clarify this pls.
15. Dev | May 28th, 2008 at 9:08 pm
Mr.Hariharn why dont you mention your so called IPKF suffered at the hands of Balraj in Mulaiteevu jungle i guess you tend to forget things…Then IPKF possesed superior fire man power too
16. nandasena | May 28th, 2008 at 9:25 pm
We will have to wait and see how LTTE will function in the future.
17. S Galpotta | May 28th, 2008 at 9:37 pm
Dear Mr. Hariharan,
A group of terrorists are vialting the law of the land and murdering innocent poor citizens.
Anyone with self respect and social responsibility will never agree with a group of terrorists.
Human rights are vialated by wild animals in human form. Elimitnation of non humans in this process is not a vialation of any human right.
Please support the legitimate government of Sri Lanka to eliminate the terrorist problem.
18. thamillan | May 28th, 2008 at 11:16 pm
Keep understimating tigers. Good for you.
Tamils want eelam, and they love pullikal. Tamils hate Sri Lanka for what they do to their people. They will never ever trust Sri Lanka.
This is basic felling that you cant change, you can’t
defeat this fealing.
So anyone who wants eellam is considered a tiger.
So you can’t really destroy tigers and win this war.
Might win odd battle. But remember vietnam and how the war was lost afftter US winning most of the battles. Oh yes the
IPKF is alos good example of winning battles and lossing the war.
19. Helaya | May 29th, 2008 at 1:36 am
No matter how some tamils think about LTTE.
one thing is crystal clear, That is Bunker babu, (prabakan)
will never get an inch from our great land,Sri-Lanka.
Rajapaksha is the modern King Dutugemunu
and his brothers are Well Famous DASAMAHA YODAYO.
Praba is a dog, keeping it’s tail between legs, infront of them.
///// NO EALAM…….IT’S A DREEEEEEEM /////
20. Canaga | May 29th, 2008 at 4:19 am
Surely the Col will know that the LTTE is fighting two ocuntries – SriLanka supported by India. Who has LTTE got to fight? With such small force numbers and arms, their ability to maintain so far is remarkabale.
Wethe Tamils are at the receiving end of a corrupt and racial government. Our land and peaceful living is so badly affected. What else can we do?
21. ranjith | May 29th, 2008 at 4:56 am
Hariharanji, ‘”SubKaam achcha chaltahe,If the RAW [or what ever the outfit is] make a brake from Sri lankan affiars.”" Do not forget that Sri Lanka WAS, IS and WILL be ONLY ONE COUNTRY.
22. Vesco | May 29th, 2008 at 5:17 am
Simply said, VP is facing 4 full divisions of the SL army on four fronts. He has to commit enough troops on all these fronts to protect the perimeter of the peelam. Then, there are the elite DPU units of SL army. Col Charles met some of these guys in Mannar and now is in some other world only he knows.
Also Tamil Chelavan was tipped off by someone inside LTTE. (SLAF knew that some high profile LTTE leaders were gathering there.) That traitor is still at large inside Vanni and LTTE has no idea who did it!
So! Prabha can hardly move, either its a LRRP strike or a decapitating SLAF bunker buster strike. (LTTE asked for a total ban of any SLA DPU operations in the CFA signed in 2001 with Ranil W. – They are so scrared of these guys)
SLA will keep this preasure on the LTTE for next six months and we can see the consequences.
Attrition will grind them…. never in the history of this conflict that SLA been on offensive for so long. (Almost 3 rd yr now). Given the manpower of the SLA (61st division is in the final preparation), attrition is the best strategy against LTTE. LRRP should contnue to hunt down the LTTE top leaders.
We’ll meet in the peelam of the south indian tamil invaders.
23. Canaga | May 29th, 2008 at 8:48 am
Galpotta is relating actions by the so called government of srilanka?
