Tigers Launch Pre-Dawn Amphibious Assault in Delft
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj
Specialised sea – borne units of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) launched an amphibious assault in the early hours of May 24th on the Sri Lankan Navy stationed at the Northern Island of Delft. Apart from killing and injuring at least ten navy men the tigers seized a radar unit and also took away a cache of arms and ammunition.
While the LTTE claims that at least 35 security personnel were killed and three vessels including a Dvora gun boat were damaged, the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) has denied it. Likewise the GOSL claims of having inflicted destruction on the yigers and repulsing the attack after a protracted battle have been rejected by the LTTE
Delft is the largest of Jaffna’s off – shore Islands and Islets numbering Seventy – eight. Only thirteen of these are inhabited. The Island is called Neduntheevu meaning long Island in Tamil. It’s Sinhala name is Pokurudivaina. Delft was the name given by the Dutch who named it after a city in South Holland. Delft in Netherlands is located between Rotterdam and the Hague. It is known for its canals and its blue pottery known as Delftware.
[Delft Municipal Hall, Holland]
Neduntheevu or Delft is around 18.3 sq miles or roughly 42 sq km in size. It is 45 km from Jaffna but only 38 km away from Rameshwaram in Inda’s Tamil Nadu coast. Delft is roughly 6 km in length from north to South and about 8km from east to west. The Island has a population of around 5000 people.
[A statue of the Virgin Mary on Delft Island holding a fishing boat, to protect the fishermen at sea.]
The off – shore Islands of Jaffna have been generally under the authority of the Sri Lankan navy. The SLN is assisted in law – enforcement and security by the Police and in a para – military capacity by the Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP). The navy has a small base in the northern part of Delft near the main jetty known as Maavilithurai .
This jetty is Delft’s main link to the outside world. People in Delft travel to and from Jaffna by ferry .The two ferry points are b Mavili thurai in Neduntheevu and Kurikadduvaan in Punkudutheevu. Punkudutheevu in turn is approachable by road from Jaffna due to the Pannai causeway built in 1960.
The Navy set up a radar station last year in the Southern part of the Island near the old light house. A second detachment of navy personnel was stationed nearby to protect the radar unit and generally the Southern seas. A guard unit was deployed at the radar unit vicinity itself. Contacts between the navy in the north and South was mainly by land.
There are a few sentry posts along the single main road in Delft. There are no sentries at these posts during night.All personnel return to the two camps after nightfall.
Given its proximity to Rameshwaram, Jafna, Pooneryn and even Mannar the island of Delft is strategically significant. The LTTE has been using the Island for years as a key point in crossing over and back from India. For instance when former northern commander Sathasivampillai Krishnakumar alias “Col” Kittu was injured on March 30th 1987 in a bomb attack his deputies took him to Rameshwaram from Kurikadduvaan via Neduntheevu.
In recent times Delft became crucially important to monitor and restrict LTTE sea movements off the North – Western and to some extent the northern coasts of Sri Lanka. The tigers rely to a great extent on Tamil Nadu for procuring supplies like fuel, non – perishable foods, medical supplies and mechanical equipment. The naval presence in Delft and usage of radar was an irritant if not deterrent to the LTTE in this sphere. Delft’s importance in sea surveillance cannot be underestimated.
[Children in Delft]
It was shortly after midnight around 12.30 am when sea – borne LTTE cadres landed surreptitiously in the beach area known as Vellai in the South – west of Delft. These were areas where migrant fishermen set up their temporary “Vaadis”.Delft along with Thalaiaddy in Vadamaratchy east are two places in Jaffna district where the “karaivalai” dragnets are used for seasonal fishing.
The tigers who landed at the beaches of Vellai split up in two formations. One group swiftly encircled the radar station navy detachment premises. The second group went around the detachment and advanced further. This group set up a “cut – out” point and stationed itself midway between the Northern and Southern naval detachments. This was to prevent navymen in the North coming to the rescue of beleagured comrades in the South.
The assault squad launched its attack on naval premises around 12. 45 am. Some sailors were taken by surprise.The shoot – out lasted till 1.05 am. In twenty minutes the radar unit guard station was over run. At least eight navy personnel were killed in the initial skirmish.
[Palmyrah trees in Delft]
Exchanges of fire continued between the LTTE and those at the detachment. Even as intermittent firing continued LTTE cadres began systematically removing equipment. machinery at the radar unit and guard station. The arsenal was also ransacked.
The LTTE cadres dismantled the radar unit carefully and removed it from premises.. They also seized some weapons from the sailors including three .50 calibre guns, two PK LmG’s, one RPG launcher, eight T- 56 rifles and one AK LMG. The tigers also took a large number of ammunition and shells.
The tigers then began moving out with their booty. The big prize was of course the radar. Initially the tigers may have planned on knocking the radar out but found themselves able to seize it and take it away altogether.
[Coral in Delft]
There were 20 to 25 navy men in the Southern and 30 to 35 men in the Northern detachments. A small group of navy men in motor vehicles set out from the North to aid the South. LTTE cadres at the cut – out set up by the tigers fired at vehicles. The Navy men retreated without pursuing their intended mission.
Once this happened the navy men holding out at the Southern detachment were de- moralised. Until that time they had fought hard inflicting injuries on the LTTE and even killing a few tigers. Once they realised re-inforcements would not be coming soon the defenders fled the camp and took cover in the shrub jungles and palmyrah groves.
[The Dutch abandoned their equestrian stables in 1660. The descendants are Delft's famous attraction]
A flotilla of tiger boats had been deployed at the Southern coastline. While some boats were used to transport cadres and seized military assets , the mission of other vessels was to prevent naval re-inforcements from Kayts and Karainagar reaching the scene.
Eventually three water jet boats and two Dvora gunboats reached the Island around 2.30 am. The gunboats came from Karainagar while waterjets came from Talaimannar.The LTTE boats then engaged these naval vessels at sea off the coast of Poomunai and Samithottamunai. A few tigers were hit in these clashes.
Even as the sea skirmishes occurred the tigers on land began moving out.By 2. 45 am the LTTE withdrew completely from Delft after setting off explosives at the naval base and radar station. But as far as sections of the security personnel were concerned the fight did not end. The navy on land fired contiuously till 4. 30 am giving residents the impression that clashes were continuing.
Meanwhile the LTTE flotilla with cadres and seized military assets on board sailed speedily away. The navy did not give chase but remained close to Neduntheevu coast firing shells sporadically in the direction taken by the tiger flotilla.
The tiger flotilla split up and sailed down to the main sea tiger base at Nacchikudah and two other sea tiger bases at Vidathaltheevu and Pooneryn.
It was after first light that Air force jets came to Delft. More naval vessels also arrived. Thereafter an elaborate search and destroy mission was conducted. In reality it was nothing but a charade. The LTTE cadres and vessels had safely returned unhindered to base hours ago.
It was during daylight that more security personnel were brought from mainland to Delft. A massive combing operation was undertaken. Some injured navy men and others in hiding were located and rescued. By 3 pm the Navy confidently reported that Delft was under total control.
Then came the disinformation and misinformation war. The LTTE had beaten the defence establishment by being the first to break the story of the attack. LTTE defence affairs spokesperson Rasiah Ilanthiraiyan claimed that the naval detachment at Delft had been demolished and at least 35 navy men were killed.
Ilanthiraiyan also said two water jet speedboats were damaged. Also A Dvora in trouble after colliding with a coral reef had sustained extensive damage.The impression sought to be conveyed was that the Delft navy had been given a death blow.
The GOSL propagandists though late tried to outdo the LTTE in “spin”.They claimed that two boats of the LTTE were destroyed by the navy. They also claimed that the airforce had bombed three of the tiger boats at Nachikuda. The LTTE claim regarding naval casualties was also denied.
The LTTE stated initially that only four of their cadres were killed. The GOSL put the LTTE toll much higher. Likewise Ilanthiraiyan placed the Navy casualty figure at over 30. The GOSL denied it flatly.
The LTTE later revealed that seven cadres including two women were killed. They were Sinnathurai Vijayakala alias Thamilventhan, Veerasingham Aingaran alias Muhilan, Panchalingam Suhanthan alias Sugirthan, Santhirasekaran Mayooran alias Sreemaran, Kathiripillai Mariyagowri alias Kalaithendral, Sebastianpillai Mary Kanishta alias Thanivizhi, and Francis punithakumar alias Kadalmainthan.
The tigers killed in the Delft attack were posthumously promoted. They comprised one major, three captains, two lieutnenants and one second lieutnenant. The LTTE cadres were from Jaffna, Mannar and Mullaitheevu districts. Cadres hailing from Neduntheevu had participated in large numbers in the attack.
The media centre for national security listened to details of LTTE casualties being relayed over tiger radio. Then the MCNS announced the names saying it had intercepted LTTE communications.
The Navy maintains an official casualty figure of four dead and four injured. But unofficially sources say that around 8- 10 were killed and 6 – 8 injured.
While LTTE media described the Neduntheevu attack as a great success the GOSL claimed the attack had been repulsed by the navy and air force.
Once again the GOSL and its propagandists seemed to have missed the forest for the trees. The important thing in the attack was not the extent of damage caused but the fact that it had happened. LTTE boats numbering 16 – 18 had been able to proceed from a South – western point on the mainland and travel undetected by sea to Delft and surprise the navy.