24. Canaga | May 29th, 2008 at 10:06 am
Out of 225 MP’s in the Parliament there are more than 40 Tamils well represent the tamil population in the country. Even with this conflict Tamils live in Colombo, Galle, Kandy,Puttlam, Kurunegala, Nuwaraeliya, Kataragama, Ampara etc. all over the Country. But your VP not allowed any Sinhalese to live in Jaffna, Mullaitivu, Kilinochchi etc. Is it justifiable? While enjoying good life in the south u are asking to seperate this small Island. Come to the proper political framework and win not only the hearts and minds of tamils but also the sinhalese and enjoy the peace and prosperity without making our sinhala-tamil brotherhood a jeopardy.
25. Devinda Fernando | May 29th, 2008 at 3:44 pm
One More Dead Tiger… Is a good Day for Sri Lanka. Whether it is by Heart attack or Kfir Attack the end result is the same.
Actually come to think of it a Heart Attack is far better for the SL Armed forces…. much cheaper and less risky on the part of the Soldiers. That was a Freebie from God! Now lets all hope that Prabhakaran’s blood pressure and Diabetes act up… then all these LTTE donkeys who pray to him as an immortal will finally shut up.
26. true tamilan | May 29th, 2008 at 10:39 pm
Col.paduman is not gone
He is still there
refer the pics shown in tamilnet during tamilselvan killing
27. NMR | May 29th, 2008 at 11:14 pm
good one Devinda
28. R.G | May 30th, 2008 at 5:21 am
Whether Balraj or any other LTTE Commnder DEAD or NOT,
One thing is certain. Sinhalese will never devolve adequate power to Tamils. the communal violence will flare up again if LTTE is wiped out!
THIS MEANS THAT ANOTHER PRABHAKARAN WILL COME OUT OF THE ASHES OF TAMIL LIVES TO BE MORE VIOLENT AND MENACING THAN THE CURRENT ONE.
Already the East is a powder keg waiting to be ignited with communal violence. This is the result of Rajapakshe’s divide and rule! At the opportune time LTTE will come to east again.
Tamil Struggle from SJV to Amirthalingam, Uma mehshwarm to prabakaram and will go on as even the LTTE girls might take up the mantle of praba.
The shipping and funding network well established for LTTE, the ground leadership can be filled by any one.
The tactics of holding the SL Forces thus far has worked for them. the area captured in tow years is nothing to what they lost during ‘Jayasikurui”. It took them 6 days to recapture them. So, will the history repeat itself?
Look at JVP. Rohana Wijeweera dead and one. They still are a force who could turn to arms with a flick of a switch.
LTTE is not pushed back to the wall. col.Hari is dreaming. LTTE retains strike power to inflict civilian casualty in th south at any time.
The TMVP will switch allegiance to LTTE sooner or later. Mark my words.
29. chumma | May 30th, 2008 at 10:54 am
Forget Balraj, even if VP is killed today, the fight will go on.
We tamils also know that the only cetainity in life is death. therefore we are aslo ready for the eventuality that one day we will have to fight the war minus VP.
it is not balraj or VP who started this war. it is the racist in the south.
as long as we get treated like 2nd class citizens in our own land. we will fight.
WITH OR WITHOUT LTTE!
30. aj | May 30th, 2008 at 11:17 pm
My initial impression when reading comments made by Fernando (No.25) and the subsequent support for such comments by NMR (No.27) was that surely it was the responsibility of the moderator to distinguish comments of vale from those of simple, racially driven rhetoric.
However, it was on consideration that I realised the moderator was simply allowing for the exemplification of the true elements that drive and sustain the military intervention to the political problem. Misinformation, ignorance, a failure to seek accurate information, a further laziness to then use ones’ intellect to analyse such debate, and ultimately a deep seeded racism are major constituents behind such comment. And an important element of the debate we must all be conscious of. And the fundamental reason why the two countries administered as one since 1833, should in fairness, not be constituted as one.
31. Anonymous | June 4th, 2008 at 1:40 pm
*** My initial impression when reading comments made by Fernando (No.25) and the subsequent support for such comments by NMR (No.27) was that surely it was the responsibility of the moderator to distinguish comments of vale from those of simple, racially driven rhetoric. ***
What is Racist about Hating the LTTE. These Terrorists kill my fellow countrymen and my generation , murder our women and children and want to separate our country.
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