Apparently four LTTE formations comprising males and females were engaged in the operation. The sea tigers, black sea tigers , a special amphibian force and a special commando force were involved. The amphibian and marine commando units were modelled on the US Marine corps and SEALS. The LTTE like Eklavya emulating Drona in the “Mahabharatha” had trained these elite formations on the lines of the US marines.
The LTTE’s first major amphibian attack was in 1993 when the Pooneryn – Nagathevanthurai naval complex was attacked. The Tigers came across the lagoon in rafts to escape detection. The operation was then codenamed “Thavalai” or frog. The frog is an amphibean. That name was chosen to signify the amphibious nature of that attack.
Nowadays a whole amphibious unit has been developed.It is called “eeroodaha Sirappu Thaakkuthal ani” by LTTE media. It is reported that the amphibious unit was involved in the attack on Mandaitheevu last August 12th. That attack was a failure and several tigers were killed.
Assertions are made in the Colombo media that the LTTE had intended capturing Delft and was thwarted by the navy and air force. These views seem incorrect. In the first place the LTTE assault force deployed in the operation was not large enough to take over Delft.
More importantly the tigers could not have held on to Delft even if they had taken it over. Given the superior airpower, seapower, manpower and firepower of the armed forces the tigers would have been sitting ducks had they tried to hold Delft.
The operation was aimed at giving a shock to the navy and removing an irritant temporarily at least. The radar unit in Southern Delft was of immense use to the navy in monitoring sea movement by the tigers in that maritime zone. The operation intended knocking out the surveillance facility. But luck favoured the LTTE and it has been able to take the whole radar away.
This does not mean that the GOSL would not substitute another radar in due course but for some time at least there wont be one.The Delft radar point was of crucial importance in monitoring sea tiger movements from Pooneryn, Vidathaltheevu and Nachikudah. It was also useful in monitoring air tiger flights hugging the Mannar coast.
The LTTE has proven a point through this attack. The tigers have demonstrated that they are capable of launching a successful amphibious operation like this and return home safely. This, like the air strikes are all pointers to the fact that the LTTE may be down but is not out. Once again the tiger has crouched to pounce.
The LTTE did not attempt the capture of Delft because the tigers would have been trapped in the Island if they had done so. But the people of Delft are in a perpetual trap and therefore highly vulnerable. The LTTE attack on the navy happened on May 24th. Another incident which happened twenty – two years ago in the month of may illustrates the plight of the people.
[Memorial to those perished on May 14, 1985]
On May 14th 1985 a tiger squad raided Anuradhapura and killed many people. On May 15th passengers from Delft boarded the “Kumudini” ferry at Mavilithurai pier to go to Kurikadduvan jetty. A navy boat intercepted “Kumudini” at a short distance from the shore. The sailors in an apparent act of revenge for the Anuradhapura massacre began attacking the innocent Delft civilians. 38 people were shot and.or hacked brutally to death. A monument in memory of these innocent victims has been erected near the Mavilithurai jetty.
What happened in May 15th 1985 was an act of certain individuals in the navy. It had no official sanction. Punishing innocent people living in one place for something perpetrated by others elsewhere is neither just nor prudent. Yet this practice has now become officially sanctioned under the Rajapakse regime.
When Army chief Sarath Fonseka was injured in a bomb attack at the Army headquarters on April 25th last year the immediate consequence was bombing of innocent civilians in Sampoor. Retaliatory measures on the powerless and innocent have become the order of the day under this bully of a regime.
The successful LTTE attack on the navy at Delft too is resulting in consequences affecting civilians. All transport to and from the Islands was curtailed throughout Thursday after the attack.A massive search operation was conducted in various parts of the Islands. Delft, Kayts, Velanai, Nainatheevu, Punkudutheevu etc suffered.
Also all fishing has been forbidden until further notice. Again this ban does not apply to Delft alone but to all the Islands as well as areas on the mainland like Gurunagar, Pashaiyoor, Naavanthurai etc. Once again the familiar excuse of tigers masquerading as fisherfolk is being trotted out.But such an excuse is totally wrong because it is widely acknowledged that the tigers came in sea tiger boats.
An unofficial curfew has been imposed on the three Island AGA divisions of Delft, Kayts and Velanai. All transport to Delft has been cut off for the second successive day. There is much concern about the safety of civilians in Delft. Reportedly Neduntheevu residents are being “interrogated” intensively.
The security forces particularly the navy are engaged in these measures in a misguided , vengeful spirit. The reality is that the navy failed miserably in detecting and countering the LTTE sea borne attack. The fault lies within and not outside the navy. Instead of harassing and victimising innocent Tamil civilians and fisherfolk ,the navy would do better to probe its own conduct, identify shortcomings and rectify matters. [editor@transcurrents.com
transCurrents feedback :Contact DBS Jeyaraj : djeyaraj2005@yahoo.com
60 comments May 25th, 2007